Pokémon GO is now a decade old, but Scopely sees plenty of room for the mobile game to keep growing. After launching in 2016, the game quickly became a global phenomenon, reaching far beyond the usual Pokémon audience and turning parks, streets, and landmarks into social gathering spots for players.

Ten years later, Pokémon GO remains active, even after several major changes around the franchise. Niantic was acquired by Scopely in 2025, and the game has also faced controversy over how player data may be used beyond gameplay, including reports connected to delivery robot development.

Now, Scopely Vice President of Product Michael Steranka has shared more about where the company wants to take Pokémon GO next. One area he mentioned is the gym system, which has not received a major refresh in years. According to Steranka, revisiting gyms is something the team is interested in as part of the game’s future direction.

However, the larger focus appears to be the experience players have outside the phone. Steranka said that even highly dedicated Pokémon players often value the real-world side of Pokémon GO just as much as the in-game systems. For Scopely, the question is how the game can continue encouraging people to explore, meet others, and interact with the world around them.

That idea has always been central to Pokémon GO’s identity. Catching Pokémon and filling the Pokédex are important goals, but the game’s biggest cultural impact came from encouraging players to walk outside, visit local places, join events, and connect with other fans in person.

Steranka explained that exploration gives Pokémon GO an objective that does not really end. Completing collections may be finite, but discovering places, meeting communities, and experiencing the world through the game can continue indefinitely.

This suggests Pokémon GO’s future may focus less on simply adding more checklist-style goals and more on strengthening the connection between gameplay and real-world activity. Community events, social systems, location-based discovery, and possible updates to older mechanics like gyms could all become important parts of that direction.

For longtime players, that approach makes sense. Pokémon GO has always been strongest when it feels like more than an app. Its future may depend on how well Scopely can keep that original feeling alive while giving players new reasons to gather, explore, and return.