It’s been five years since Pokemon GO began making dreams come true, using AR to allow trainers from around the world to set out on their quests to become Pokemon masters. The Niantic app has been celebrating with plenty of in-game giveaways and events, and one more has been announced for November. As Halloween ends, players can look forward to the Festival of Lights event beginning November 5 at 10:00 AM and ending on November 14 at 8:00 PM local time. With Thanksgiving fast approaching, this event asks players to do just that–be thankful! The Festival of Lights invites players to focus on friendship and sending gifts, and players will be able to open 45 gifts per day. Who doesn’t love getting presents?
Participating in the event will also net players other benefits, like friendship levels increasing twice as fast and gifts giving extra rewards. During the first days of the Festival of Lights, Pokemon GO players can see firework displays in-game as well! This event pays homage to the Festival of Diwali, an event celebrated each year by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists.
A number of new avatar items and stickers will be available during the event period, and those who visit the shop will receive a free Festival of Lights T-shirt, inspired by celebrations in India. The Pokemon in the spotlight of this event is Dedenne, who is making his debut in the game! Items and stickers will celebrate the adorable creature’s arrival, including a Dedenne-inspired hat, shoes, and backpack. Be sure to open plenty of gifts and spin as many Pokestops as you can, as lots of Dedenne stickers will drop showing the Pokemon in different poses. These stickers will also be available in the in-game shop.
New raid opponents will also be popping up, with electric Pokemon making up a large chunk of new opponents. Chinchou and Dedenne will show up in one-star raids, while three-star raids will feature Alolan Raichu and Electrabuzz. Cobalion, Terrakion, and Virizion will be the ones to beat in five-star raids with the exclusive Sacred Sword attack.
Pokemon GO is available to download on iOS and Android devices. As of 2020, the game had reportedly grossed over $6 billion in revenue.
