Pokémon Go is introducing a new, higher level cap and rebalancing the XP requirements for existing levels — though no player will see their current level reduced.
The game's current level 50 cap, introduced back in 2020, will rise to level 80, giving players a significant new milestone to aim towards.
But the game's levelling curve should be smoother, developers told IGN in a pre-announcement briefing, meaning XP levels overall should be hit more frequently. This will be achieved by a rebalance of all XP levels to date, and the removal of additional, time-consuming levelling tasks between levels 41 to 50.
Indeed, players who have already earned the necessary XP will be boosted up to the new level system's requirements when they go live on October 18 — though the exact XP amounts required post-rebalance are yet to be confirmed.
Cruically, Pokémon levels, which are currently tied to your player level, will not be expanded or rebalanced, with level 50 remaining the cap there.
Don't expect hitting the new level 80 player cap to be easy, however. Alongside the necessary XP requirements, a fresh set of levelling tasks will be added for the final climb from level 71 to 80, ensuring only the toughest Trainers hit the game's new top level (and there's still plenty to grind for).
New rewards for levelling up will include fresh avatar items, plus increased storage capacity for Pokémon, items and gifts — upgrades you would otherwise pay for. (And if you're already at the game's maximum limit for one of these, developers confirmed you'll still be boosted above that.)
There's even a new boost for friends at level 70 and above, who will have an increaed chance of becoming Lucky Friends with other players.
For those keen to preserve their legacy of levelling up prior to the October 15 update, existing avatar items will be retired and made exclusive to those who already earned them (for example, the Level 50 Jacket item). A pair of new profile medals will also be available, if you reached up to Level 49 prior to the new cap being introduced, and another if you made Level 50.
To help players on their way to the new milestone, XP will be boosted in-game from today until October 14 with double XP for catching, and an additional 3,000 XP for winning raids and Max Battles. Timed Research will offer further rewards, with a tasty 7 million XP on the table.
It's a busy time for Pokémon Go, which is also now teasing its next in-game season. A video released yesterday included confirmation that Meta Metagross would debut in the coming months, alongside the long-awaited return of Keldeo — a Mythical creature only made available once via a premium purchase for a brief time back in 2022.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
