Buddy System!! (Confirmed, Daily article in OP)

[Sirindu]

A new way to get candies will be taking the Pokemon of your choice out on a walk.

https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/08/31/pokemon-go-buddy-system-reportedly-discovered-in-app-code

Data mined game code reveals this is coming soon. Here's the list of distance per candy for each Pokemon: https://www.pokemongochamp.com/buddy-system-chart-candy-distance-size/ (Thanks to user, "Paras" for this info!)

EDIT: Now confirmed, come read the PokéCommunity Daily article for the full scope!

 

[Benermerut]

Here I was just casually thinking it would be cool if we could have a Pokémon following our avatar like in HGSS as a just for fun thing, and Niantic's making it a useful feature instead.

Not only would it be helpful for gathering candies of a hard to find Pokémon, but it'll make Pidgey grinding that much easier.

Edit: according to this, some Pokémon will ride on your shoulder. Which is adorable.

 

[VisualJae]

I sure wish I could convert the 400km I walked so far into candy.

 

[Neltharion83]

This could be nice.

Pokemon Go is losing players now, a big update is needed to keep the players and to maybe get some back that went inactive. Unfortunately this would be a small update.

The biggest thing i can think of would be to add gen2, obviously after adding the missing gen1 legendarys. Trading and breeding would also be rather big.

 

[Phoenixstarz]

That would amazing, I walk a lot anyway and this would definately make me even more active

 

[Adamw92]

If it's true then this will be great! shame they didn't introduce it sooner though when I was stuck with a Psyduck that was 1 candy away from becoming a Golduck for almost a month.

 

[Sirindu]

If it's true then this will be great! shame they didn't introduce it sooner though when I was stuck with a Psyduck that was 1 candy away from becoming a Golduck for almost a month.

That suuuuucks.

I have a Lapras I'll finally be able to get candy for. Though, nothing will change it's horrible Frost Breath/Dragon Pulse moveset. =(

 

[Adamw92]

That suuuuucks.

I have a Lapras I'll finally be able to get candy for. Though, nothing will change it's horrible Frost Breath/Dragon Pulse moveset. =(

I know, it was so frustrating but thankfully I hatched a Psyduck finally and evolved it and Golduck is now my highest CP so it worked out in the end.

 

[CoalCraft]

Very much looking forward to this coming out. No telling when that will be of course.

 

[Sirindu]

Well, rumor has it Labor Day is going to bring a large update of some sort.

Lots of ridiculous things are rumored to be in said update, most of which I think will not be. But the Buddy System is very likely, imo.

 

[OTheGeneralO]

This would be cool

 

[VisualJae]

Official announcement (note: not available yet)

 

[bobandbill]

Buddy system coming to Pokémon GO!

Official confirmation from Niantic about an incoming Buddy System has been given.

Click here to read the article!

 

[Mawa]

I like this feature, as I live in a small place where there isn't much stuff. I can always walk to have candies for the Pokemon I want to evolve!

The first one I want to use is Cubone, as Marowak is my favorite Pokemon and I only need ONE more candy!

 

[Z25]

This is a pretty nice idea to have for the game. Walking with pokemon has always been big and now being able to get much desired candy will lead to a pretty good update. I'm excited for it and glad to hear something like this is happening! Hope it releases soon!

 

[Benermerut]

Aww, I was hoping our Buddy would follow us around the map screen too... But, I guess they'd need walking animations for all the land-bound Pokémon then, so I can see why they stuck to just the profile page.
Maybe in the future?

 

[CoalCraft]

Glad to see this officially confirmed, gives me a bit of hope that it won't be far away!

I'm glad they don't follow the avatar around on the map, to be honest, as that seems like a lot of clutter getting in the way of me easily spotting wild pokemon, especially considering how enormous some pokemon are.

 

[Adamw92]

Glad they've officially confirmed this, I'm gonna struggle on which Pokemon to pick first!

 

[Lunar]

This is gonna be so good, it's a great way of evolving the rarer Pokemon that people have only found once *cough* Vulpix and Growlithe *cough*. I hope it's not too easy either, I want to evolve my rarer Pokemon but I want to work for it too. Also, it's a shame that it doesn't appear like the Pokemon will actually appear with you on the map which would have been cool, but this will be a great feature nonetheless.

 

[Kmo86]

Right now I need this feature for squirtle only need 2 more candy, but by time it's added I probably will use it for geodude first.