Niantic today revealed that Pokémon Go Fest is returning this year, and will most likely be online based on its description of the event. It’s another summer event, being held in July, and is intended to be part of the Pokémon anniversary celebrations.
Niantic posted the Save the Date and described the event as “a two-day global event from July 17 to July 18, 2021!” They don’t explicitly describe it as an online event but do make reference to 2020’s Fest, and the use of the word “global” implies this one will be at least similar. Players on TheSilphRoad subreddit are speculating the event could be focused on musical Pokémon or could feature some kind of virtual concert, considering the notes in the event logo and the repeated emphasis to “stay tuned” for the event.
While they don’t mention it explicitly in the article (though they urge players to “follow guidelines from local health authorities” when playing), last year’s festival was a primarily online-only event because the global pandemic made it untenable (not to mention irresponsible) to promote an event that would encourage large numbers of people to gather together. Likely that’s still Niantic’s reasoning behind holding a “global” event, and it’s a good thing. Besides, Niantic said after the 2020 Fest that it brought in record numbers of participants.
The company isn’t saying exactly what kinds of events to expect at this year’s event, but added, “2021 marks both the twenty-fifth anniversary of Pokémon and the fifth anniversary of Pokémon GO, so trust us when we say you won’t want to miss Pokémon GO Fest 2021! We can’t wait to celebrate another summer together. Stay tuned for more details!” Other celebrations for the twenty-fifth anniversary of Pokémon include the release of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, as well as Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
Source: Niantic
