Anyone remotely paying attention last year remembers the travesty that was Pokemon Go Fest. The festival of sorrow that was such a cluster of bad planning and undelivered promises that spawned a class-action lawsuit worth nearly $2 million. Well, Niantic are trying again this year. The newest event will run July 14 and 15.
And Pokemon Go Fest in Chicago isn’t the only event being run by the developer this year. This one event is part of a larger series called the Summer Tour. That overall series begins June 30 with an event in Germany.
The Fest is leaving the somewhat small space of Grant Park for Lincoln Park, which offers a 1.8-mile walking path. Niantic is apparently going to put this tree-covered area to good use with “physical installations and excluisve activities for trainers of all ages.” These activities will occur both in and out of the game. One of the in-game discoveries is the appearance of rare Pokémon spawning in the area. Last year, the rarest critter was Unown. The 1.8-mile space is a significant upgrade over last year, but isn’t the only place the game can be played. People who purchase a $20 ticket to the event can also catch Pokémon in the surrounding region of Chicago. Tickets go on sale on May 11.
Let’s just hope that this event isn’t a repeat of the unbelievable mess that last year was. Although we won’t know for sure until we get to the actual event, Niantic are putting certain safeguards in place to reduce congestion and login issues. They’re also expanding the range of the event to include a much larger area, mostly in order to diffuse network traffic and reduce load on individual hubs.
And just in case you missed it and need reminding, here’s what happened last year.
