Pokémon Go basically runs an occasion each week, however Go Fest is by far the largest, basically taking up the summer season. Locking the occasion to a particular timeframe is one thing the neighborhood thinks would possibly restrict sure parts of what Niantic can supply with it, however summer season is a “sacred window” for Go Fest that received’t be modified.
It isn’t that Niantic is unaware of demand for extra large-scale occasions outdoors of that summer season season, however, in keeping with Pokémon Go director Michael Steranka, it matches completely with what the staff is aiming to perform with Go Fest.
“It’s actually vital for us to host Go Fest in the summertime as a result of that’s when so many households have time without work,” Steranka mentioned to Dot Esports. “Children are on summer season trip and fogeys will take time without work to spend time with their children. Once you come to those occasions, you see enormous teams of households out right here, so we wish to keep that form of sacred window of time for our flagship Pokémon Go Fest.”
With that window for Go Fest set in stone, Niantic is extra centered on bettering the “flagship” occasion primarily based on suggestions from gamers to make sure it’s at all times rising in the very best methods.
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A part of the suggestions carried out for Go Fest 2023 was containing the occasion to simply the month of August in comparison with its earlier iteration beginning in June. Steranka says it’s because gamers commented that the celebration was working lengthy, which led to Niantic making an attempt to run a “concise and condensed” model with 4 occasions throughout August this time round.
And, simply because Go Fest received’t transfer, it doesn’t imply Niantic isn’t listening to gamers asking for extra massive or interactive occasions at different factors within the yr. That’s a part of why Go Tour was made to run in February yearly and the brand new Metropolis Safari occasions had been created, to fill these gaps.
“That’s why we launched Go Tour proper? We thought the identical factor, that there’s a fairly large hole over there and it’s nice climate in some elements of the world so let’s host one other main occasion,” Steranka mentioned. “And, we now have Safari Zones together with the brand new format referred to as Metropolis Safari coming later this yr. I’m actually excited to see how that unfolds and, if it’s one thing gamers take pleasure in, we actually wish to put money into extra [City Safaris] subsequent yr.”
Metropolis Safaris are a brand new in-person occasion kicking off this October in Seoul, Barcelona, and Mexico Metropolis that will probably be like an area and smaller-scale Go Fest or Go Tour, that includes themed Pokémon spawns, Particular Analysis, and extra.
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Niantic can be at all times taking a look at “bringing Go Fest to as many individuals as potential,” which entails plenty of analysis into the place persons are taking part in and the very best locations to host the principle occasion hubs. For instance, New York and London are each key markets with loads of Pokémon Go gamers, however they’re additionally simple to journey to for Go Fest occasions, one thing that the builders need as a result of it permits for extra individuals to attend.
With Niantic trying to make investments extra in Metropolis Safaris, primarily based on participant suggestions for the primary batch later this yr, new occasions appear to be very a lot a spotlight too.
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