What happens after level 50 in Pokémon GO?

Reaching level 50 in Pokémon GO marks a seminal milestone. But with the removal of the level cap, many dedicated trainers wonder – what comes next? Whatigher summits remain to climb? This guide will uncover the hidden world that opens up to truly hardcore players at the pinnacle of level progression.

Infinite progression

Let‘s start with the basics. In November 2020, Niantic finally lifted the arbitrary level 40 ceiling that had begun feeling restrictive to endgame players. Suddenly the grind to gain XP became meaningful again.

Now earning enough XP to level up continues boosting your trainer level indefinitely. While advancement slows down exponentially, it never stops:

So what kinds of rewards justify pursuing these astronomical XP goals? Well, alongside useful items like Lucky Eggs and Star Pieces, hitting new levels nets small but helpful Stardust top-ups (e.g. 40,000 @ L60).

But more importantly, raising your personal level visibly signifies your elite status as a player invested well beyond the average. Cementing bragging rights ensures you remain an invaluable expert within your local community.

New heights for Pokémon

With the trainer cap lifted, Pokémon too can now surpass level 50. The previous formula allowed powering up only to your own level +2. So initially even trainers at level 50 could not max out Pokémon.

Enter Candy XL, a new precious resource unlocked once you pass level 40. Like regular Candy, but rarer, Candy XL is essential for pushing your favorites those few levels higher.

Then through the complex Best Buddy system, the first Pokémon tagged as your Buddy can hit 51 – the current ceiling for Pokémon you physically own. Below outlines the long road to 51:

But that‘s not all! A handful of other powered up Pokémon can be temporarily obtained through raids. When caught the following legendary Pokémon arrive at level 25, the half way point between 40 and 50:

• Mewtwo
• Ho-Oh
• Lugia
• Kyogre
• Groudon
• Dialga
• Palkia

So while 50 remains the ceiling for normal Pokémon, temporary avenues providing 15 extra power exist through Best Buddy and Raids. Allowing your in-game monsters to remain a step ahead of player level ensures catching up always takes time – encouraging perpetual grinding.

Completing medals

Alongside trainer and Pokémon levels lie the medals system. Spanning combat, capture, evolution, friendship and more, over 100 medals stand between blank slate to platinum perfection.

Most medals max out once you reach platinum level – itself a tremendous grind for all but the most dedicated trainers:

And if that sounds extreme, consider zeroing in on a specific species medals. Reaching platinum for say "Catching Normal Types" takes 10,000 Teddiursa catches – mindboggling dedication!

With so many available, strategizing your approach avoiding burnout becomes key. Set smaller milestones like reaching gold first before pursuing platinum. Track your progress using sites likes medal.xyz. And most importantly, take it slowly mixing with more exciting activities.

While offering zero mechanical advantages, medal progression provides a perpetual form of long-tail completionism. A visual reminder that even among level 50 peers, you remain one step ahead as a master of Pokémon GO fundamentals.

Shiny hunting

Now for many seasoned players, amassing waves of tiny pixels holds little appeal. Instead true value lies hunting for exclusive palette swaps – Shiny Pokémon!

Unlocked once you pass level 5, every species technically has a shiny variant. But with rates starting around 1 in 500, securing those special twinkles induces a thrill like nothing else.

During events featuring boosted Shiny rates or old favorites, hunting can become incredibly rewarding. Looking at 2020-21 data, the following species saw sizable waves of shiny hunters thanks to the right conditions:

With over 640 available, checking them all off remains unrealistic for most. Instead players often target collecting "Hundo" (100% IV) or "Nundo" (0% IV) Shinies.

Landing that perfect 15/15/15 Shiny brings ultimate bragging rights. With odds up to 1:4,000, each one symbols hours of dedicated research learning optimal hunt mechanics behind the curtain.

PVP progression

While raiding and battling gyms loosely connects players, true competitive depth lies in Pokémon GO‘s player versus player combat leagues. Accessible from level 10, the PVP system contains almost endless room for strategic growth.

Split into 3 leagues defined by Combat Power caps, scaling rankings track your performance across 3 skill ranks:

Reaching the pinnacle "Legend" position remains a monumental feat requiring absolute mastery. With opponents also fueled by rare XL Candy powered Pokémon, staying ahead depends on reactionary team building and anticipation of shifting metas.

Events like GO Battle Days allowing focused fire battles accelerate progression. But casual players beware – brevity remains essential given each round requires vast knowledge of matchups between hundreds of species.

Dedicated competitors ultimately track the rising talents of global names like #1 ranked Zyonik, absorbing their teachings on Youtube and prediction models to apply fresh perspectives towards their own gameplan.

Community building

While hitting individual goals offers personal pride, sharing your expertise shapes the game for others. Pokémon GO‘s community elements thrive thanks to the efforts of those willing to lead.

Organizing raid hours efficiently using apps like Discord drives activity by removing friction for more casual participants. Building groups purposed for reporting rare spawns/nest locations pays information forward for hunting. Even running social media channels supporting lower level players fills an important niche.

Plus as Niantic explores real world events again post COVID, level 50 trainers will likely be tapped as core organizers and fulcrums of knowledge. So pursue community leadership with an eye towards future need.

Doing so ultimately pays back dividends when you require assistance. Collaborating on research tasks requiring multiple participants becomes simplified within a healthy community ecosystem.

Filling the Pokédex

Last but not least lies completionism. While the original tagline challenged players to catch ‘em all, ever expanding generations pushes that goal further away.

As of early 2023, the full Pokédex currently spans:

With Gen 8‘s presumed 150+ still unreleased, maintaining a complete live Pokédex resembles a full time job requiring extensive trading. Dedicated collectors have bagged 700+ species, but reaching that 800 milestone remains rare indeed.

During gap periods between generations, Niantic spots opportunities to re-run special research providing new chances at mythicals like Meloetta or even regionals no longer available like Klefki.

So while the ceiling constantly shifts, keeping your Pokédex percentage ticking upwards persists as the definition of replay value at level 50.

In summary

Reaching level 50 in Pokémon GO lifts the veil towards endless progression systems beyond plain experience gains. With trainer level now unlimited, Pokémon power creeping to 51 through Best Buddy, over 100 platinum medals, Shiny hunting, high tier PVP rankings and Pokédex completion all stand endlessly open ended.

So while the journey to 40 fixated on getting ahead, the road from 50 onwards prioritizes preparation. Becoming an expert today cements your status as a leader tomorrow when new trainer levels bring waves of learners anew.

Through that lens, hitting 50 simply signals the true beginning towards mastery of Niantic‘s ever evolving platform. An invitation to start giving back to the community through raid organizing, informational content creation and mentoring roles.

The subsequent climb towards expertise may take months or years more. But by learning from those elite peers already at the summit, your own ascension follows steadily.