There are some limitations in Pokémon GO if you want to change teams, but you are 100% capable of doing so.
There are three teams for players to join in Pokémon GO. They are Instinct, Mystic, and Valor. Those are signified by the colors yellow, blue, and red, respectively. Your team determines your mentor/leader throughout your Pokémon GO journey, but what if you want to change teams?
It's entirely possible to swap sides in the mobile game. And you can do it for any numbers of reasons. Maybe you just want to rock a new color, or perhaps you made a new friend and want to be on the same team as them? Well, it's easy to change teams.
Can you change teams in Pokémon GO?
The quick answer is yes. You are absolutely able to change teams in Pokémon GO. There is a catch, however. You aren't able to do it constantly. The game only allows you to change your team once in a rolling year period.
After you select a new team, you have to wait 365 days before you can do it again. For that time period, you'll hear from your new team's leader and gain control of Gyms on their behalf. Make sure you really put some thought into this.
Related articles
How do I change teams in Pokémon GO?
If you open Pokémon GO and have decided you want to change teams, you can do so from right in the game itself. Follow these steps:
- Open Pokémon GO on your device
- Press the Poké Ball in the bottom center of the screen
- Select the Shop
- Purchase the Team Medallion for 1000 PokéCoins
- Exit the Shop, repeat Step 2, and open Items
- Scroll down and tap on the Team Medallion
- Confirm use of the item and select your new Pokémon GO team
After you change teams, there's one important aspect you need to know. If you have Pokémon in Gyms upon the switch, you will not gain PokéCoins for their defense of those Gyms. Feeding berries will also be disabled. If you visit that Gym or if the Pokémon is defeated, they'll return to your storage.
Stay tuned to esports.gg for more esports news and Pokémon coverage.
