UPDATED: Official Confirmations New Pokémon Arriving in December (Starbucks/Spring Sponsors)

[VisualJae]

Check out the article!

Both the official Pokémon Company and Niantic have confirmed the new addition of Pokémon, but apparently not on the rumored Dec. 7th/8th dates found in the Starbucks promo leaks.

The news comes at a time with a lot of corporate sponsorships associated with GO, this time with Sprint: https://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/sprint/

Most people are expecting Gen. II arriving due to all the evidence so far. We can't rule out legendaries, though. Everything is up to speculation right now.

Original rumors from Starbucks:

Spoiler:

Disclaimer: Bear in mind that the following is simply a rumor with no official statements from Niantic.

We all know Generation II is going to happen eventually. Several items are now lined up that support the Gen. II update going live the week of December 7, with the possibility of Dec. 7 being the actual launch date.

Silph Road has already confirmed datamining for Gen. II code that's currently in Pokémon GO, reported on Nov. 7 (coincidentally exactly one month before the rumored launch date): https://thesilphroad.com/news/pokemon-go-gen-2-and-ditto-code-found

They have a solid track record in calling out updates (see: Ditto). And there's also the mining of a new sponsor (on top of ones mined at an earlier date), which lines up with with the next point.

Recently a crudely written internal memo from Starbucks surfaced with a promotional event included.

This coincides with a Twitter user asking for the Verizon promotion included in that same memo.


Both the Groupon and Facebook promotional events were confirmed and have expired already.

Lastly, with Niantic's campaigns with brand sponsorships (see McDonald's in Japan for instance), a partnership with Starbucks while heading into the holiday season is not farfetched at all.

Edit: Another thing to note is the recent rush to push out the "new" PokéStop-oriented tracking system. Starbucks PokéStops will be extremely obvious.

12/5/16: Some more potentially "leaked" info from Starbucks:

 

[Kid=1412]

I would expect SB pokestops or gyms to be added. A telco company in my home country sponsored a Go event which led to the creation of new sets of pokestops and gyms in their respective store locations.

It would be something convenient at the same time cause some inconvenience with the probability of more crowded SB altogether.

 

[blue]

This would probably get me back into playing GO so I'm all for it!

 

[jjc927]

Corporate sponsorship will be good for getting people playing again, and it does make sense from a business standpoint.
I wonder if the pre-evolutions from Gen 2 be included in the game when they add Gen 2. It would be kind of weird to have them evolve into their already existing Gen 1 forms which most if not all already have (Magme into Magmar, Pichu into Pikachu, etc).

 

[magicalgirlj]

I hope and pray to Arceus that it is true. I am sick of gen 1 already.

 

[Mab]

Amazing, I didn't think we'd be getting this until next year. Reallllyyyy hope it's true, I'm super excited to get myself a Xatu! ^__^

 

[Meganium]

MAN, there's a starbucks pokestop at the location where I used to chill at near my university. That would be freakin' cool though.

As for Gen 2 releasing, I haven't heard of any hype about it. Niantic would have released a news report about it by now so I'm not too sure if that's even legit. I guess the main reason why they are pushing it to December is because the majority of the kids and college students will be out of school for Winter Break, and that'll give them chances to get back into the game again. Good timing.

 

[KantoManto]

Um what about Legendaries? Are they coming with the Gen 2 update?

Also they need to add something as collecting & taking gyms is quite boring now

 

[VisualJae]

Update: another image seemed to have been leaked via a Starbucks employee:

 

[Kid=1412]

So it's US-based SB only?

 

[Taemin]

Oh my gosh, I really hope this thread is correct. I told a friend recently that the new Gen should be coming, and she got super excited, even though she's never played the games to know what they'll be. We plan to go out once they release and there's a Starbucks right by my house. My workplace also has one, though I think for grocery store Starbucks... I'm betting they're probably not participating. xD; BUT IF THEY ARE, I'M GETTING THAT FRAPPUCINO.

 

[Desert Stream~]

FINALLY! I am sick and tired of gen 1. Gen 1 is very overrated IMO. Bad pokemon, bad storyline, the only game that might be worse is X/Y.

 

[KantoManto]

Well that's the pokedex completed as far as I can go

Would be perfect if Gen2 dropped today

 

[Iceshadow3317]

Doesn't seem like it was the update that was anticipated, not in the least. So I can the over hype of employees for all Pokemon things, continues with Starbucks lol.

 

[Hikamaru]

Good to hear the Johto update is confirmed, because you have to admit seeing only Kanto Pokemon got boring very fast.

 

[Taemin]

I wonder if Starbucks is really doing the Pokemon Frappucinos along with this?? lol

The second part of the update doesn't really apply to me, but it's cool for people that do have those carries!

I'm so ready for Gen 2, though. The play ability for the game is kinda low right now, and I know some people are complaining that due to the tracking issue they won't play regardless. Though, I'm all for just wandering around until I bump into Johto mons. Better than nothin'.

 

[jjc927]

I'm assuming you don't have to be a Sprint or Boost Mobile customer to use their stores as stops and gyms. I wonder if they'll be giving anything special for those that are customers though.

 

[Itcheeee]

Good to hear the Johto update is confirmed, because you have to admit seeing only Kanto Pokemon got boring very fast.

My thoughts exactly. As much as I love most of the 1st gen Pokemon, it didn't stay interesting for hardly a few weeks for me :/ Especially when I never see half of them.

 

[VisualJae]

Newest datamine is in with the newest Android/iOS update: https://thesilphroad.com/news/shiny-pokemon-genders-in-pokemon-go-49-1

For those unfamiliar with datamining, basically skilled techies dive into the game's code using various means and uncover details that the vast majority of people cannot see at surface level.

Key discoveries:
- Pokémon genders
- Shiny Pokémon
- The "Baby" keyword
- Additional avatar customization
- Pokémon costume customization?!
- More sponsors
- Additional adjustments to the tracker

...my gosh.

 

[Taemin]

costume customizations, yeeeeees. I'm really looking forward to that!