Pokémon Go Mega Evolution overhaul now live in Australia, New Zealand

Pokémon Go developer Niantic has now officially announced its overhaul of the Mega Evolution mechanic, which was previously leaked through datamined game files.

As expected, the changes go a long way to answering fan criticism of the way Pokémon Go has handled Mega Evolution since it was introduced in August 2020 - in particular, adding the ability to re-Mega Evolve a creature without energy cost after it has been Mega Evolved once.

Players in Australia and New Zealand can access the new system now, with a global rollout expected shortly. (The game's next Mega Pokémon release is due this Friday, so we'd expect before then.)

Mega Evolution can now be a one-time cost, though there is a rest period where your Pokémon is fatigued where you'll need to wait (or invest in Mega Energy to skip it). The exact wait time depends on what Mega Level your Pokémon now is - another new feature.

Each time you Mega Evolve a particular Pokémon, it will gain experience to its next Mega Level. These will increase the bonuses you'll receive from Mega Evolving a Pokémon, and decrease the fatigue wait time for your next free Mega Evolution.

New bonuses include increased Candy XL chance and more XP when catching Pokémon the same type as your Mega Evolved Pokémon. These will stack with existing bonuses that offer increased regular Candy, and an attack boost for other players in gym or raid battles.

Finally, "most" Mega Raids will now be easier, meaning you can complete them with fewer people. You'll also be able to Mega Evolve a Pokémon from raid and battle lobby screens.

You can read more on bonuses and rest periods in our dedicated Pokémon Go Mega Evolution guide.

So far, these changes have been positively received by players in the Pokémon Go community - although the feature is yet to be fully battle tested. Players are still getting to grips with the exact numerical values of Mega Energy costs and how these are reduced over time and Mega Levels.

Niantic's new videos for the changes have teased several Mega Evolutions coming to the game - Mega Kangaskhan and also Mega Latios and Mega Latias. How the game will handle Mega Legendary Pokémon will be interesting to see.