Summer has arrived, and Niantic, Inc. and The Pokémon Company International will be unleashing a variety of in-game and real-world activities to celebrate Pokémon GO’s first anniversary. Downloaded more than 750 million times in its first year, Pokémon GO will be bringing Trainers together in new and unique ways this summer through a variety of in-game and live events including Pokémon GO Fest, the first live Pokémon GO event organised by Niantic.
“It’s been an incredible first year for Pokémon GO thanks to the passion and dedication from the global Trainer community,” said John Hanke, CEO of Niantic, Inc. “As part of the first anniversary, we’ll be giving players around the world the chance to enjoy fun in-game events, engage with friends and other Trainers at real-world events, and much more.”
Pokémon GO Fest is our first official dedicated real-world event for Pokémon GO and will be hosted in Chicago on July 22. Trainers from around the world will flock to Chicago’s Grant Park for a Pokémon GO celebration. The fun-filled day of Pokémon GO in the park will give Trainers the chance to meet fellow players and engage in a variety of activities. Tickets for Pokémon GO Fest will go on sale beginning June 19 at 10:00 A.M. PDT on PokemonGoLive.com/Fest.
European Trainers can look forward to Pokémon GO celebrations hosted across the continent from June through September in partnership with Unibail-Rodamco shopping centers. Trainers in the United States who are not able to make it to Pokémon GO Fest in Chicago can look for further event integration in several cities across North America as Niantic and the Knight Foundation continue their partnership on the Open Streets program.
The Pokémon Company is organizing “Pikachu Outbreak”, a Pokémon event in Yokohama, Japan, in August where they’re exploring a unique Pokémon GO experience.
Players around the world who are eager to get outside, explore and fill up their Pokédexes can look forward to the Solstice Event, Pokémon GO’s first in-game event of the summer, running from Tuesday, June 13 at 1:00 PM PDT until June 20 at 1:00 PM PDT. During this event, Trainers can expect increased encounter rates for their favorite Fire-type and Ice-type Pokémon, including Charmander, Cyndaquil, Houndour, Swinub, Sneasel, and their Evolutions, and others. Trainers will also be awarded increased XP for in-game actions like Curveballs, Nice Throws, Great Throws, Excellent Throws, and more. In addition, Lucky Eggs will be 50% off in the in-game shop, meaning even more XP can be gained when discovering and catching elusive Fire-type and Ice-type Pokémon.
