Pokémon GO receives an in-game PVP league in 2020

Niantic has announced a new PVP mode is coming to Pokémon GO in 2020. Named GO Battle League, it will be a tournament mode with global ranking and matchmaking. 

Competitive play has always been a part of Pokémon, so when Niantic first introduced Trainer Battles, fans expected much more than what they got. The mode lacked many features that would have made it the ideal Pokémon tournament experience, so players made their own in the form of Silph Road. It's a series of web pages which allows players to input tournament data to create the added functionality that should have shipped with Trainer Battle. 

The arrival of GO Battle League will enable fans to set up tournaments with rankings and international matchmaking direct from the game with no need for third-party tools. Or at least that is what we expect. Niantic stated:

"Trainers will be able to walk in order to earn entry into the GO Battle League, then battle opponents from around the globe through an online matching system and rise in the ranks of the league. We hope this feature will make the Pokémon GO battling experience more competitive and accessible to more Trainers."

Players might be required to walk certain distances to gain access to the new PvP mode or something similar, but having movement linked to Pokémon Go content is nothing new. 

Hopefully, Niantic will share more information regarding the new mode before too long, and 2020 isn't too much of a wait either.