Pokémon Go’s directors are ‘itching’ to bring Galar region to mobile game

Pokémon Go fans have patiently waited for new Pokémon and regions to come to the mobile game and have noted it’s been a dry spell. Thankfully, the Niantic team has noticed it, and the game’s director, Michael Steranka, confirms they’re keen to get the Galar region.

While attending Pokémon Go Fest in Madrid, Dot Esports spoke with Steranka about multiple topics, and notably, Dot mentioned bringing more Galar region Pokémon to the mobile game. Although Steranka could not provide an accurate release date or timeline for those additions, there are several things to get excited about, with the Niantic team being eager to add more Pokémon and features to the game and attempting to find new ways to engage players.

“We want to find the right moments and opportunities that make sense for individual Pokémon,” Steranka told Dot Esports, detailing when players can expect to see new Pokémon.

Steranka could not share an exact timeline of when Pokémon Go players could expect the Galar region to be fully released, but it all comes down to timing for the Niantic team to make these introductions. There are only so many Pokémon the Pokémon Go team can release before they have to wait until the next main game comes out, and then it’s another waiting game of finding the correct time to introduce them. “But, as you can imagine, it’s been a while,” Steranka admitted. “It’s something we’re itching to get out there and get into player’s hands. Stay tuned.”

The finite amount of Pokémon is the real challenge for Niantic, and the devs still have to find ways to introduce new and engaging events to players in the mobile game. Still, fans have taken notice of a notable dry spell, sharing their woes in a Reddit thread, and players discussed how the game has yet to have a new wild spawn of Pokémon appear in 2024. They’ve only appeared in limited-time Research or on special Raid Days. Steranka was aware of this Reddit thread, having read it himself.

“Even a couple weeks before that post went live, it was something we had been discussing internally as a team,” Steranka shared with Dot Esports. The team is considering these choices they’ve made in events, and are planning to find ways to focus on content beyond only catching Pokémon, with new features set to appear in the future.

Although we did not secure a release date for Galar Pokémon in the mobile game, we know they’re on the horizon. When they appear, Pokémon Go fans will be ecstatic about their arrival, and we’re looking forward to the mechanics the Niantic team creates.