News Articles
Jul 31 2017
Pokémon GO updated to version 0.69.1 for Android and 1.39.1 for iOS / Safari Zone Events in Europe
Niantic has announced that Pokémon GO has been updated to version 0.69.1 for Android and 1.39.1 for iOS and that the previously announced Pokémon GO Safari Zone Events in Europe have been postponed.
We apologize for any inconvenience and hope you understand that our priority is to ensure a great experience for Pokémon GO Trainers in Europe and around the world. Trainers that might have questions regarding the Safari Zone events should visit the help center.
As a special surprise, we understand that some Pokémon that are rarely seen in Europe will be appearing soon in certain European cities for a brief time. Keep your eyes peeled!
Stay tuned for more information, we will update you as soon as we have the new dates.
Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/safarizoneupdate
Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/ver-update-072817
An update on the upcoming Pokémon GO Safari Zone Events in Europe
Trainers, In order to guarantee the best possible gameplay experience for European Trainers, we have decided to postpone the events in Europe scheduled for August 5 (Copenhagen and Prague) and August 12 (Stockholm and Amsterdam) until a date later in the Fall. No other scheduled events are affected including the event scheduled for Yokohama, Japan on August 14 and the events scheduled for September 16 in France, Spain, and Germany.We apologize for any inconvenience and hope you understand that our priority is to ensure a great experience for Pokémon GO Trainers in Europe and around the world. Trainers that might have questions regarding the Safari Zone events should visit the help center.
As a special surprise, we understand that some Pokémon that are rarely seen in Europe will be appearing soon in certain European cities for a brief time. Keep your eyes peeled!
Stay tuned for more information, we will update you as soon as we have the new dates.
Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/safarizoneupdate
Pokémon GO updated to version 0.69.1 for Android and 1.39.1 for iOS
Trainers, Pokémon GO is in the process of being updated to version 0.69.1 for Android and 1.39.1 for iOS devices. Below are some release notes and comments from our development team.- Spark has returned to appraise Pokémon for Team Instinct Trainers.
- Resolved a motivation decay bug impacting Pokémon with less than 3000 CP.
- Resolved a bug causing Pokémon GO to freeze after consuming potions too quickly.
- Resolved a bug causing Pokémon GO to freeze after all 6 Pokémon faint during a Raid Battle.
- Resolved an issue causing iPhone 6 devices to crash.
Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/ver-update-072817
Niantic CEO John Hanke responded to the criticism regarding the Pokémon GO Fest in Chicago. Cell phone provider Verizon told Business Insider that they were not responsible for the issues at the event and that their network was working. John Hanke though said that part of the issue was caused by the "oversaturation of the mobile data networks of some network providers". John's full explanation was posted on the Niantic Blog and is available in this article below.
The wireless carrier's engineers worked with Niantic, the game's developer, before the event opened in Chicago on Saturday, a Verizon spokesperson told Business Insider. Verizon boosted its capacity for the event, and had representatives in place to make sure its network was up and running.
"This was not a Verizon issue," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that company engineers "reported that even when attendees were experiencing issues accessing the game itself, other applications like YouTube worked just fine — which indicated the issues were outside of Verizon's control, like an issue with the game's server itself."
Source: http://uk.businessinsider.com/verizon-points-finger-niantic-problems-pokemon-go-event-2017-7
During Pokémon GO Fest 2017 in Chicago we encountered software and network problems that prevented many people from being able to connect to the game. Players were disappointed with their experience that morning, and we heard boos and shouts from the crowd. We'd like to update you on what caused these issues.
While our technical team worked diligently with our event vendor and telecommunications companies to attempt to resolve the issues, I spent nearly the entire day talking face to face with attendees. So did much of the team of Niantic staff who came to Chicago to support the event. During the hours I spent talking to attendees, I passed on the information we had and communicated our policy on refunds and game credits once we had them but mostly I listened to what our players had to say. Certainly many were upset and I did my best to listen and offer any assistance that I could. Some were able to play normally (more on that later) and more than a few Unown Pokémon were captured by those gathered around to talk.
Among those who came up to me, many shared stories of how important the game was to them. Some talked about losing weight, others about a path to recovery after serious illness, and some about repaired relationships with children, siblings and parents. Many groups of friends who had traveled together talked about the shared bond the game created for them. For those stories I am grateful because it was obviously an incredibly stressful and disappointing day for all of us. Both I personally and all of Niantic apologize for the inconvenience and frustration.
What happened? Technical issues with our game software caused client crashes and interfered with gameplay for some users. The gameplay issue was resolved with a server configuration change and the crashes were also addressed for many but not all users. A more protracted problem was caused by oversaturation of the mobile data networks of some network providers. This caused many attendees to be unable to access Pokémon GO or other Internet services. Network congestion also led to a login issue which affected some users able to access the Internet. This latency-related login issue was addressed with a second Niantic configuration change.
On the pure network access issue, we provided detailed estimates on attendance and required data throughput per user to our event partner who worked with the major carriers to allow them to plan for adequate coverage. Some carriers deployed Cellular on Wheels (COWs) to extend their capacity. In other cases the providers deemed them unnecessary based on other infrastructure already in place at the site. Users reported different levels of success with these providers. Wifi was enabled by one provider as a solution which helped some users but not all. Sprint was onsite as an official partner, deployed a COW, and their network was busy but held up well. Although many players were able to play normally for the majority of the day, many were not, and based on that we made a number of adjustments to the event plan.
Early in the afternoon we informed players that we would refund tickets to those who wanted it and would grant $100 USD in PokéCoins to all attendees due to the inconvenience. We also released the ‘unique’ Pokémon spawning at the event to the surrounding neighborhoods to give people a way to catch them where the mobile network was stronger.
Later in the afternoon we announced the winner of the challenge and let players know that all attendees would receive a Legendary Pokémon in their accounts.
In the early evening, as part of a planned gameplay update for all Trainers globally, we released the Legendary Pokémon Articuno and Lugia to spawn in a broader area around downtown Chicago and around the world.
That’s when Pokémon GO Trainers did something awesome. As people filed out of the event into surrounding areas where the cellular network was less overburdened, they were able to play together and to capture Legendary Pokémon ‘in the wild.’ It was inspiring to watch Trainers band together with their friends and to enjoy the beautiful evening together despite the struggles of the day. That spirit extended well into the night and resumed again the next day with clusters of Pokémon GO Trainers roaming the city battling Legendary Pokémon throughout the day Sunday. Together, from late Saturday to Sunday, Trainers in downtown Chicago participated in more than 69,000 Raid Battles and captured more than 7.7 million Pokémon, including more than 440,000 Legendary Pokémon. It was an amazing sight to behold and is a testament to the love of the game and to the bonds these Trainers share with one another.
Trainers from around the world joined in as well. During that same time period they participated in more than 4.6 million Raid Battles and caught more than 500 million Pokémon, including more than 1.9 million Legendary Pokémon.
At the same time we were struggling in Chicago, an amazing event was unfolding in Chester, UK, organized by our partner Big Heritage. More than 17,000 people visited that event over two days in one of England’s oldest and most historic settings. The combination of history and family-oriented Pokémon GO play was a hit.
We will be folding all of our learnings into the Pokémon GO events planned for later this summer in Yokohama, Japan and across Europe.
As these events unfold, Trainers all around the world will have a chance to capture even more Legendary Pokémon. Based on the efforts Saturday at Pokémon GO Fest, Lugia and Articuno were unlocked. In the weeks ahead, they will be joined by Moltres and Zapdos.
Real-world events are core to the Niantic mission of exploration, exercise and social interaction. We’ve been doing events since the early days of Ingress in 2012. Those events grew progressively larger over time, starting with a few dozen attendees and growing to over 10,000 in Tokyo last summer. At each stage of growth, we encountered challenges and each time we overcame them, we gained new skills and pioneered new techniques for building real-world experiences that support our mission. Last Saturday was not a happy day for us but we are committed to listening to that feedback, however harsh, to improve what we do so that we can continue to build experiences that bring together people, technology, and the real world in innovative ways.
Source: https://www.nianticlabs.com/blog/gofestupdate072517/
Verizon points the finger at Niantic for problems that led to Pokémon Go fiasco
When it comes to figuring out who was to blame for turning the first real-world Pokémon Go event into a disappointing disaster, Verizon is pointing its finger at Niantic.The wireless carrier's engineers worked with Niantic, the game's developer, before the event opened in Chicago on Saturday, a Verizon spokesperson told Business Insider. Verizon boosted its capacity for the event, and had representatives in place to make sure its network was up and running.
"This was not a Verizon issue," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that company engineers "reported that even when attendees were experiencing issues accessing the game itself, other applications like YouTube worked just fine — which indicated the issues were outside of Verizon's control, like an issue with the game's server itself."
Source: http://uk.businessinsider.com/verizon-points-finger-niantic-problems-pokemon-go-event-2017-7
An Update regarding Pokémon GO Fest in Chicago
During Pokémon GO Fest 2017 in Chicago we encountered software and network problems that prevented many people from being able to connect to the game. Players were disappointed with their experience that morning, and we heard boos and shouts from the crowd. We'd like to update you on what caused these issues.
While our technical team worked diligently with our event vendor and telecommunications companies to attempt to resolve the issues, I spent nearly the entire day talking face to face with attendees. So did much of the team of Niantic staff who came to Chicago to support the event. During the hours I spent talking to attendees, I passed on the information we had and communicated our policy on refunds and game credits once we had them but mostly I listened to what our players had to say. Certainly many were upset and I did my best to listen and offer any assistance that I could. Some were able to play normally (more on that later) and more than a few Unown Pokémon were captured by those gathered around to talk.
Among those who came up to me, many shared stories of how important the game was to them. Some talked about losing weight, others about a path to recovery after serious illness, and some about repaired relationships with children, siblings and parents. Many groups of friends who had traveled together talked about the shared bond the game created for them. For those stories I am grateful because it was obviously an incredibly stressful and disappointing day for all of us. Both I personally and all of Niantic apologize for the inconvenience and frustration.
What happened? Technical issues with our game software caused client crashes and interfered with gameplay for some users. The gameplay issue was resolved with a server configuration change and the crashes were also addressed for many but not all users. A more protracted problem was caused by oversaturation of the mobile data networks of some network providers. This caused many attendees to be unable to access Pokémon GO or other Internet services. Network congestion also led to a login issue which affected some users able to access the Internet. This latency-related login issue was addressed with a second Niantic configuration change.
On the pure network access issue, we provided detailed estimates on attendance and required data throughput per user to our event partner who worked with the major carriers to allow them to plan for adequate coverage. Some carriers deployed Cellular on Wheels (COWs) to extend their capacity. In other cases the providers deemed them unnecessary based on other infrastructure already in place at the site. Users reported different levels of success with these providers. Wifi was enabled by one provider as a solution which helped some users but not all. Sprint was onsite as an official partner, deployed a COW, and their network was busy but held up well. Although many players were able to play normally for the majority of the day, many were not, and based on that we made a number of adjustments to the event plan.
Early in the afternoon we informed players that we would refund tickets to those who wanted it and would grant $100 USD in PokéCoins to all attendees due to the inconvenience. We also released the ‘unique’ Pokémon spawning at the event to the surrounding neighborhoods to give people a way to catch them where the mobile network was stronger.
Later in the afternoon we announced the winner of the challenge and let players know that all attendees would receive a Legendary Pokémon in their accounts.
In the early evening, as part of a planned gameplay update for all Trainers globally, we released the Legendary Pokémon Articuno and Lugia to spawn in a broader area around downtown Chicago and around the world.
That’s when Pokémon GO Trainers did something awesome. As people filed out of the event into surrounding areas where the cellular network was less overburdened, they were able to play together and to capture Legendary Pokémon ‘in the wild.’ It was inspiring to watch Trainers band together with their friends and to enjoy the beautiful evening together despite the struggles of the day. That spirit extended well into the night and resumed again the next day with clusters of Pokémon GO Trainers roaming the city battling Legendary Pokémon throughout the day Sunday. Together, from late Saturday to Sunday, Trainers in downtown Chicago participated in more than 69,000 Raid Battles and captured more than 7.7 million Pokémon, including more than 440,000 Legendary Pokémon. It was an amazing sight to behold and is a testament to the love of the game and to the bonds these Trainers share with one another.
Trainers from around the world joined in as well. During that same time period they participated in more than 4.6 million Raid Battles and caught more than 500 million Pokémon, including more than 1.9 million Legendary Pokémon.
At the same time we were struggling in Chicago, an amazing event was unfolding in Chester, UK, organized by our partner Big Heritage. More than 17,000 people visited that event over two days in one of England’s oldest and most historic settings. The combination of history and family-oriented Pokémon GO play was a hit.
We will be folding all of our learnings into the Pokémon GO events planned for later this summer in Yokohama, Japan and across Europe.
As these events unfold, Trainers all around the world will have a chance to capture even more Legendary Pokémon. Based on the efforts Saturday at Pokémon GO Fest, Lugia and Articuno were unlocked. In the weeks ahead, they will be joined by Moltres and Zapdos.
- Articuno (Team Mystic) released on Saturday, July 22 and available through Monday, July 31.
- Moltres (Team Valor) to be released on Monday, July 31 and available through Monday, August 7.
- Zapdos (Team Instinct) to be released on Monday, August 7 and available through Monday, August 14.
Real-world events are core to the Niantic mission of exploration, exercise and social interaction. We’ve been doing events since the early days of Ingress in 2012. Those events grew progressively larger over time, starting with a few dozen attendees and growing to over 10,000 in Tokyo last summer. At each stage of growth, we encountered challenges and each time we overcame them, we gained new skills and pioneered new techniques for building real-world experiences that support our mission. Last Saturday was not a happy day for us but we are committed to listening to that feedback, however harsh, to improve what we do so that we can continue to build experiences that bring together people, technology, and the real world in innovative ways.
Source: https://www.nianticlabs.com/blog/gofestupdate072517/
Jul 23 2017
Niantic Pokémon GO Fest Chicago Update
Pokémon GO Fest Chicago was held in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA at the beautiful Grant Park on July 22nd, 2017 but the event did not go as planned as it was plagued with technical issues. Cell phone networks from Verzion, Sprint and AT&T were overloaded and did not function properly causing people at the event to be unable to play the game. The Pokémon GO Fest Live Stream was also plagued with technical issues from audio static that made people sound robotic, to video streaming issues and also video quality issues. Hopefully Niantic will learn from this mistake and order and require portable cell phone towers from all providers that are now common at major sporting events and concerts like Coachella. Junichi Masuda also attended the event.
Niantic is taking the following steps immediately:
We appreciate the patience of all the Trainers who joined us in Chicago this weekend. We will strive to make sure our experiences are of the highest quality going forward.
Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/pokemongofestupdate
Twitter Posts:
Legendary Pokémon Articuno and Lugia are here! #AdventureTogether https://t.co/wKNLY7I9aA pic.twitter.com/dA1R3PrlMW
— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) July 23, 2017
Trainers, we’re aware of server and connectivity issues impacting #PokemonGOFest and are working as quickly as possible to address them.
— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) July 22, 2017
Blog update! Thank you Chicago!https://t.co/kaZPMEskuf
— 増田順一@GAME FREAK inc. (@Junichi_Masuda) July 23, 2017
Niantic Pokémon GO Fest Chicago Update
Today at Pokémon GO Fest in Chicago, technical issues created problems for a large number of players attending the event. From everyone at Niantic, we apologize to all of the Trainers who came out to Pokémon GO Fest today. Although we were able to solve many of the technical issues, we were not able to offer every attendee a great experience.Niantic is taking the following steps immediately:
- All registered attendees will soon receive an email with instructions on how to receive a full refund for the cost of their ticket. These instructions will be sent to the email addresses associated with your Pokémon GO account.
- All registered attendees will receive $100 in PokéCoins in their Pokémon GO account.
- Special Pokémon, Eggs, and check-in PokéStops appearing during Pokémon GO Fest have had their range increased to a two mile radius surrounding Grant Park through Monday morning, July 24. These Pokémon and Eggs will only be visible to Pokémon GO Fest attendees who validated the QR code they received when they entered Pokémon GO Fest. Attendees who were unable to validate their QR code during the event can do so through the special PokéStops through Monday morning.
- All registered attendees will have the Legendary Pokémon, Lugia, added to their account.
We appreciate the patience of all the Trainers who joined us in Chicago this weekend. We will strive to make sure our experiences are of the highest quality going forward.
Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/pokemongofestupdate
Jul 20 2017
Legendary Pokémon Coming to Pokémon GO
Niantic has announced that as part of the one-year anniversary celebrations, Legendary Pokémon are coming to Pokémon GO very soon.
As Trainers around the world go out and explore their neighborhoods in search of Pokémon and Raid Battles, they can keep an eye out for unique Legendary Eggs appearing at Gyms. If Trainers and their team are able to successfully defeat a Legendary Raid Boss, they’ll have the opportunity to catch a Legendary Pokémon of their own! While Legendary Pokémon will help them take on the toughest Raid Bosses and Gym Battles, they’re not willing to leave their Trainer’s side, so they can’t be left to defend Gyms.
On July 22, thousands of Trainers in Grant Park for Pokémon GO Fest and the millions of others around the world will be working together to unlock in-game bonuses for the entire Pokémon GO community. If they manage to catch enough Pokémon during the Pokémon GO Fest Challenge Windows, the first Legendary Pokémon will be revealed in Grant Park. If the Trainers in Chicago succeed in defeating the Legendary Pokémon, that Pokémon will start appearing in Raid Battles around the world, after Pokémon GO Fest.
Trainers everywhere can tune in to watch the action taking place in Grant Park live and join in the conversation using #PokemonGOFest on social media. Follow the official livestream on Twitch or YouTube for the latest news coming out of Pokémon GO Fest including Challenge Window updates, exclusive interviews, and the reveal of the first Legendary Pokémon!
It’s time for Trainers everywhere to start powering up their Pokémon for battle because there are many legendary adventures to come!
Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/legendarypokemon
YouTube - Pokémon GO - Adventure Together for Legendary Pokémon!
A Legendary first year of Pokémon GO!
Trainers, As part of our ongoing celebration of Pokémon GO’s one-year anniversary, we’re excited to reveal that Legendary Pokémon are nearly here! Soon, millions of Trainers around the world will be able to discover, battle, and catch these extremely rare and very powerful Pokémon.As Trainers around the world go out and explore their neighborhoods in search of Pokémon and Raid Battles, they can keep an eye out for unique Legendary Eggs appearing at Gyms. If Trainers and their team are able to successfully defeat a Legendary Raid Boss, they’ll have the opportunity to catch a Legendary Pokémon of their own! While Legendary Pokémon will help them take on the toughest Raid Bosses and Gym Battles, they’re not willing to leave their Trainer’s side, so they can’t be left to defend Gyms.
On July 22, thousands of Trainers in Grant Park for Pokémon GO Fest and the millions of others around the world will be working together to unlock in-game bonuses for the entire Pokémon GO community. If they manage to catch enough Pokémon during the Pokémon GO Fest Challenge Windows, the first Legendary Pokémon will be revealed in Grant Park. If the Trainers in Chicago succeed in defeating the Legendary Pokémon, that Pokémon will start appearing in Raid Battles around the world, after Pokémon GO Fest.
Trainers everywhere can tune in to watch the action taking place in Grant Park live and join in the conversation using #PokemonGOFest on social media. Follow the official livestream on Twitch or YouTube for the latest news coming out of Pokémon GO Fest including Challenge Window updates, exclusive interviews, and the reveal of the first Legendary Pokémon!
It’s time for Trainers everywhere to start powering up their Pokémon for battle because there are many legendary adventures to come!
Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/legendarypokemon
Pokémon GO is in the process of being updated to version 0.69.0 for Android and 1.39.0 for iOS devices. Below are some release notes and comments from the development team.
Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/ver-update-071817
- Added icons to the Pokémon information screen to indicate how the Pokémon was caught.
- Added the ability for Trainers to spin the Photo Disc at a Gym after completing a Raid Battle.
- Added the ability for Trainers to send Berries to their Pokémon defending Gyms through the Pokémon info screen when they are not nearby. Motivation regained will be less effective through this method.
- Added the ability for Trainers to give Berries to Pokémon defending Gyms if their motivation meter is full.
- Improved Pokémon Collection screen search functionality.
- Fixed an issue where Trainers were unable to complete Raid Battles started before time expired on the map view.
- Fixed an issue where Pokémon are not properly returned to their Trainer after defending a Gym.
- Various bug fixes.
Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/ver-update-071817
Niantic has announced further details about Pokémon GO events that will take place around the world during July, August and September of 2017. The Chicago event was previously announced during the First Anniversary of Pokémon GO press release.
During the day, there will be three Challenge Windows in which Trainers everywhere will work alongside those in Chicago to unlock global rewards. During the Challenge Windows, Trainers in Grant Park will attempt to unlock perks for Pokémon GO players around the world by catching certain types of Pokémon. Each Pokémon- type will be tied to a different perk, so Trainers at the park will need to carefully choose which Pokémon they catch. Will those in attendance try to catch Electric-type Pokémon to reduce the distance required to hatch Eggs, or Grass-type Pokémon to increase Stardust bonuses, or other Pokémon- types to secure a variety of other bonuses? Join in the action and find out!
Meanwhile, Trainers outside of Chicago will attempt to catch as many Pokémon as possible during the Challenge Windows to extend the duration of the bonuses unlocked by those attending the event. If Trainers around the world catch enough Pokémon, a mystery challenge will be unveiled in Grant Park that, once completed, will unlock an extra-special bonus across the globe. Trainers everywhere will want to grab their friends and family to help make this the biggest celebration in Pokémon GO’s history!
August 5, 2017
Fisketorvet—Copenhagen, Denmark
Centrum Cerny Most—Prague, Czech Republic
August 12, 2017
Mall of Scandinavia—Stockholm, Sweden
Stadshart Amstelveen—Amstelveen, The Netherlands
September 16, 2017
CentrO—Oberhausen, Germany
Les Quatre Temps—Paris, France
La Maquinista—Barcelona, Spain
All seven Pokémon GO Safari Zone events will give Trainers the opportunity to catch a wide variety of Pokémon in special zones featuring Pokémon originally encountered in the Kanto and Johto regions, including some Pokémon never before encountered in Europe! Additionally, Trainers in attendance will join forces to take on unique and powerful Raid Bosses that will be making appearances at these events.
Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/gosummerevents
Pokémon GO events around the world!
Trainers, Over the next few months, we'll be hosting a number of events taking place around the world in celebration of Pokémon GO's one year anniversary. No matter where you live, you're invited to join in the fun!Pokémon GO Fest Chicago
Pokémon GO Fest (Saturday, July 22 taking place in Grant Park, Chicago, IL) is fast approaching, and we hope you’re all as excited as we are. We wanted to share some details about how Pokémon GO Trainers everywhere can participate in a global challenge with Trainers at the event to unlock special rewards worldwide.During the day, there will be three Challenge Windows in which Trainers everywhere will work alongside those in Chicago to unlock global rewards. During the Challenge Windows, Trainers in Grant Park will attempt to unlock perks for Pokémon GO players around the world by catching certain types of Pokémon. Each Pokémon- type will be tied to a different perk, so Trainers at the park will need to carefully choose which Pokémon they catch. Will those in attendance try to catch Electric-type Pokémon to reduce the distance required to hatch Eggs, or Grass-type Pokémon to increase Stardust bonuses, or other Pokémon- types to secure a variety of other bonuses? Join in the action and find out!
Meanwhile, Trainers outside of Chicago will attempt to catch as many Pokémon as possible during the Challenge Windows to extend the duration of the bonuses unlocked by those attending the event. If Trainers around the world catch enough Pokémon, a mystery challenge will be unveiled in Grant Park that, once completed, will unlock an extra-special bonus across the globe. Trainers everywhere will want to grab their friends and family to help make this the biggest celebration in Pokémon GO’s history!
Pokémon GO Safari Zone Events in Europe
We’re excited to announce that a variety of Pokémon GO Safari Zone events will be taking place at select Unibail-Rodamco shopping centers during August and September!August 5, 2017
Fisketorvet—Copenhagen, Denmark
Centrum Cerny Most—Prague, Czech Republic
August 12, 2017
Mall of Scandinavia—Stockholm, Sweden
Stadshart Amstelveen—Amstelveen, The Netherlands
September 16, 2017
CentrO—Oberhausen, Germany
Les Quatre Temps—Paris, France
La Maquinista—Barcelona, Spain
All seven Pokémon GO Safari Zone events will give Trainers the opportunity to catch a wide variety of Pokémon in special zones featuring Pokémon originally encountered in the Kanto and Johto regions, including some Pokémon never before encountered in Europe! Additionally, Trainers in attendance will join forces to take on unique and powerful Raid Bosses that will be making appearances at these events.
Pikachu Outbreak in Japan
The Pokémon Company will be hosting its annual Pikachu Outbreak event in Yokohama, Japan, from August 9–15, where a special Pokémon GO experience is taking place. More information about Pikachu Outbreak will be unveiled by The Pokémon Company in the coming days, so stay tuned for all the exciting details!Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/gosummerevents
Niantic has announced that they have partnered with Big Heritage in the United Kingdom to encourage community engagement and education. Pokémon GO event will take place Saturday July 22nd, 2017 and Sunday, July 23rd, 2017 across Chester, United Kingdom including activities at Chester Castle which will be open to the public for the first time in 20 years!
On the weekend of Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd of July, events will be staged across Chester, including activities based at Chester Castle, which will be open to the public for the first time in 20 years. Visitors to the city will be able to take part in a number of fun trail activities, with in-game and real-world surprises for Pokémon GO players. The weekend of events coincides with the annual Chester Heritage Festival, which celebrates the heritage of one of the world’s most historic cities.
Chester will play host to Pokémon GO Trainers visiting the UK from around the world, turning historical sites into PokéStops that players can interact with. Big Heritage will also be working with schools across the Cheshire and Merseyside regions as part of an initiative to encourage young people to explore and learn about their local area by playing Pokémon GO together.
Niantic CEO and founder John Hanke said "I am incredibly excited about this partnership linking local history and Pokémon GO. We love the idea of using mobile games as a motivation for families to play outside together and perhaps to learn something interesting while they are at it!"
Big Heritage founder Dean Paton said “We are so excited about working with Niantic, Inc., who are true innovators in their field, and as passionate as we are about getting people exploring and learning about the world around them. It’s a genuine coup for Chester to be the ‘test bed’ for some amazing new ideas, and we hope we can use the game based on the iconic and beloved Pokemon brand as a tool for helping more people get excited about the past.”
Sources: https://nianticlabs.com/blog/bigheritage/ and http://bigheritage.co.uk/big-heritage-and-pokemon-go-team-up-in-the-ancient-city-of-chester/
Big Heritage and Pokémon GO team up in the ancient city of Chester
Niantic, Inc., the developer, and publisher of Pokémon GO, The Pokémon Company International and Big Heritage, the UK heritage organization have partnered to curate historical locations throughout the ancient city of Chester within Pokémon GO to encourage community engagement and education.On the weekend of Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd of July, events will be staged across Chester, including activities based at Chester Castle, which will be open to the public for the first time in 20 years. Visitors to the city will be able to take part in a number of fun trail activities, with in-game and real-world surprises for Pokémon GO players. The weekend of events coincides with the annual Chester Heritage Festival, which celebrates the heritage of one of the world’s most historic cities.
Chester will play host to Pokémon GO Trainers visiting the UK from around the world, turning historical sites into PokéStops that players can interact with. Big Heritage will also be working with schools across the Cheshire and Merseyside regions as part of an initiative to encourage young people to explore and learn about their local area by playing Pokémon GO together.
Niantic CEO and founder John Hanke said "I am incredibly excited about this partnership linking local history and Pokémon GO. We love the idea of using mobile games as a motivation for families to play outside together and perhaps to learn something interesting while they are at it!"
Big Heritage founder Dean Paton said “We are so excited about working with Niantic, Inc., who are true innovators in their field, and as passionate as we are about getting people exploring and learning about the world around them. It’s a genuine coup for Chester to be the ‘test bed’ for some amazing new ideas, and we hope we can use the game based on the iconic and beloved Pokemon brand as a tool for helping more people get excited about the past.”
Sources: https://nianticlabs.com/blog/bigheritage/ and http://bigheritage.co.uk/big-heritage-and-pokemon-go-team-up-in-the-ancient-city-of-chester/
Jul 06 2017
Pokémon Go's One-Year Anniversary Celebration
Niantic has announced that from July 6th, 2017 at 1:00 P.M. PDT to July 24th, 2017 at 1:00 P.M. PDT, to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Pokémon Go, a special Pikachu wearing Ash's Hat will be available in the wild.
Just a few weeks ago, the one-year anniversary celebration kicked off with a bang. You and millions of other Trainers went outside to battle in revamped Gyms and participate in Raid Battles with family and friends for the first time, but this was only the beginning of an action-packed couple of months. The celebration continues with a special Pikachu wearing a familiar hat appearing all over the world. From July 6 at 1:00 P.M. PDT to July 24 at 1:00 P.M. PDT, Pikachu discovered in the wild will be wearing Ash’s famous hat from the Pokémon animated series, so make sure you don’t miss out on your opportunity to catch one! You’ll also be able to stock up for Raid Battles and the events ahead with the special limited-time Anniversary Box, which will include Incubators, Max Revives, Ultra Balls, and Raid Passes at a discount in the in-game shop.
Stay tuned for even more exciting news over the coming weeks, including additional information on Pokémon GO Fest Chicago this July, events hosted at select Unibail-Rodamco locations this August and September in Europe, and Pokémon GO events at the Pikachu Outbreak in Yokohama, Japan, this August!
Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/birthday2017
Happy Birthday, Pokémon GO!
Trainers, It’s hard to believe that Pokémon GO launched just a year ago, and what an amazing year it’s been! Since joining us last July, you’ve demonstrated the true power of Pokémon GO and augmented reality gaming by searching for Pokémon in the real world, exploring on foot, building new friendships, and discovering new places right in your own neighborhoods. Throughout this incredible journey, you’ve caught over 125 billion Pokémon and made countless memories along the way. But there are many more adventures still to come.Just a few weeks ago, the one-year anniversary celebration kicked off with a bang. You and millions of other Trainers went outside to battle in revamped Gyms and participate in Raid Battles with family and friends for the first time, but this was only the beginning of an action-packed couple of months. The celebration continues with a special Pikachu wearing a familiar hat appearing all over the world. From July 6 at 1:00 P.M. PDT to July 24 at 1:00 P.M. PDT, Pikachu discovered in the wild will be wearing Ash’s famous hat from the Pokémon animated series, so make sure you don’t miss out on your opportunity to catch one! You’ll also be able to stock up for Raid Battles and the events ahead with the special limited-time Anniversary Box, which will include Incubators, Max Revives, Ultra Balls, and Raid Passes at a discount in the in-game shop.
Stay tuned for even more exciting news over the coming weeks, including additional information on Pokémon GO Fest Chicago this July, events hosted at select Unibail-Rodamco locations this August and September in Europe, and Pokémon GO events at the Pikachu Outbreak in Yokohama, Japan, this August!
Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/birthday2017
Jul 06 2017
Pokémon Go Six Months Behind Niantic's Schedule
CEO John Hanke of Niantic was interviewed by Andrew Webster of The Verge to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of Pokémon Go. One of the topics discussed in the interview was the development timeline of the game and John Hanke confirmed they are behind their own internal schedule for the game. He also discussed that trading and player-versus-player combat are still being worked on. John also explained that development has been hampered because of a lack of money and is quoted: "But we only had so much money, and we were doing what we thought was reasonable."
Source: https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/6/15911936/pokemon-go-niantic-john-hanke-interview-one-year-anniversary
Interview Question - When you look at where the game is now, and compare it to your initial road map, how similar are the two?
We lost probably six months on our schedule because of the success of the game. Really all the way through November and December, from launch onward we were rebuilding and rewiring infrastructure just to keep the game running at the scale that we were running at. We were fortunate to have a massive launch, a massive success, and many, many more users than we had planned for. But we had to redirect a substantial portion of the engineering team to [work on] infrastructure versus new features. That switched off things like extending gyms, it pushed out things we still want to have, like player-versus-player and trading. I’d say we’re about six months behind where we thought we would be.Source: https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/6/15911936/pokemon-go-niantic-john-hanke-interview-one-year-anniversary
Niantic announced via their Official Support on Reddit that they will be adding a slash to all Pokémon caught through third-party services that circumvent normal gameplay. These Pokémon may also not behave as expected.
Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/pokemongo/comments/6ihyoi/update_on_pok%C3%A9mon_caught_using_thirdparty/
Update on Pokémon caught using third-party services that circumvent normal gameplay
With the announcement of Raid Battles and the new battle features, we are staying true on our commitment to ensuring that Pokémon GO continues to be a fun and fair experience for all Trainers. Starting today, Pokémon caught using third-party services that circumvent normal gameplay will appear marked with a slash in the inventory and may not behave as expected. We are humbled by the excitement for all the new features we announced yesterday. This is one small part of our continued commitment to maintaining the integrity of our community and delivering an amazing Pokémon GO experience.Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/pokemongo/comments/6ihyoi/update_on_pok%C3%A9mon_caught_using_thirdparty/
