Niantic has just announced what is perhaps the biggest update to come to Pokémon GO yet, with 80 new monsters, new gameplay mechanics, fresh items and expanded outfit options for player avatars.

The 80 new monsters feature famous faces from the Johto region which appeared in Pokémon Gold and Silver. The update also brings evolution items to the table, granting more options when it comes to upgrading your monsters. Catching 'mon will also change thanks to the introduction of two new berries: the Nanab (which slows the monster's movements) and the Pinap (which doubles your candy haul should you successfully catch them). Finally, you'll be able to make your avatar look more distinctive with new customization options.

Here's the full PR:

Niantic, Inc. and The Pokémon Company International announced an additional 80 Pokémon will begin to appear in Pokémon GO later this week. These include Pokémon originally discovered in the Johto region from the Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver video games, including Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile. Trainers will encounter these Pokémon "in the wild" as they embark on adventures and explore their neighborhoods and cities to catch Pokémon. In addition to Pokémon that will appear in the game for the first time, the latest update introduces new gameplay mechanics for Trainers to master, including new encounter gameplay, new Evolution items, two new Berries, and expanded outfit and accessory options for their Trainer avatars.

"Today is a momentous occasion for our team here at Niantic which has been hard at work to deliver these additional Pokémon and build upon the encounter and capture mechanics for our passionate global community of Trainers playing Pokémon GO," said John Hanke, founder and Chief Executive Officer, Niantic, Inc. "Pokémon GO is a live experience which we'll be continuing to support and evolve in new and interesting ways for years to come with new gameplay features, in-game and live events, more Pokémon to discover and much more."

"With Pokémon GO, The Pokémon Company endeavored to create a compelling game based on the concept of encountering and catching Pokémon in the real world," said J.C. Smith, Senior Director, Consumer Marketing, The Pokémon Company International. "The amazing response to Pokémon GO by millions of existing and new Pokémon fans around the world is remarkable. We're thrilled to keep the adventure going by welcoming these Pokémon to this engaging new way of experiencing the fun of the Pokémon brand."

With the latest Pokémon GO game update, new Pokémon evolution options will give players the ability to use new Evolution items to evolve their Pokémon into ones that were originally discovered in the Johto region. While catching Pokémon, Trainers can use two new Berries—the Nanab Berry, which slows a Pokémon's movements, and the Pinap Berry, which doubles the amount of Candy received if the next catch attempt succeeds. Trainers will also be able to customize their avatar's appearance with a new selection of hats, shirts, pants, and other items. Additional items will be available for purchase from the in-game Pokémon GO shop.

Will this update convince you to return to the game, or have you been playing it solidly since launch? Let us know by throwing a Pokéball at the comments section below.