Trainers,
the GAME MASTER file was updated recently (new time stamp is 1514401770897), bringing only one change to the table.
Present animation is now working properly and features a flying gift when Delibird or Festive Pikachu attacks! We are not sure for how long Pikachu will be able to use Present, but for now it can.
This is the only change that was observed in this Game Master update (aside from the mandatory time stamp change) and we’re not expecting anything else to come out soon.
This is how the move animation looks in-game now:
What is the GAME MASTER file?
In short, the GM file is a configuration file that Pokémon GO downloads when it’s started. It’s a file that defines a huge amount of the game: moves, DPS values, costs, requirements, rewards, etc… It’s a very important file and a majority of Pokémon GO websites use it to create accurate Tier lists, move sets, etc.
Game Master is downloaded from Niantic’s servers once and saved on your local Android device, as it’s a rather big file. To reduce the file size, Niantic sends the file using protocol buffers, a technology created by Google. You can think of proto buffers like ZIP for network traffic.