The Pokémon GO Fest 2020 has finally been presented! As part of our Find Your Next Game campaign, we are showing you insights into this year’s GO Fest and explaining why Pokémon GO will be really big with this event.
What is the GO Fest? The Pokémon GO Fest has been held annually since 2017 and is the major highlight of the year for fans of Pokémon GO. Normally, these events take place at fixed locations, where you meet other trainers and catch special event Pokémon.
Due to the Corona crisis, however, 2020 will be very different. The GO Fest will take place worldwide for the first time and every trainer, no matter where they are, can buy a ticket for this event.
When does the GO Fest run? The event takes place on July 25th and 26th. You will benefit from the GO Fest for 2 days.
The Pokémon GO Fest 2020 – The Contents
What happens at the GO Fest 2020? The GO Fest will take place over 2 days for the first time this year. However, there will be different events on both days:
- Day 1
- You will have access to a special research that will only be available on this day – you will have to complete special quests.
- The habitat changes every hour – Pokémon of different types will appear. In total, there are 5 habitats (Fire, Water, Plant, Battle, and Friendship), each available twice – so you will have different Pokémon to catch every hour.
- There are over 75 different Pokémon to catch that day – from raids, in the wild, or from special field researches.
- Day 2
- Something special is supposed to happen here, but it has not been specified yet. So far, we only know that another special research will also be available there.
You can find a detailed overview of all other bonuses in our big special about Pokémon GO Fest 2020.
How does the event work? The GO Fest runs from 10 AM to 8 PM. During this time, you can take advantage of the bonuses related to your ticket.
How much does the ticket cost? The event can only be used for real money. A ticket costs €16.99. However, with that, you have a ticket for both days.
What happens outside the app? Normally, there are all kinds of things set up for Pokémon nerds at the GO Fest site. But since this event is global this time, everything shifts to the online world.
This way, you can visit online team lounges, where you can chat with other trainers and even win prizes.
Otherwise, you have to rely on your own community. Play with trainers from your city – of course, following the important distancing rules. You can make the event special for yourself.
Additionally, there should be a system available where you can see how successful your fellow players are at the GO Fest. There will be challenges to achieve in the game. On a website, you can then see how much you have contributed to the challenge and how your friends are doing.
This is what makes the GO Fest special
Anyone who plays Pokémon GO will feel like they’re in paradise at the GO Fest. In recent years, there have always been rare Pokémon, as well as many Shinys.
Shinys are some of the rarest monsters in the game. They have a different color than the normal monster, making them special. Most Pokémon have a Shiny rate of 1 in 450.
However, it’s different at the GO Fest. There, the Shiny rate is usually increased. You can encounter the desired Pokémon much more often and expand your collection.
Why is the GO Fest so important for Pokémon GO?
The GO Fest is usually seen as a major gathering point for the community. It is the fan meeting that everyone looks forward to all year round.
While the event will only be held digitally now, the exchange within the community is meant to continue.
Moreover, the GO Fest allows every trainer to be successful. No matter how little luck one has with Shinys or how much time one invests in the app, anyone who buys a ticket will be rewarded with great spawns and caught Pokémon that are otherwise seen rarely.
Is the GO Fest worth it for beginners and veterans?
This is what the GO Fest offers for beginners: Anyone who wants to start with Pokémon GO should definitely begin during the GO Fest 2020. Here, you will have good chances at rare and strong Pokémon right from the start.
You can also catch some rare Shinys to later trade against strong Pokémon in your Pokémon career or just collect them.
The GO Fest also gives you a good insight into the mechanics of the game. Raids, field researches, and catching Pokémon will all be important.
Additionally, during this time you will get to know the Pokémon community in your area. If you don’t live in a village, you will definitely meet many players over the 2 days whom you can connect with. This is important for legendary raids – as you can only successfully complete these with several players.
This is what the GO Fest brings for frequent players: If you have already spent a lot of time with Pokémon GO, you will also get a lot of value from the GO Fest.
Here you can find the Pokémon that you may have been searching for months. Additionally, numerous Shinys are likely to pop up for you, and surely some that you haven’t had yet.
A new mysterious Pokémon is waiting, and other rewards are on the line. If you want to fill your PokéDex, you should definitely participate in the GO Fest.
The GO Fest 2020 – A Concept with a Future?
This year’s GO Fest will be a very special event due to the Corona crisis, which we probably won’t experience again in the coming years.
Nevertheless, the GO Fest 2020 is an exciting concept, as one does not have to travel to an event city for such an event anymore. Every trainer can participate, no matter where they live.
Even after the Corona crisis, it is therefore quite conceivable that a GO Fest will take place from home. Trainers who do not live near other venues or don’t want to undertake the journey can participate.
In March, April, and May, Pokémon GO showed that such events are also feasible from home. There were Safari Zones, which are the smaller versions of the GO Fest that are normally tied to a fixed location. However, the last 3 events were not tied to a location, and they received a lot of positive feedback.
Niantic has not been averse to further GO Fests from home. They want to wait for this year’s feedback and then decide whether such an event can also take place in 2021 from home. They also stated that they definitely want to hold location-based events again.
Read our interview about the GO Fest
As part of Find Your Next Game, MeinMMO conducted an interview with Michael Steranka, the Director of Global Live Events at Niantic.
Michael answered some questions about regional Pokémon, Shinys, and level increases. This information should be interesting for veterans and newcomers alike.
Potential: Grand Event
The Corona crisis has hit the AR game Pokémon GO particularly hard, but the developer Niantic has shown with numerous adjustments that they can deal with these problems.
Previously, at live events, namely the Safari Zones, it was demonstrated that such an event can be played from home without any issues.
With the announced features and the strong past events, Pokémon GO is looking positively towards the future with the GO Fest 2020. I strongly believe that this year’s GO Fest will be a great success and certainly one of the highlights of my 4-year Pokémon career.
Noah Struthoff
Editor at MeinMMO
