Pokémon Go has begun testing a virtual item that helps play the game for you, throwing Pokéballs to catch creatures, and spinning PokéStops.

The feature essentially replicates abilities previously locked behind a Go Plus device (which retail for upwards of $50, though cheaper third-party alternatives are available).

Overnight, players in some regions reported seeing the previously-datamined "Explorer Gadget" go live in their game — though only a portion of players currently appear to have access, and the way the gadget has been tuned looks to be different for many players.

Once switched on, the Explorer Gadget option lets you "automatically throw PokéBalls and spin PokéStops when Pokémon Go is closed," an in-game description reads. "You can use it once daily."

The device has a limited use, with players reporting a maximum number of Pokémon caught and Stops spun. For some, this is as low as 10 each. For others, it's as high as 70, with various other values also available inbetween.

At the time of writing, Pokémon Go developer Niantic is yet to acknowledge the feature exists or is now accessible to a subset of players, though fans have known this was coming for some months due to datamined information. Many had assumed the Explorer Gadget would be a paid-for feature. Currently, that does not seem to be the case, though you could imagine how a premium version with higher limits could be offered.

Still, fans have mostly responded positively to its introduction. With it only assisting gameplay when the app is closed, players have suggested it will simply provide a bonus to the existing experience — scooping up stray creatures and resources when users would otherwise not be playing, and then holding them as an enticing reason to log back in and check what has been acquired.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social