Pokémon Go fans concerned that this year’s Go Fest would be heading for cancellation due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic received some excellent news earlier this month.
The mobile title, which encourages physical activity and social play, has been forced to undergo several changes in light of strict social distancing measures, with developer Niantic having spent the last several weeks making adjustments to core gameplay in order to accommodate the so-called new normal. Adhering to such guidelines in events as densely populated as fan festivals are, of course, next to impossible. Go Fest, therefore, isn’t going ahead in any one location this year, but around across the globe as an ambitious virtual-only celebration of all things Pokémon.
Following on from that initial announcement, a follow-up blog post released earlier today outlines the means through which Trainers can participate, as well as revealing some of the rewards and activities that will be on offer during the two-day period.
Purchasing a virtual ticket (they’re available to buy now in-game) will grant holders access to both days of the event, with the first scheduled to run from 10 am to 8 pm local time on July 25th with the following limited-time content being accessible for the entire duration:
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- Trainers can access a Special Research story that they can get only on Day 1.
- Five rotating habitats will feature special Pokémon that go along with that habitat’s theme. These habitats will rotate every hour.
- Trainers will be able to work together in the Global Challenge Arena! This GO Fest–exclusive feature will be available only to ticket holders. In the Global Challenge Arena, Trainers will have a chance to join forces in order to complete a collaborative challenge each hour.
- Trainers will be able to encounter over 75 species of Pokémon in the wild, in raids, and by completing Special Research tasks.
As for what Pokéfans can expect to see unfold on Day 2 – it’s a secret. Niantic says it’s trying “something very different” on July 26th and won’t be spilling the beans, so to speak, until on the day. That being the case, you’ll be taking somewhat of a gamble when picking up an entry ticket for the entire event, though if Day 1 alone is any indication, you can expect, at the very least, a raft of Pokémon – most likely Mythical in nature – to catch and bonuses to earn.
And that’s a wrap! With just over a month to go until Pokémon Go Fest 2020 kicks off, we’d advise you start stocking up on Poké Balls, Incense and Stadust now in preparation for the big day.
