A taste of the Pokémon GO Festival 2025? MeinMMO author Max Handwerk already got a preview in Paris. This weekend was a journey back in time. And hopefully also a glimpse into the future.
It was hot when I arrived in Paris on Thursday evening. Damn hot. And as it would turn out later, the mild evening sun over the French capital was nothing compared to the temperatures we would experience at this GO Fest weekend. The thermometer showed 33 degrees at its peak. Quite intense!
But why is the weather so important when gaming? Well, because thousands of players came to Paris this weekend to play Pokémon GO in Parc de Sceaux. And that is done outside! I was also invited by the Pokémon GO team as a press representative for MeinMMO to attend the event and get a feel for it.
What happened at the local GO Fest? The content was largely similar to the upcoming worldwide GO Fest event. Battling Zacian and Zamazenta, catching Volcanion, searching for shiny versions of Frospino, the train Legios, or event Pikachu, and of course chasing various Pokémon. In the park, however, the habitats were actually designated living spaces that you could approach, instead of the spawns rotating every hour.
Additionally, there were things like:
- A PvP arena where you could battle against other trainers
- Various decorative elements, such as the giant inflatable Pikachu or a small castle
- Larger tents where you could relax or participate in a quiz round
- The “Notable Trainers” booths with various content creators
- And much more, like meet and greets with various Pokémon mascots, meetings with the loading screen artists, and photo spots
A real star was also the actual park, which was truly beautiful. The only problem: Shade was only available at the edges, and it was sometimes really urgently needed. During the hottest hours, it was damn difficult to move through the heat, and my smartphone also struggled at times. But: Overall, the weather was suitable for catching a few Pokémon, and definitely better than rain. (Except when there was a storm warning on Friday and the park was evacuated an hour before the event ended).
But: What stayed in my memory the most happened actually outside of the game itself. Because overall, I felt not only like I was in another place, but in another time: Just like when Pokémon GO was released.
Everyone plays Pokémon, trades, battles – And is in a good mood
It was really special. During the approximately 48 hours I spent at GO Fest until my departure on Saturday evening in Paris, I spoke with many players who were there. Wherever you looked, Pokémon were being caught. You could hear excited cheers when a rare shiny was caught or catch snippets of conversations about the game.
People met who wanted to trade, others who had dressed up, and again others who wanted to raid together. The hardest battle in the game this weekend was a piece of cake because so many participated.
I felt a bit reminded of the game’s release time. Back then, in 2016, you saw groups of people everywhere outside who were on the Pokémon hunt. I could only watch back then because my phone couldn’t handle the game, but I still remember exactly how that felt. For one summer, Pokémon GO dominated the world, no matter where you went. And I remember that time very positively, even as a bystander back then.
Even today there are still those moments, especially at larger events like GO Fest. But the local version has the advantage that everyone is actually there for that reason. The sheer number of trainers unfortunately can’t be gathered in normal daily life. But that is when the game shines: When you have a group playing Pokémon GO together.
Revisiting that feeling was really fun. The only problem: These events are not necessarily frequent and also not necessarily nearby. Transferring this live event feeling more strongly into the game – that is something I would wish from the team behind Pokémon GO.
In conversation with Michael Steranka, the director, he mentioned that the representatives from the new Pokémon GO owner Scopley also show a lot of enthusiasm for Pokémon GO’s live events and want to place an even stronger focus on them. This gives hope that more will come in this direction – and maybe also more nearby. I am curious to see how this will develop in the coming months.
Furthermore, Steranka also pointed out the upcoming 10th anniversary of the game next year, and that this tenth birthday will also coincide with the 30th anniversary of Pokémon GO itself. 2026 is slated to be a big year for Pokémon GO. We are excited to see what it will ultimately look like.
More information from the interview can be found here:
- We asked the director of Pokémon GO why the Gigantamax battles are so damn difficult
- The director of Pokémon GO explains why you still find so many Kanto Pokémon after 9 years
Now, the global Pokémon GO Fest is first on the agenda. It will be exciting to see if the global variant will also lead to player groups meeting and playing together – just like it did in 2016. Do you want to know what exactly happens at the GO Fest? Then check out our overview: Pokémon GO Fest 2025 – All information about the event.
