Pokémon Go overhauls a feature that’s been annoying fans for years

techradar.com:

Pokémon Go is receiving a major overhaul to its Mega Evolution system, making it easier and more rewarding to evolve your pokémon into the ultimate versions of themselves.

Announced by developer Niantic in a blog post, the update will rework the Mega Evolution feature, which allows you to temporarily boost the strength of your fully-evolved pokémon. The update – that was first teased in a recent Pokémon Go datamine – is live now for players in Australia and New Zealand and is expected to roll out to the rest of the globe “soon”.

It looks to solve many of the frustrations that players have had with the mechanic since it was added back in 2020. Rather than having to collect and spend Mega Energy every time you want to Mega Evolve your pokémon, Mega Evolutions are now a one-time cost. After you Mega Evolve a pokémon for the first time, you can do so again, free of charge, after a short rest period.

If you’re desperate to evolve them again, though, and can’t wait for the cooldown to end, you can reduce the rest period by spending additional Mega Energy.

That tweak will solve one of the community’s biggest existing criticisms of Mega Evolutions – that their benefits don’t match their required time or resource investment. Niantic says the new one-time purchase system will make evolving your pokémon much more affordable, encouraging more players to use the boost.

Additionally, a new Mega Evolution leveling system has been introduced. Every time you Mega Evolve a pokémon, it’ll gain experience towards a new Mega Level. When it reaches a new level, the pokémon will receive bonus rewards, such as a reduction to their rest period. You’ll also have a higher chance of earning Candy XL and earning higher XP rewards when using the Mega