What does the next 10 years hold for Pokémon Go? The developer wants to add "more core mechanics", explore "untapped potential" in gyms, and "facilitate multi

Pokémon Go is about to turn 10, and the developer has big plans for the next decade—starting with gyms, which haven't seen a serious update in years.

Speaking at a New York anniversary event, vice president of product Michael Steranka told reporters the team has "untapped potential" in gyms, and hinted at features that could bring communities together in entirely new ways. If you were hoping for a quiet phase of maintenance mode, you're out of luck.

Why This Matters

Gyms are one of Pokémon Go's core loops—you battle for control, place your prized monsters, and defend them—but the system has remained essentially static since launch. Every player has felt that ceiling. For a game that's now a decade old, that's not a great sign.

Steranka specifically called out the gym feature as an area where the team can "bring communities together in a way you've never experienced before." That's a strong hint that the next update won't just be a numbers tweak, but something structural.

"There's untapped potential in gyms, and I think they can bring communities together in a way that you've never experienced before in Pokémon Go."

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He also mentioned "core mechanics" would be expanded. Given that Pokémon Go's formula hasn't changed radically since 2016, this could mean a genuine shakeup—not just for casual players, but for the competitive community that's been demanding more depth.

That's especially relevant now. Developer Niantic's gaming portfolio was sold to Scopely for $3.5 billion last year, and the team rebranded as Scopely Explore. Fans were worried about aggressive monetization, but Scopely promised minimal changes. This announcement suggests they're thinking bigger than that.

Multi-Generational Play

Steranka also emphasized "multi-generational" gameplay. He noted that families who grew up with the game now have kids, and the team wants to support that organically. That might mean shared accounts, co-op modes, or something else entirely. We'll have to wait and see.

The third pillar is "core memories"—meaning more live events, Community Days, GO Fests, and City Safaris. Scopely Explore has 21 real-world events scheduled for 2026 already, and Steranka himself used to be a community manager at Smogon, so he knows how to rally players. Monster Hunter Now already does this well, and Pokémon Go could take it further.

The full interview covered a lot of ground, but the takeaway is clear: the next 10 years of Pokémon Go are about deepening the systems, not just adding more monsters. Gyms are first in line.