Pokémon GO may be changing how we evolve Eevee, Pikachu, and everyone else. As fans for the game no doubt know, data miners love looking into what gets added in each new update from Niantic. Today, data miners have discovered a new section of code referencing "Buddy Pokémon," allowing trainers to walk with their favorite Pokémon and get evolution candy for doing so. The prospect of having to catch 100 Magikarp doesn't seem quite as Farfetch'd any more when you can just take it for a walk. The code hasn't been acknowledged by Niantic yet, but current speculation is the buddy system may be coming in the next update.
Based on the code discovered by data miners, GO will use the same distance calculation for the buddy system that is currently used for eggs. Walking with your Pokémon will also allow you to earn candy that can be used to evolve your buddy. We don't know how much candy you'll be able to earn with this method, but a daily cap is likely. Trainers will also only be able to walk with one Pokémon at a time and you can choose to keep walking your Growlithe just to have him next to you even if the speculated daily candy cap has been reached. Buddy Pokémon come in four varieties, ranging from resting on your shoulder like Pikachu and Ash in the show to having Pokémon like Gyarados and Pidgeot flying next to you.
Niantic has also added data for trading and legendary Pokémon in recent updates, though neither of those have come to fruition just yet. Whether the data is a sign of potential plans for Pokémon GO making things more engaging for trainers or just something to throw data miners off remains to be seen. Some speculate that the buddy system will find its way to the next Pokémon GO update, but nothing has been confirmed by the app developer.
I've got 150 Magikarps now, so that's 600 candies already for me. I'm more excited about not having to catch all those Dratinis and so on.
That would be also nice but I have yet to get a Dratini myself.
Evolving things like the starters would also be much easier with this. I think I've got two Bulbasaurs, two Squirtles, one Pikachu, and no Charmanders. Can't see those getting evolved any time soon the current way.
EDIT: The walk of a lifetime
I know I would. So would George R.R. Martin.
(im just curious, cuz the deja vu is strong here)