Pokémon Go reinvents a classic Pokémon feature: Routes

polygon.com:

A new feature for Pokémon Go rolls out Thursday, letting players create and explore custom Routes. Unlike in classic Pokémon games, the Routes feature in Pokémon Go will introduce in-game pathways that lead players from destination to destination with, hopefully, exciting encounters and intriguing sights along the way.

Routes in Pokémon Go are designed to be something like an in-game walking tour, connecting the game’s PokéStops and Gyms in creative ways to encourage players to get moving and to discover interesting landmarks.

Players will also be rewarded for walking the game’s Routes, Niantic said in a blog post, doling out extra XP, Buddy Candy, and other bonuses as they explore players’ creations.

In an interview, Pokémon Go senior producer Chad Jones told Polygon the goal with Routes is to give the game’s players a way to explore cities, towns, and parks like a local. Routes, Jones said, will let trainers “share knowledge that they have about the world to create the in-between spaces between the points of interest that we already have.” That means things like interesting hikes or “cool secret paths that people wouldn’t know unless they were a local — hidden gardens or art or things that they are just aware of that most people wouldn’t be,” Jones said. He likened the feature to other popular mapping apps, like AllTrails and Strava.

“In my neighborhood, we have a park where we have a back entrance that goes over a wooden footbridge, and is like objectively more enjoyable for humans, who are just walking around the world that Google [Maps] wouldn’t lead you to it because they don’t know about it — and it’s inefficient,” Jones explained. “You wouldn’t know about it unless you were there with a local. We’re hoping that