A new update for Pokemon Go has started to roll out, and the latest update to the game has brought many enhancements and bug fixes. The new update bears version number 0.163.0. But before getting the new update, let us talk about the Virizion, which is about to make entry to the game.

Virizion will start appearing in Raids on December 17, 2019, and will stay live in the game until January 7, 2020, at 1 pm PST. Virizion will come into raids with Raid Boss CP of 39601 and is super weak against flying-type Pokemon and is also vulnerable to Psychic, Fairy, Fire, Ice, and Poison-type Pokemon.

Virizion

Players can catch Virizion in the following CP ranges: Level 20 CP (1649 – 1727 CP) & Level 25 CP ( 2061 – 2159 CP). The best raid counters for Virizion are the following: Moltres, Honchkrow, Rayquaza, Mewtwo, Togekiss, Lugia.

Pokemon-Go-Rayquaza-Counters

Cut to now; data miners have revealed all the upcoming content with the update 0.163.0. The latest update to the game has brought a new loading screen to the game, which features the following Pokemon: Snorlax, Munchlax, Psyduck, Eevee, Pikachu, and many others. Pokemon Go update has also brought the ‘Buddy v2’ feature to the game. Mentioned below are the complete details that will come along with the game update 0.163.0.

Research Breakthrough
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Pokemon Go update 0.163.0 Apk Teardown

Highlights

  • New loading screen
  • Complete buddy overhaul
  • Buddy will follow you on the map
  • New Badge
  • Multiplayer AR
  • Genders now show in the trade screen
  • New Forms (PARTY HAT WURMPLE)
  • New items/assets
  • Battle Grunt Parties
  • New Loading Screen

New Buddy System

It’s been coming for a while but this updated added A LOT of new code relating to the new buddy feature. (Well over 4000 lines in fact!) So we’ve broken it down into sections but one thing to mention first

buddyDetailGuiFactory
startBuddySubscription
historicBuddySubscription

Buddy Cameos

It would appear you buddy will be able to ‘Cameo’ in certain scenarios. It could be similar to photobombing or something completely different.

.get_BuddyWildEncounterCameoChancePercent
.set_BuddyWildEncounterCameoChancePercent
.get_BuddyQuestEncounterCameoChancePercent
.set_BuddyQuestEncounterCameoChancePercent
.get_BuddyRaidEncounterCameoChancePercent
.set_BuddyRaidEncounterCameoChancePercent
.get_BuddyInvasionEncounterCameoChancePercent
.set_BuddyInvasionEncounterCameoChancePercent

Your Buddy can Cameo in the Wild, Quests, Raids & Rocket Battles

Buddy Levels

Buddys have 5 levels to work through

BUDDY_LEVEL_UNSET
BUDDY_LEVEL_0
BUDDY_LEVEL_1
BUDDY_LEVEL_2
BUDDY_LEVEL_3
BUDDY_LEVEL_4
BUDDY_LEVEL_5

and you’ll get a nice popup when you level up

buddyLevelUpGuiControllerPrefab

Buddy Emotions

Your buddy will have several levels of emotion

BUDDY_EMOTION_LEVEL_UNSET
BUDDY_EMOTION_LEVEL_0
BUDDY_EMOTION_LEVEL_1
BUDDY_EMOTION_LEVEL_2
BUDDY_EMOTION_LEVEL_3
BUDDY_EMOTION_LEVEL_4
BUDDY_EMOTION_LEVEL_5
BUDDY_EMOTION_LEVEL_6

This may also be split down by category

.get_BuddyShownHeartsPerCategory
BUDDY_AFFECTION_LEVEL_MILESTONE
BUDDY_AFFECTION_WALKING
BUDDY_AFFECTION_CARE
BUDDY_AFFECTION_BATTLE
BUDDY_AFFECTION_PHOTO
BUDDY_AFFECTION_POI
.get_KmRequiredPerAffectionPoint
.set_KmRequiredPerAffectionPoint

It also seems like there will be a way to accelerate your affection points (maybe event based)

.set_DoubleAffectionPoints

Your emotion levels will decay over time

.get_DecayPreventionDurationMs
.set_DecayPreventionDurationMs

and your buddy will have different emotes depending on how happy it is

.get_EmotionAnimation
.set_EmotionAnimation
BUDDY_ANIMATION_UNSET
BUDDY_ANIMATION_HAPPY
BUDDY_ANIMATION_HATE

Don’t upset your buddy, they have feelings and might even hate you

Affection also looks like it may gain a daily streak like catches and spins, but also has a limit

DailyBuddyAffectionQuestProto
.get_DailyAffectionCounter
.set_DailyAffectionCounter
.get_DaysInARow
.set_DaysInARow
.get_MaxPointsPerDay
.set_MaxPointsPerDay

Buddy Activities

There’s a lot of activities you can do with your buddy. They want to be involved with you as much as possible

BUDDY_CATEGORY_UNSET
BUDDY_CATEGORY_FEED
BUDDY_CATEGORY_CARE
BUDDY_CATEGORY_SNAPSHOT
BUDDY_CATEGORY_WALK
BUDDY_CATEGORY_BATTLE
BUDDY_CATEGORY_EXPLORE
BUDDY_CATEGORY_BONUS
BuddyActivity
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_UNSET
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_FEED
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_PET
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_SNAPSHOT
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_WALK
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_NEW_POIS
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_GYM_BATTLE
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_RAID_BATTLE
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_NPC_BATTLE
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_PVP_BATTLE
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_OPEN_SOUVENIRS
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_OPEN_CONSUMABLES
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_INVASION_GRUNT
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_INVASION_LEADER
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_INVASION_GIOVANNI
BUDDY_ACTIVITY_ATTRACTIVE_POI

Buddy CP Multiplier

Your Pokemon will increase in CP when its your best friend, this is currently set to add 1 level and will result in a 1 level increase in CP. This was also be in a different colour in some way (likely the CP number is a different colour from Black)

GetPokemonScaleSettings
GetMinCpMult
GetMaxCpMultAllowedForLevel
ShowCpBoostTutorial
cpNormalColor
cpBoostColor
cpBoostIcon
buddyTutorialCpBoostGuiControllerFactory
isCpBoosted

Buddy Gifts

Your buddy wants to show how much it loves you and in doing so will give you a gift

BUDDY_FOUND_GIFT
BGMODE_BUDDY_FOUND_GIFT
SOUVENIR_UNSET
SOUVENIR_LONE_EARRING
SOUVENIR_SMALL_BOUQUET
SOUVENIR_SKIPPING_STONE
SOUVENIR_BEACH_GLASS
SOUVENIR_TROPICAL_SHELL
SOUVENIR_MUSHROOM
SOUVENIR_CHALKY_STONE
SOUVENIR_PINECONE
SOUVENIR_TROPICAL_FLOWER
SOUVENIR_FLOWER_FRUITS
SOUVENIR_CACTUS_FLOWER
SOUVENIR_STRETCHY_SPRING
SOUVENIR_MARBLE
SOUVENIR_TORN_TICKET
SOUVENIR_PRETTY_LEAF

Souvenirs don’t appear to do anything but can collected and added to a ‘collection’ buddies can also find loot, which appears to be normal items

SUCCESS_ADDED_LOOT_TO_INVENTORY
SUCCESS_ADDED_SOUVENIR_TO_COLLECTIONS
ERROR_BUDDY_HAS_NOT_PICKED_UP_ANY_SOUVENIRS
ERROR_INVENTORY_IS_FULL
Buddy Quests

Much like raids, catches etc, the game is tracking what you do with your buddy so it can be used for future quests (E.g. Feed your buddy {x} times)

QUEST_BUDDY_FEED
QUEST_BUDDY_EARN_AFFECTION_POINTS
QUEST_BUDDY_PET
QUEST_BUDDY_LEVEL
QUEST_BUDDY_WALK
QUEST_BUDDY_YATTA

Buddy stat tracking

Your buddy is going to track almost everything you do with it from the normal, distance and battles to the new like Hearts earned and Souvenirs collected.

.get_CurrentPointsEarned
.set_CurrentPointsEarned
.get_TotalStats
.set_TotalStats
.get_BuddyGiftPickedUp
.set_BuddyGiftPickedUp
.get_CurrentEmotionPoints
.set_CurrentEmotionPoints
.get_BuddyValidationResult
.set_BuddyValidationResult
.get_SouvenirsCollected
.get_TodayStatsShownHearts
.set_TodayStatsShownHearts
.get_BuddyFeedStats
.set_BuddyFeedStats
.set_AttractivePoiId
.get_AttractivePoiExpirationTimeMs
.set_AttractivePoiExpirationTimeMs
.get_NumDaysSpentWithBuddy
.set_NumDaysSpentWithBuddy

Buddy navigation and Attractive POI

You buddy wants to take you to some special POIs, while we don’t know how these will be decided your buddy will navigate you towards them, for some bonus

AttractivePoi
StartNavigation
StopNavigation
NavigateAnimated
NavigateGliding
Buddy Swapping

With this update you won’t be able to swap your buddy as often. In fact you are limited to doing this once per day

add_BuddyChanged
remove_BuddyChanged
add_MapBuddyUpdate
remove_MapBuddyUpdate
.get_HasBuddy
.get_BuddySpawnedOnMap
GetIsBuddy
.get_BuddySwapsToday
.get_BuddySwapsLeft
.get_CanSwapBuddy

New Badge

We have a new badge added for best buddies!

BestBuddyBadge

New AR Features

Accompanying the new buddy system is the new AR system too. This will allow mutliplayer in AR mode where you’ll be able to see other trainers Pokemon though your AR too as well as set up group photos.

SinglePlayer
MultiPlayer
CreateBuddyMultiplayerSession
JoinBuddyMultiplayerSession
LeaveBuddyMultiplayerSession
BuddyMultiplayerRpcService
StartBuddyMultiplayer
QuitBuddyMultiplayer
MarkInviteTime
MarkLobbyTime
MarkSyncTime
MarkFirstMapTime
MarkARStartTime
MarkEndTime
PlayerConnected
PlayerDropped
.get_GroupPhotoInProgress
.set_GroupPhotoInProgress

It appears you’ll join others sessions though QR codes like battles

SetupPreScanUi
SetUpQrScanUi
OnQrScan
TryToJoinSession

It will still be location based too(which makes sense consider it syncs locations so everyone is seeing the same thing) and more errors as to why you wouldn’t be able join the AR multiplayer lobby.

JOIN_HOST_TOO_FAR
JOIN_LOBBY_FULL
JOIN_HOST_TOO_FAR
JOIN_LOBBY_NOT_FOUND
JOIN_BUDDY_NOT_SET
JOIN_BUDDY_NOT_FOUND
JOIN_BAD_BUDDY
JOIN_BUDDY_V2_NOT_ENABLED
JOIN_PLAYER_LEVEL_TOO_LOW
JOIN_UNKNOWN_ERROR
JOIN_U13_NO_PERMISSION

You’ll also be able to rotate and pose your buddy and maybe even emote them but we don’t know how much control the player has over this.

emoteDurationSec
GetSecondsBeforeEmote
JumpProbability
.get_EmoteMinFactor
.get_EmoteMaxFactor
BuddyRotatedToPose
Genders in Trading

Genders have finally be added to the trading screen so you can make sure you really are getting a Female shiny Snorunt and not a male.

New Forms

We already showed the new forms coming soon (PARTY WURMPLE IN THE HOUSE!)

We saw 2 conflicting bits of information but they do hint towards the release date, either January or sometime in spring.

JAN_2020_NOEVOLVE
WURMPLE_SPRING_2020
WOBBUFFET_SPRING_2020
RATICATE_SPRING_2020
New Items/Assets

Several new items and assets were added – you can view them all here https://imgur.com/a/tGcVQ2o

ITEM_POFFIN

Pokemon Search Updated

It appears the Pokemon search code has been updated. However the terms 1*,2*,3* & 4* have stopped working so hopefully Niantic fix this soon.

We also saw the following added

candyCount
buddyKmWalked
IsBestBuddy

Which could mean we’ll able to search by the amount of candy you have or how far it’s been walked (Looking at you Eevee) and if it’s a best buddy.

PiunikaWeb started as purely an investigative tech journalism website with main focus on ‘breaking’ or ‘exclusive’ news. In no time, our stories got picked up by the likes of Forbes, Foxnews, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, Macrumors, and many others. Want to know more about us? Head here

Vaibhav Chawla
704 Posts

An avid follower of the latest technology & gaming trends. Looks for positivity & happiness around. Follows the mantra "Work Hard & Play Hard." A sports enthusiast, and Federer fan. I believe in myself & currently enjoying the journey of life.

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