Pokémon Go will eventually add new pokémon and customizable pokéstops

Pokémon Go has been such a phenomenon that Comic-Con upgraded it from a tiny panel into a premier event in Hall H, where it appeared to pack most of the 6,000-plus seats in the room this afternoon. If you've questioned how seriously people are taking this game, you should hear how long the cheers (and jeers) of several thousand fans went on for in response to a single shout of, "Team Mystic!"

The panel was a simple back and forth between John Hanke, Niantic's CEO and founder, and Nerdist founder Chris Hardwick, the moderator. Hanke discussed the game's rollout over the past two weeks (frequently noting Niantic's work on server issues) and touched briefly on where the game is going in the future. Perhaps most exciting for newer Pokémon fans, Hanke said that new generations of creatures would eventually make their way into the game.

Trading and training features are in the works as well. Pokémon breeding is also something Hanke said Niantic has been discussing.

While new features are of course the highlight of what Hanke discussed, he also shed light on some of the game design decisions that went into Go. What's interesting is how many of Go's good and bad points are very much intentional. When Hardwick complained that he has to leave his home to go catch anything, Hanke shot back that, "There are some people out there, after dinner they would go for a walk."

The game is also very much designed as a way of tricking people into getting exercise, engaging with their community, and exploring their neighborhood. "We didn't want to advertise it as a fitness app or something of that nature," Hanke said. "I have kids — you don't want to tell them it's good for them."

That's part of why customizable pokéstops are so exciting to Hanke: it offers another way to get people out of the house and interacting with their surroundings. "It's so amazing to see," Hanke said. "The game is the game, but the game's really an excuse to go outside, see your city, and have fun with other people."