Sometimes, rumors do pay off. A while back, we reported that coding for a Buddy system was found in Pokemon GO. That, if true, players would eventually be able to carry one Pokemon with them, like Ash and his Pikachu in the show. Now, Niantic’s official blog has fully confirmed the new feature.

It’s been a busy summer and, in addition to battling bots and fixing bugs, we’ve also been busy working on some new features for our Pokémon GO Trainers. As you know, we recently released the new Pokémon Appraisal feature, which helps Trainers identify which Pokémon has the most potential for battle. Today we wanted to let you know about a new feature for the game that is just around the corner.

The next addition to Pokémon GO will be Buddy Pokémon. You will be able to pick your favorite Pokémon from your collection to become your buddy, opening up unique in-game rewards and experiences. Buddy Pokémon will appear alongside your Trainer avatar on your profile screen, adding helpful bonuses such as awarding Candy for walking together. You’ll also have the ability to change your Buddy Pokémon at any time.

The idea behind the Buddy Pokemon has really caught on lately. It’s refreshing to see an official statement confirming it. There’s no set launch date for the update, but here’s hoping it’s sooner rather than later. I’ve already got a “Buddy” name tag printed off for my Omanyte.