KEY POINTS

  • Though a global pandemic has forced people indoors, Niantic has modified Pokemon GO Fest to encourage players to stay indoors while still collecting Pokemon
  • For GO Fest Ultra Unlock Week 3, the Unova Week, players will need to complete 24 global challenges
  • From an initial 151 Pokemon available, "Pokemon Go" is now on its fifth generation of Pokemon with a sixth expected to be released soon

Not even a pandemic will stop the GO Fest for “Pokemon Go.”

The massive annual premium event usually takes place in a specific location in the world, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the in-person event was canceled and players have been told to stay indoors for their own safety.

Despite that, Niantic found a solution by allowing players all around the world to participate in GO Fest this year from the safety of their homes. As a premium event, ScreenRant notes that GO Fest is usually a way for players to encounter rare Pokemon for a limited time and interact with teammates globally.

When “Pokemon GO” debuted in 2016, there were only 151 Pokemon that could be unlocked, collected, and used by players. The game has already expanded all the way to a fifth generation with creatures from “Pokemon Black and White” being added. Since new generations get added every year, a sixth generation might be all set to be unlocked very soon.

For GO Fest Ultra Unlock Week 3, the Unova Week, players will need to complete 24 global challenges. This will take place from Friday, August 14, at 1:00 p.m. to August 21 at 1:00 p.m. Here's what players can expect from Unova Week.

  • These Pokemon will appear in the wild more frequently and appear in 7 km Eggs: Sewaddle, Cottonee, and other Pokemon from the Unova region.
  • Players can find an Emolga out in the wild.
  • Bouffalant will appear in the wild and hatch from 5 km Eggs in New York City and surrounding areas.
  • Genesect will appear in five-star raids. Genesect has a chance to be Shiny.
  • Players have the chance to encounter a Shiny Roggenrola.

“Pokemon Go” changed the world when it had first released back in 2016. Players would take to the streets and spend hours outdoors capturing as many Pokemon as possible. Still, ScreenRant points out that a large part of the game was shrouded in mystery as Niantic left many players wondering about spawn locations, what certain items do, and how to even play the game in some cases.

The game, however, was a massive success due to word-of-mouth and this trend continues to this day. “Pokemon Go” remains one of the best mobile titles in the world and GO Fest has been one of the ways that Niantic has kept players engaged whether there’s a pandemic or not.

Pokemon Go
Niantic will add more features to Pokémon go this fall. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon