Pokémon Go‘s next big online event will take place on February 20 as the company celebrates the game’s fifth anniversary with a return to the Kanto region.
Niantic keeps adapting to the pandemic. This is another example of how the publisher is shifting to a hybrid status for its location-based game, where players can play individually in physical spaces while gathering in large groups through online play. The announcement follows Niantic’s announcement of the biggest update for the game yet.
The Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto event will feature creatures from that region, which debuted with the launch of the game in 2016. The event will be similar to Pokémon Go Fest last summer. It will be a global, virtual ticketed event in Pokémon Go taking place on a Saturday. As an example of how the game is becoming more online than physical, the trading range will be increased during the week of the event.
During the 12 hour virtual event, all 150 Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region will be available as Shiny Pokémon, some for the first time. Players will get a challenge to see how many of the Kanto creatures they can catch in a day. Players can buy two different types of tickets to the event, Red Version and Green Version — each with version-exclusive Pokémon (and a nod to those old games). The in-app purchase price is $12. Those who purchase a ticket by a certain date will also receive tickets for the special research stories for the January and February Community Day events.
Additionally, all players, regardless of whether they purchase a ticket, will enjoy Kanto Pokémon appearing in the wild and in raids, plus the return of Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Mewtwo in Legendary raids and access to event-exclusive timed research.