Pokémon Go’s new level cap requirements have leaked, and some fans say the fresh XP total required, as well as the some of the extra tasks involved, are too easy.
This week, Pokémon Go will raise its current level 50 cap for the first time in five years, and allow players to reach level 80 for the first time. But this change will come alongside an overall rebalancing of XP — meaning many players will find themselves transported to a much higher level, and potentially far beyond the XP needed to instantly hit level 80.
Of course, players won’t simply log on and find themselves at the finish line. As is the case currently, a fresh set of additional tasks will need to be completed to progress through the game’s final tier of levels (from 70 to 80, replacing similar tasks required to move from 40 to 50). But even these — which have been datamined by fans — have been dubbed as rather straightforward.
Last night, a post on the official Pokémon Go blog listed out the new XP requirements needed after the game’s level cap increases tomorrow, October 15.
Pokémon Go rebalanced XP requirements:
- Level 10: 48,000 total XP
- Level 20: 258,000 total XP
- Level 30: 1,083,000 total XP
- Level 40: 3,953,000 total XP
- Level 50: 12,753,000 total XP
- Level 60: 34,353,000 total XP
- Level 70: 85,853,000 total XP
- Level 80: 203,353,000 total XP
It’s interesting to compare these fresh totals with the amounts of XP needed to hit the game’s level 50 cap now. Currently, hitting level 50 requires a lifetime total of 176 million XP. (This week, following the game’s rebalance, level 50 will require just 12.75 million XP.) This means the new level 80 cap requires just 27 million more XP than the current level 50.
While it’s been clear for a while that Pokémon Go’s new level cap will come alongside an overall smoothing of the game’s overall XP requirements, hardcore fans have still been surprised to discover that many of them will once again be in Pokémon Go’s new endgame, with little to no actual XP grinding required.
Moving on to those level up tasks, fans examining a datamined list of what will be needed have judged the requirements as rather straightforward. Each level requires players hold an increasing number of platinum in-game medals, though these can be earned in a way that reflects your playstyle. Some will take time — Purifying 100 Shadow Pokémon — but with planning there’s nothing here which should hold up hardcore players for too long.
Indeed, there is also palpable relief among fans at the lack of any artificial timegating here — such as requiring a Pokémon be caught on 30 days, holding progress back a month — something which has been found in other challenges previously.
Pokémon Go Level 71-80 level up tasks
- Level 71
Earn 15 platinum medals
Power up Legendary or Mythical Pokémon 20 times
Make 999 Nice Throws
Catch 100 Pokémon in a single day - Level 72
Earn 20 platinum medals
Complete a Route 7 days in a row
Use 200 supereffective Charged Attacks
Earn 1,000,000 Stardust - Level 73
Earn 25 platinum medals
Purify 100 Shadow Pokémon
Power up 3 Pokémon to their max CP
Win 30 Raids - Level 74
Earn 30 platinum medals
Level up a Max Move 20 times
Explore 200 km
Complete 250 Field Research tasks
- Level 75
Earn 34 platinum medals
Make 999 Great Throws
Hatch 75 Eggs
Send 500 Gifts to friends - Level 76
Earn 38 platinum medals
Defeat 100 Team GO Rocket Grunts
Explore 300 km
Catch 200 Pokémon in a single day - Level 77
Earn 41 platinum medals
Win 100 Max Battles
Power up 7 Pokémon to their max CP
Make 10 trades with Pokémon caught at least 300 km apart - Level 78
Earn 44 platinum medals
Earn 400 hearts with your buddy
Explore 400 km
Complete 500 Field Research tasks - Level 79
Earn 47 platinum medals
Defeat a Team GO Rocket Leader 30 times
Obtain 50 Lucky Pokémon in trades
Hatch 100 Eggs - Level 80
Earn 50 platinum medals
Win 80 Trainer Battles in the GO Battle League
Make 999 Excellent Throws
Win 80 Raids
With these tasks, and with Pokémon Go’s new XP rebalance, it feels clear that the game is adjusting itself for newer players, and leveling the playing field somewhat so there’s a chance for newcomers to catch up with those who have been playing for almost a decade. As the game approaches its 10-year anniversary next year, its developers will likely want to ensure Pokémon Go continues to welcome fresh blood to its userbase, without giving them too steep an XP mountain to climb. But some veterans are less impressed.
“These are all so easy,” wrote Old_Indication_4379 on top Pokémon Go fan reddit TheSilphRoad.
“I’m disappointed beyond disappointment,” added another fan, avaible17. “I’m sitting at 352M xp and I doubt that it is very impressive number for most of the old players. I hoped for a challenge and motivation to play, I’ve got easy and repetitive tasks, that most of them can be done in a day (except walking ofc).
“I was hoping for introduction of new type of medals, that would make my grind beyond capabilities of human flesh,” they continued. “Now I’m writing this and thinking, that they just make it easier for beginners, not more challenging for old dogs.”
Fresh incentives to climbing levels will include permanent boosts to Pokémon, inventory and gift storage, and an improved chance at gaining Lucky Friends status when players are level 70 and above. Finally, and most mysteriously, there’s a new 1km Daily Adventure Incubator for players over level 15. Alongside the game’s current Daily Adventure Incense item, which rewards players with extra spawns for 15 minutes, this is designed to reward players who walk at least 1km per day.
Exactly which Pokémon the Daily Adventure Incubator will hatch, however, remains unknown — though fans are already speculating that the mechanic will eventually include an ultra-rare Pokémon (Manaphy and Phione seem a good bet!) similar to how the Daily Adventure Incense has a rare chance at spawning a Galar Legendary bird.
Overnight, Pokémon Go’s development team fixed yesterday’s major bug which bricked the game for anyone who completed its first Weekly Challenge. A message posted on the Niantic Support social media account last night offered a smattering of XP and Stardust as an apology to impacted players, though did not state whether the Weeky Challenge feature would return next week.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
