Pokémon Go can make you feel a bit guilty, exploring and collecting while your poor Pokémon stay locked away in little balls of entrapment. Even your favourite gets the same treatment as all the others. Or it did until now.

Pokémon Go creator Niantic Labs has announced a new 'buddy' feature is incoming soon. This will allow a selected Pokémon to appear next to the picture of your Pokémon trainer in the app on the profile screen. And it’s going to offer so much more...

This isn’t just about feeling less guilty, you’ll get bonuses too. Walking with the buddy attached will mean the chance to get bonus candy. And should you get bored of said buddy’s name you can change it whenever you like. That’s right Pikachu, you're called Blac Chyna now.

So if you’ve been going through a Pokémon Go crisis that’s let your improvement slide of late, as many have, perhaps this will be the update that gets you back out there stomping around for new Pokémon territory.

When the Buddy feature will arrive isn’t clear. At the moment Niantic Labs has simply said that the Buddy feature is “just around the corner”. More details were not shared either with the company simply saying you can "pick your favourite Pokémon from your collection to become your buddy, opening up unique in-game rewards and experiences". Here’s hoping it arrives soon.

'- By Luke Edwards @eelukee'