Everything you need to know about Pokemon GO Fest 2022
Pokemon GO Fest 2022 is fast approaching with tickets on sale right now, and we know pretty much all the details at this point. With a global event taking place for anyone who purchases a ticket, some free bonuses available to those who don't, and in-person Pokemon GO events taking place on specific days, there's plenty to do, including the introduction of mythical Pokemon Shaymin. Here's everything you need to know about Pokemon GO Fest 2022, from the habitats and shiny Pokemon to raid bosses and special research.
- GO Fests can be a great way to find some rare Pokemon you might still be missing. Here's our list of the rarest Pokemon in Pokemon GO — maybe we'll see some of them at the event this year!
Dates
Over the past two years, Pokemon GO Fest has taken place worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Niantic has announced that the global event will continue this year, even though the event is simultaneously returning to live in-person events.
This year, Pokemon GO Fest will span two days, and there will be a special follow-up finale event later on. Additionally, the in-person events will have their own select dates, which are listed further down this page.
Day 1 (Global): Saturday, June 4
Day 2 (Global): Sunday, June 5
Finale (Global): Saturday, August 27
Saturday (Day 1)
Click to enlargeThe first day of Pokemon GO Fest 2022 will feature rotating habitats, Collection Challenges, and a ton more. Day 1 takes place on Saturday, June 4 from 10am to 6pm local time.
Habitat Hours
Available to: everyone
Throughout the event, there will be four "habitats" that each last for one hour. They'll each run twice and feature certain Pokemon.
Note: A new costumed Pikachu will be spawning during each hour, though it will be rare.
| City | Plains | Rainforest | Tundra |
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Collection Challenges
Available to: ticket holders
Trainers who purchase a ticket will have access to four Collection Challenges, each themed around the rotating habitats. The required Pokemon and rewards for completion are not yet known.
Global Challenge Arena
Available to: ticket holders
As per usual, there will be a set of global challenges available during GO Fest. Each hour of the event will feature a worldwide collaborative challenge, and if it's completed, everyone will gain access to a bonus for the rest of the hour.
We don't know what the challenges or rewarded bonuses will be just yet.
Shaymin Special Research
Available to: ticket holders
Anyone with a ticket will be able to access a Special Research questline that leads to an encounter with the Mythical Pokemon Shaymin. We've got more details on this Special Research further down the page.
Incense and Shinies
Available to: ticket holders
Those who have a ticket will be able to shiny hunt some cool Pokemon.
Ticket holders will see certain Pokemon drawn to Incense each hour. Additionally, those that can be shiny will have higher chances. All the Pokemon listed here can be shiny unless noted.
Every Hour
- Unown B
- Unown G
- Unown O
- Unown U
City
- Galarian Weezing
- Klink
Plains
- Torkoal (cannot be shiny)
- Axew
Rainforest
- Tropius (cannot be shiny)
- Pancham (cannot be shiny)
Tundra
- Galarian Mr. Mime (cannot be shiny)
- Galarian Darumaka
Other Info
There are a few other things to note about Day 1:
- Everyone, even those without a ticket, will be able to grab a GO Fest 2022 shirt for their avatar from the shop for free
- Confetti will appear on the in-game map for everyone
- Raids will feature Axew and a new Costumed Pikachu, but we don't know who else
- New shinies will make their debut in Pokemon GO
- Shroomish & Breloom
- Karrablast & Escavalier
- Shelmet & Accelgor
- Shiny Unown B
- Shiny Numel & Camerupt
- Shiny Axew, Fraxure, and Haxorus
Sunday (Day 2)
Click to enlargeDay 2, on Sunday, brings back some of the same features but opens them up to non-ticket holders as well. There are also some new features for ticket holders!
Sunday's portion of GO Fest 2022 runs from 10am to 6pm local time, as well.
Global Challenge Arena
Available to: everyone
The global collaborative challenges will return on Day 2, but they'll now be available to every player. Work together to meet certain challenge criteria each hour of the event to unlock bonuses for the remainder of the hour.
Team GO Rocket
Available to: ticket holders
Ticket holders will see more Team GO Rocket balloons during the event window. Additionally, defeating Team GO Rocket Grunts will reward you with two Mysterious Components instead of one.
Special Research Pt. 1
Available to: everyone
For every player, a Special Research story will be available on Day 2. Niantic says this questline is short, which means it should be completable rather quickly.
Special Research Pt. 2
Available to: ticket holders
Ticket holders who complete the "short" Special Research story will gain access to another questline afterward. Niantic's blog post says this questline will have encounters with "special" Pokemon, though we don't know what that means at the moment.
Raids
Available to: everyone
Axew and the costumed Pikachu will both be in Raids again on Day 2. However, more excitingly, a new Tier 5 Raid boss will make its debut in Pokemon GO for the first time. We don't know who it will be, but it may be tied to the next in-game season that begins after the Season of Alola ends on June 1.
Incense Spawns
Available to: ticket holders
The Pokemon that were attracted to Incense on Day 1 will once again be attracted to Incense on Day 2. However, the shiny odds will be lower than they were on Day 1.
Pokemon GO Fest 2022: Both Days
A handful of GO Fest features will be active on both days of the event, from 10am to 6pm local time.
Snapshots
Available to: everyone/ticket holders
Niantic has stated that there will be photobomb surprises during snapshots, but, confusingly, they have this listed under the features for everyone and the features for ticket holders. Perhaps the photobomb encounters will be different for ticket holders and non-ticket holders, or perhaps they mean everyone gets one and ticket holders get an extra four/five. We'll have to wait and see!
Additionally, Trainers who submit their snapshots on social media with the hashtag #PokemonGOFest2022 will have a chance for them to show up in the Today View in-game.
Costume Pikachu
Available to: everyone
As we've mentioned further up this page, a new Pikachu with a costume will be available during GO Fest. It will be themed around Shaymin and feature a Gracidea Flower motif.
Unfortunately, the sprite has not been revealed yet. However, it will be available in its shiny form.
Free Raid Passes & Stickers
Available to: ticket holders
Anyone with a ticket to GO Fest will be able to pick up nine free Raid Passes from spinning Gyms. This applies to both days, meaning 18 passes in total.
Additionally, there will be some themed stickers that you can grab from PokeStops or gifts.
Shaymin Special Research
Click to enlargeAvailable to: ticket holders
Every GO Fest comes with the release of an exciting new Pokemon, and this time around, it's the Sinnoh Mythical Shaymin! It'll debut in Pokemon GO in its Land Form.
You can encounter Shaymin by finishing its associated Special Research story, which will activate at the beginning of GO Fest (June 4 at 10am local time).
This time, Niantic has changed it up a bit. Trainers will be able to customize this Special Research story to their liking.
First, you'll need to choose between Relaxed, Standard, or Master difficulties. Other than a sticker, the rewards are the same regardless of difficulty. Second, you'll need to choose your focus. You'll have three choices: Catch, Explore, or Battle. This will change the tasks you must complete in the Special Research questline.
No matter which difficulty and activity focus you select, the Special Research questline will reward an encounter with Shaymin, an avatar item, and a new avatar pose.
GO Fest 2022 Finale Event
We still don't know most of the details about GO Fest's finale event, but we have a few morsels.
Date: August 27, 2022
Price: free for ticket holders, USD10.99 (or the equivalent in your local currency) for stand-alone tickets
Known features: a new Special Research story, "exciting" Pokemon encounters, and more
Pokemon GO Fest 2022: In-Person Event Cities
Click to enlargeThree cities have been selected for in-person events as part of GO Fest this year, each with their own dates.
Berlin, Germany: July 1, July 2, July 3
Seattle, USA: July 22, July 23, July 24
Sapporo, Japan: August 5, August 6, August 7
How these events will differ from the global event is currently unknown, so we'll need to wait for more details from Niantic.
- Need something to do while waiting for GO Fest to start? Here's the list of the Pokemon GO Field Research Tasks this month.