Pokemon GO 0.157.0 APK Teardown: Prepare for Trouble

Pokémon GO APK Mine
Pokémon GO APK Mine

Hello Trainers! Pokemon GO 0.157.0 is slowly rolling out through Google Play Store (iOS App Store lags a bit behind) and it contains a ton of interesting discoveries. New Shadow Pokemon, New Moves and a new Global Event highlight the changes in this update. There’s a lot to get into in this one, as Niantic has jumped from 0.153.2 all the way to 0.157.0. You’ll understand why in a minute.

🚨⚠️ Disclaimer ⚠️🚨

Please be aware that everything posted here has been publicly reported by data miners. Information shared through these channels is not affiliated nor approved by Niantic, and is always subject to change. Do not take it for granted, features change and get scrapped all the time. It is very important that you are aware that these things CAN and WILL CHANGE. Additionally, this article contains my thoughts and opinions in regards to the code that was shared online – all of these should be treated as conjecture, not as hard statements. If you’re OK with that, feel free to read further. Potential spoilers ahead.

With that said, let’s get into it!

New loading screen

New Team Go Rocket Loading Screen
New Team Go Rocket Loading Screen

0.157.0 brings a brand new loading screen, featuring new Shadow Pokemon, Team GO Rocket administrators (according to Serebii) and Viridian City gym with Giovanni (thanks reddit). Glaw has already shared his speculation on the New Team Go Rocket Loading Screen hints Team Leaders, Giovanni, new Shadow Pokemon, so we won’t delve on this too long. It’s an amazing looking loading screen which works beautifully as a phone lock screen / background.

New Shadow Pokemon

A bunch of new Shadow Pokemon have been added.  Among those are a couple of groups of Pokemon that stood out to me.

First: Shuppet, Duskull and, Sableye and their evolutions.  Perhaps as part of an upcoming Halloween event?

Second: There are a few ice pokemon that have been added as well, including Delibird, A pokemon typically only available near Christmas. Does Team Go Rocket have an alliance with the grinch up their sleeves?

ONIX_SHADOW
ONIX_PURIFIED
STEELIX_SHADOW
STEELIX_PURIFIED
SHUPPET_SHADOW
SHUPPET_PURIFIED
BANETTE_SHADOW
BANETTE_PURIFIED
DUSKULL_SHADOW
DUSKULL_PURIFIED
DUSCLOPS_SHADOW
DUSCLOPS_PURIFIED
DUSKNOIR_SHADOW
DUSKNOIR_PURIFIED
SABLEYE_SHADOW
SABLEYE_PURIFIED
SNORUNT_SHADOW
SNORUNT_PURIFIED
GLALIE_SHADOW
GLALIE_PURIFIED
SNOVER_SHADOW
SNOVER_PURIFIED
ABOMASNOW_SHADOW
ABOMASNOW_PURIFIED
DELIBIRD_SHADOW
DELIBIRD_PURIFIED
STANTLER_SHADOW
STANTLER_PURIFIED

New moves

3 new Moves have been added to the game as well, two of them are 1-hit KO moves in the main series games.  I would imagine that those moves will be nerfed and given regular damage values, however, I am intrigued as to Niantic handles them.

Horn Drill is a Normal-type 1-hit KO move in the Main Series Games.

Fissure is a Ground-type 1-hit KO move in the Main Series Games and is the signature move of Diglett & Dugtrio in Generation II

Sacred Sword is a Fighting-type move, and is the signature move of the legendary Pokemon Cobalion, Terrakion, and Virizion (together known as the Swords of Justice). This is not to be confused with the move “Secret Sword” which causes Keldeo to change formes.

Could the Swords of Justice be the first Legendaries of Gen V to make an appearance in Pokemon Go?

.V0328_MOVE_HORN_DRILL
.V0329_MOVE_FISSURE
.V0330_MOVE_SACRED_SWORD

List of Gen 1-5 mon that can learn STAB Horn Drill in the MSG:

  • Tauros

List of Gen 1-5 mon that can learn STAB Fissure in the MSG:

  • Diglett, Dugtrio
  • Camerupt
  • Trapinch
  • Barboach, Whiscash
  • Groudon
  • Wormadam (Sandy Cloak)
  • Hippopotas, Hippowdown
  • Drilbur, Excadrill
  • Stunfisk
  • Landorus

List of Gen 1-5 mon that can learn STAB Sacred Sword in the MSG:

  • Cobalion
  • Terrakion
  • Virizion
  • Keldeo

Music Asset Manager

Niantic has added code for the new Music Asset Manager, which means that they’ll be able to push new music out to the masses without the need of a client update.  Big news for those of you out there that enjoy the background music, and it probably means that we may get seasonal or event-based music.

Searches

Two new search filters have been added to the game.

Special move will be helpful for quickly finding the Pokemon with Community day or special raid hour moves.  Searching by Distance would have been really handy for those looking to complete those trades for over 10,000km!

BY_SPECIAL_MOVE
BY_DISTANCE

Two search existing search filters have been removed.  The search “Shadow” was messing with the ability to search for moves with Shadow in the name, so I would suspect that this is a temporary removal while they sort out how to fix that.

Purified
Shadow

New Boxes

There are a couple of new boxes in the game code, perhaps geared towards newer trainers to try and help give them a bit of a jump start?

string Translation = "New Trainer Box"
string Translation = "Beginner Box"

A Global Event

This is the big one.  A global ticketed event scheduled for November 2 from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM local time, wherever you are!

Ticket: A Colossal Discovery
A ticket to access the "A Colossal Discovery" special event on November 2 from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM local time, wherever you are.

The event also has a badge!

.BADGE_GLOBAL_TICKETED_EVENT

And a Ticket!!A Ticket to a Global Event Also, a bunch of details surrounding the ticket and how it will work along with the option to have the game actually add the event to the calendar on your phone!!  Like you need a reminder for something this big! 😉

From the looks of the code, this may actually become a semi-regular thing.

string Key = "item_global_event_ticket_desc"
string Translation = "A ticket to access the "A Colossal Discovery" special event on {0} from {1} to {2} local time, wherever you are."

string Key = "item_global_event_ticket_details"
string Translation = "This ticket will automatically activate to give you access to a special event on {0}, wherever you are in the world."

string Key = "live_events_shop_category_button"
string Translation = "Learn More"

string Key = "live_events_shop_category_description"
string Translation = "Join a special event"

string Key = "live_events_ticket_calendar_event_add_button"
string Translation = "Add to Calendar"

string Key = "live_events_ticket_calendar_event_add_success"
string Translation = "Event added to calendar successfully."

string Key = "live_events_ticket_calendar_event_title"
string Translation = "Pokémon GO Event"

string Key = "live_events_ticket_ticket_calendar_event_add_fail"
string Translation = "Could not add event to calendar."

string Key = "live_events_ticket_ticket_calendar_event_permission_denied"
string Translation = "Pokémon GO does not have calendar permissions."

Could this be Niantic’s answer to those trainers who can’t travel to Go Fests or Safari zones?  Or something completely new?

Tweaks, Adjustments, and Changes … oh my!!

This update also has a bunch, and I mean a bunch, of random other things probably aimed at bug fixes and tweaks.

  • The pulsing health bar that was promised has been added
PlayPulseAnimation
contentTransform
healthBarPulseDurationSeconds
healthBarPulseScaleCurve
pulseAnimationPromise
.<PlayPulseAnimation>c__AnonStorey1
.<FadeHealthBarTo>c__AnonStorey2
  • Minor rework to PVP and a ‘Combat Delayed Action’ queue – This is probably an attempt at fixing bugs and the way moves que during battles.  If there are any PVPers out there, let me know in the comments below if you notice a difference.
  • Reworks to Pokemon Animations in the field, in battle and when feeding.
  • Some new shaders:
    POKEMON_GEM_SHADER
    POKEMON_GLOW_SHADER
    POKEMON_EFFECT_UBER_SHADER
    POKEMON_SHADERS
  • Some other new items.  I am very intrigued by the continued appearance of the new incense.   It looks like Niantic is giving us ways to hone in on certain being able to catch certain types of Pokemon, which will make completing those “Catch 50 of this type of Pokemon” portions of our special research tasks a lot easier.
    HasEggsV2
    UsingStarPieceV2
    UsingLuckyEggV2
    UsingIncenseOrdinaryV2
    UsingIncenseSpicyV2
    UsingIncenseCoolV2
    UsingIncenseFloralV2
    UsingLureOrdinaryV2
    UsingLureMossyV2
    UsingLureGlacialV2
    UsingLureMagneticV2
    AdventureSyncOptInV2
    GeoFenceOptInV2

Conclusions and Speculation

Like I mentioned, there’s a lot to unpack in this update.  A long list of Shadow Pokemon that looks a lot like Team Go Rocket is gearing up to take over Halloween and Christmas events.

New moves, and the first hints that we may be getting Gen V legendaries in Pokemon Go?  Which one of the Swords of Justice are you most excited about?

The big one!  The Global event?  Could this be Niantic’s answer to those who are unable to travel to Safari Zone’s or Go Fests?  At this point, we can only speculate as to what this is and what it entails.  I for one am very, very excited and can’t wait to learn more.

As always, an eye out here for details as they break.

Until next time Trainers, be safe out there!