Pokémon Go is already a huge hit — but the game is missing a few key features that fans of the franchise have come to expect. Trading pokémon with friends has long been an essential component of catching ’em all, but this activity isn’t currently available to Go players.
However, the game’s developer Niantic has confirmed that there are plans to introduce a trading system into the app. Now, there are some rumors doing the rounds about the method that the company plans to use when it implements this new feature.
Pokémon Go will apparently use near-field communication to streamline the trading process for trainers, according to a report from BGR, based on information from PokeGoFans. Players would simply have to touch their smartphone against another player’s device for the transaction to be made, if these rumors are to be believed.
It makes sense that Go would make use of NFC in this way, given that the tech is now standard across flagship smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy line and Apple’s iPhone. Moreover, there will apparently be alternate methods of trading Pokémon with fellow trainers, so players without an NFC-enabled phone won’t be left out.
That being said, it’s worth taking this information with a pinch of salt, as the enormous popularity of Pokémon Go has prompted a wave of rumor-mongering. Recent data-mining efforts have offered up some useful information, but until there’s official word from Niantic, any information pertaining to features like pokémon trading should be considered rumor rather than fact.
Server issues delayed the international rollout of Pokémon Go, but over the past few days we’ve seen the app release in major markets including Germany and the United Kingdom. Players are no doubt hoping that Niantic keeps up the current pace of distribution, as once the game is out in all regions, the developer will be able to concentrate on introducing new features like trading.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.
Imagine tapping a Zelda icon on your iPhone and jumping straight into Hyrule. A new open-source project called nxnative makes that possible by repackaging Switch games you’ve bought into apps for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with no emulator in the middle.
Why does this run so well on Apple devices?