Those who remember the 2017 Pokémon Go Fest likely remember that it was generally considered a disaster. Despite this, Niantic has announced that there will be another Pokémon Go Fest happening this year as well.
The official title for the event is “A Walk in the Park in Chicago,” which is exactly what it is. On July 14 and 15, participants will gather at Chicago’s Lincoln Park to partake in a 2-mile trail full or rare pokemon, physical guideposts, and “exclusive activities.”
Niantic has faith that they’ve learned from last year’s mistakes, and reassure us that this year will be a much better time. In the 2017 Pokémon Go Fest, players were left with large crowds and bottlenecked 3G/4G connections. The mass discontent led to full spread refunds, apology legendaries, and even a class-action lawsuit. Now Niantic CEO John Hanke tells us that they’re more experienced, having hosted larger events since.
“After getting off to a bumpy start in Chicago last year, we hosted a number of record-setting events in Japan, Korea, and cities across Europe with attendance that ranged from tens of thousands to more than two million.”
Tickets for Pokémon Go Fest 2018 will go on sale May 11 at 9 a.m. PT for $20. You can purchase them via the Pokémon Go website. Even though the event is two days long, participants can only purchase a ticket for one day. Niantic assures us that the two days offer an identical experience, and the one-day-per limit is to encourage more players to take part while reducing crowds.
Even if you’re not participating in the event, anyone who happens to be in Chicago around that time should be able to snag rare Pokémon in their daily commute.