Yuji Nakamura of Bloomberg Technology interviewed The Pokémon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara and talked about the future of Pokémon video games. Below are excerpts from that interview.

Pokémon GO:

The interview confirmed once again that Trading and one-on-one battles are coming to Pokémon GO.

• “We’ve only accomplished 10 percent of what Pokémon and Niantic are trying to do, so going forward we will have to include fundamental Pokémon experiences such as Pokémon trading and peer-to-peer battles, and other possibilities.”
• “Depending on location, there are many Pokémon with different characteristics. So what do we do with those and the real world? One view is to have chilly Pokémon in a cold climate, but then that would also mean that people born on a tropical island won’t be able to catch them. So we are always thinking of how to find the right balance between game design, how our Pokémon should exist, and how players feel about their collections.”
• “Right now, if you go to the coast you can catch water Pokémon. For example, if you have a setting for electric-type Pokémon (such as Pikachu) to appear at power plants, is that really a good idea for you to find one in such a location -- is it safe, and is it OK regionally? We see it as a very realistic problem.”
• “On the other hand, it has created a lot of social problems. When too many people gather, it causes mass confusion. Also this isn’t limited to Pokémon Go, but the issue of staring at smartphones while walking is something we have to focus on and think about.”

Pokémon Game for the Nintendo Switch:

• The announcement caused Nintendo’s stock price to jump as much as 3 percent in U.S. trading, as investors bet the new title will boost Switch sales.
• “With the Switch, we see it as a chance to create Pokémon that goes deeper and with a higher level of expression. As a result, that makes it an extremely important platform.”
• “Right now we’re using 7 to 8 inch screens, but on a high-definition TV you can express a whole different world with graphics and sound.”
• “Until now, games were made as one for one person, but now you can go home and play with everyone -- so how do we tackle these themes, and how do we make sure it’s not complicated?”
• “I can’t say that we’ll release accessories, but I’d like to think of that possibility.”
• “Unlike smartphones, the Switch is not a game device that assumes that there’s constant network connectivity. So from our perspective, it’s really not that different from DS or 3DS in terms of connectivity.”

Augmented Reality and the Future of Pokémon

Augmented Reality could play a significant role in games other than Pokémon GO.

• “With current AR, even if you say Pikachu is there, no one really thinks that. But that reality is just one step away. For example, you’ll be able to find Pikachu, and it can sense this table and jump on it, and you can see its shadow on the table, and then it faces you and starts talking to you. We will see the birth of this reality that is another step up from the current Pokémon Go. And I’ve only mentioned the visual aspect, but you can add haptic and rumble technology to that.”
• “Voice-activated assistants are increasing. Whether it is Google Home or Amazon or Apple Homepod, there are many of them and we could see these dialogue-based devices give birth of a new form of entertainment.”
• “Switch is just one of the possible platforms. I think we will open up more possibilities from all these platforms. Playing in a more realistic way should be possible.”

Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-05/pokemon-s-ceo-hints-at-big-plans-for-games-on-smartphone-switch

Niantic and The Pokémon Company International announced today that Raikou, Entei and Suicune will soon appear around the world in Pokémon GO.

LEGENDARY POKÉMON RAIKOU, ENTEI, AND SUICUNE ARRIVE IN POKÉMON GO

Niantic, Inc. and The Pokémon Company International have revealed a trio of Legendary Pokémon originally from the Johto region—Raikou, Entei, and Suicune—will soon appear around the world in Pokémon GO. Trainers will be able to discover, battle, and have the chance to catch the three Legendary Pokémon in Raid Battles located at Gyms around the world. In addition to the arrival of Raikou, Entei, and Suicune in Pokémon GO, the newly revealed EX Raid Battle feature will begin a field-test program in select areas before becoming available to Trainers worldwide.

Raikou, Entei, and Suicune will be traveling across the world over the next several months, each spending up to a month in a region. From August 31 to September 30:

• Raikou, an Electric-type Legendary Pokémon, can be battled throughout the Americas.
• Entei, a Fire-type Legendary Pokémon, can be battled throughout Europe and Africa.
• Suicune, a Water-type Legendary Pokémon, can be battled throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

On September 30, all three Pokémon will move to a different location and be available for Trainers to battle with other Trainers until October 31. Finally, all three of these Legendary Pokémon will make their final stop in the last remaining location on October 31. Like the Legendary Pokémon Articuno, Moltres, Zapdos, and Lugia before them, Raikou, Entei, and Suicune will be available for a limited time.

In addition, the EX Raid Battle field-test will soon be available in select regions around the world in an effort to fine-tune the new system with Pokémon GO’s dedicated community of global Trainers. Similar to existing Raid Battles, EX Raid Battles will periodically appear at Gyms around the world. Trainers who have successfully completed a Raid Battle at the Gym where the EX Raid Battle is taking place will be invited to battle a powerful Raid Boss. Beginning soon, Trainers in select areas will begin to receive an EX Raid Pass for an opportunity to experience the new feature and provide feedback.

Source: https://www.nianticlabs.com/press/2017/johtolegendary/

Niantic announced some of the statistics for the Pokémon GO at Pikachu Outbreak 2017 which took place in Yokohama, Japan from August 8th, 2017 until August 15th, 2017. Over 2 million fans participated and they caught over 120 million Pokémon, including 15 million Pikachu.

2M Players, Seven Days, One City - Pikachu Outbreak & The Future of Real World Games Events

Trainers, Over the last week, we saw over 2 million fans from around the world join together to celebrate their love for Pokémon and Pokémon GO at Pikachu Outbreak hosted by The Pokémon Company and Pokémon GO events supported by Niantic in Yokohama, Japan. It was incredible to witness so many Pokémon GO Trainers spend hours traversing the city of Yokohama and its beautiful parks to catch over 120 million Pokémon, including over 15 million Pikachu.

Pokémon GO Park captured the essence of real-world gaming, with hundreds of thousands of Trainers exploring Yokohama’s beautiful parks and the surrounding area with friends each day. At Pokémon GO Stadium on Monday, August 14, we saw the power and excitement around teaming up with friends and other players as Trainers battled Mewtwo and accomplished Pokémon GO’s biggest challenge yet.

When we set out to create Pokémon GO and envisioned its real-world events, we had a goal to offer players from all walks of life the opportunity to build new friendships and discover new and unique ways to explore the world around them. The events in Yokohama are an example of what Pokémon GO can do in the hands of its passionate community. It was a sight to behold as Trainers bonded over Pokémon and Pokémon GO, strengthened friendships, and shared personal experiences with one another.

The celebration didn’t end there. We recently revealed details about Exclusive Raid Battles, so make sure to continue to team up with your friends in Raid Battles near you for a chance to earn an invitation to battle and catch Pokémon such as Mewtwo when Exclusive Raid Battles are available.

As we celebrate a record-breaking week, we are also reflecting on ways we can continue to improve these real-world events on a large scale on multiple levels. We’re looking forward to bringing Pokémon GO’s real-world events to Europe as part of the Pokémon GO Safari Zone activities in partnership with Unibail-Rodamco. Keep an eye on the official Pokémon GO social channels for further details. This past week’s events in Yokohama will go down in history as one of the biggest real-world gaming events yet… and we’re only just beginning.

Source: https://nianticlabs.com/blog/pikachuoutbreak2017

Niantic announced that visitors to the Pokémon GO Stadium event in Yokohama, Japan for the Pikachu Outbreak 2017 were able to battle against the Legendary Pokémon Mewtwo. The new exclusive Raid Battle feature will also become available to players around the world in the near future.

Mewtwo Coming to Exclusive Raid Battles Soon!

Trainers, Earlier today, Trainers battled against the Legendary Pokémon Mewtwo at the Pokémon GO Stadium event in Yokohama, Japan. Thousands of Trainers in attendance were able to successfully catch Mewtwo and add it to their Pokédexes. In the coming weeks, you, too, will have the opportunity to battle and catch Mewtwo with the new Exclusive Raid Battle feature.

Exclusive Raid Battles are similar to existing Raid Battles, with a few notable differences. Exclusive raids will periodically appear at Gyms around the world; however, unlike existing raids, Trainers will be invited to join an Exclusive Raid Battle. To receive an invitation to participate in an Exclusive Raid Battle, Trainers must have successfully completed a raid recently, by defeating the Raid Boss, at the Gym where the Exclusive Raid Battle will be taking place. The invitations will include advance warning of when the Exclusive Raid will take place, giving them ample time to coordinate with other Trainers before taking on the powerful Raid Boss.

Mewtwo is the first Pokémon that Trainers will be able to face in Exclusive Raid Battles, but other powerful Pokémon may also start to hatch from the Raid Eggs found at Exclusive Raid Battles over the next several weeks. Make sure you’re prepared to battle Mewtwo by powering up your Pokémon and battling in raids at Gyms near you!

Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/exclusiveraids

Pokémon GO Park Events at Pikachu Outbreak

Trainers, The Pokémon Company is hosting Pikachu Outbreak from Wednesday, August 9, through Tuesday, August 15. For the entire duration, Trainers will be able to visit two Pokémon GO Park events in the Minato Mirai area of Yokohama, Japan!

During Pikachu Outbreak, Trainers will be able to explore two special Kanto and Johto-themed parks. At Red Brick Park, Trainers will more frequently encounter Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region in the Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue video games. Meanwhile, Trainers in Cup Noodle Museum Park will be more likely to find Pokémon originally discovered in the Johto region in the Pokémon Silver and Pokémon Gold video games!

Trainers will also have a unique opportunity to encounter some Pokémon rarely encountered in Japan, including Mr. Mime, at both Pokémon GO Park events! Additionally, spinning the Photo Disc at the PokéStops found at each of these parks may award Trainers special 2 km Eggs with the potential to hatch a greater variety of Pokémon than usual.

Pikachu Outbreak is shaping up to be an amazing event, so if you find yourself in Yokohama, make sure to visit the Pokémon GO Park events and explore the Minato Mirai area on foot!

Dates: Wednesday, August 9–Tuesday, August 15
Hours: 10:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. JST (daily)
Where: Cup Noodle Museum Park & Red Brick Park
Cost: Free

Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/yokohamapark

Niantic has announced that Pokémon GO has been updated to version 0.69.1 for Android and 1.39.1 for iOS and that the previously announced Pokémon GO Safari Zone Events in Europe have been postponed.

An update on the upcoming Pokémon GO Safari Zone Events in Europe

Trainers, In order to guarantee the best possible gameplay experience for European Trainers, we have decided to postpone the events in Europe scheduled for August 5 (Copenhagen and Prague) and August 12 (Stockholm and Amsterdam) until a date later in the Fall. No other scheduled events are affected including the event scheduled for Yokohama, Japan on August 14 and the events scheduled for September 16 in France, Spain, and Germany.

We apologize for any inconvenience and hope you understand that our priority is to ensure a great experience for Pokémon GO Trainers in Europe and around the world. Trainers that might have questions regarding the Safari Zone events should visit the help center.

As a special surprise, we understand that some Pokémon that are rarely seen in Europe will be appearing soon in certain European cities for a brief time. Keep your eyes peeled!

Stay tuned for more information, we will update you as soon as we have the new dates.

Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/safarizoneupdate

Pokémon GO updated to version 0.69.1 for Android and 1.39.1 for iOS

Trainers, Pokémon GO is in the process of being updated to version 0.69.1 for Android and 1.39.1 for iOS devices. Below are some release notes and comments from our development team.

• Spark has returned to appraise Pokémon for Team Instinct Trainers.
• Resolved a motivation decay bug impacting Pokémon with less than 3000 CP.
• Resolved a bug causing Pokémon GO to freeze after consuming potions too quickly.
• Resolved a bug causing Pokémon GO to freeze after all 6 Pokémon faint during a Raid Battle.
• Resolved an issue causing iPhone 6 devices to crash.

Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/ver-update-072817

Niantic CEO John Hanke responded to the criticism regarding the Pokémon GO Fest in Chicago. Cell phone provider Verizon told Business Insider that they were not responsible for the issues at the event and that their network was working. John Hanke though said that part of the issue was caused by the "oversaturation of the mobile data networks of some network providers". John's full explanation was posted on the Niantic Blog and is available in this article below.

Verizon points the finger at Niantic for problems that led to Pokémon Go fiasco

When it comes to figuring out who was to blame for turning the first real-world Pokémon Go event into a disappointing disaster, Verizon is pointing its finger at Niantic.

The wireless carrier's engineers worked with Niantic, the game's developer, before the event opened in Chicago on Saturday, a Verizon spokesperson told Business Insider. Verizon boosted its capacity for the event, and had representatives in place to make sure its network was up and running.

"This was not a Verizon issue," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that company engineers "reported that even when attendees were experiencing issues accessing the game itself, other applications like YouTube worked just fine — which indicated the issues were outside of Verizon's control, like an issue with the game's server itself."

Source: http://uk.businessinsider.com/verizon-points-finger-niantic-problems-pokemon-go-event-2017-7

An Update regarding Pokémon GO Fest in Chicago

During Pokémon GO Fest 2017 in Chicago we encountered software and network problems that prevented many people from being able to connect to the game. Players were disappointed with their experience that morning, and we heard boos and shouts from the crowd. We'd like to update you on what caused these issues.

While our technical team worked diligently with our event vendor and telecommunications companies to attempt to resolve the issues, I spent nearly the entire day talking face to face with attendees. So did much of the team of Niantic staff who came to Chicago to support the event. During the hours I spent talking to attendees, I passed on the information we had and communicated our policy on refunds and game credits once we had them but mostly I listened to what our players had to say. Certainly many were upset and I did my best to listen and offer any assistance that I could. Some were able to play normally (more on that later) and more than a few Unown Pokémon were captured by those gathered around to talk.

Among those who came up to me, many shared stories of how important the game was to them. Some talked about losing weight, others about a path to recovery after serious illness, and some about repaired relationships with children, siblings and parents. Many groups of friends who had traveled together talked about the shared bond the game created for them. For those stories I am grateful because it was obviously an incredibly stressful and disappointing day for all of us. Both I personally and all of Niantic apologize for the inconvenience and frustration.

What happened? Technical issues with our game software caused client crashes and interfered with gameplay for some users. The gameplay issue was resolved with a server configuration change and the crashes were also addressed for many but not all users. A more protracted problem was caused by oversaturation of the mobile data networks of some network providers. This caused many attendees to be unable to access Pokémon GO or other Internet services. Network congestion also led to a login issue which affected some users able to access the Internet. This latency-related login issue was addressed with a second Niantic configuration change.

On the pure network access issue, we provided detailed estimates on attendance and required data throughput per user to our event partner who worked with the major carriers to allow them to plan for adequate coverage. Some carriers deployed Cellular on Wheels (COWs) to extend their capacity. In other cases the providers deemed them unnecessary based on other infrastructure already in place at the site. Users reported different levels of success with these providers. Wifi was enabled by one provider as a solution which helped some users but not all. Sprint was onsite as an official partner, deployed a COW, and their network was busy but held up well. Although many players were able to play normally for the majority of the day, many were not, and based on that we made a number of adjustments to the event plan.

Early in the afternoon we informed players that we would refund tickets to those who wanted it and would grant $100 USD in PokéCoins to all attendees due to the inconvenience. We also released the ‘unique’ Pokémon spawning at the event to the surrounding neighborhoods to give people a way to catch them where the mobile network was stronger.

Later in the afternoon we announced the winner of the challenge and let players know that all attendees would receive a Legendary Pokémon in their accounts.

In the early evening, as part of a planned gameplay update for all Trainers globally, we released the Legendary Pokémon Articuno and Lugia to spawn in a broader area around downtown Chicago and around the world.

That’s when Pokémon GO Trainers did something awesome. As people filed out of the event into surrounding areas where the cellular network was less overburdened, they were able to play together and to capture Legendary Pokémon ‘in the wild.’ It was inspiring to watch Trainers band together with their friends and to enjoy the beautiful evening together despite the struggles of the day. That spirit extended well into the night and resumed again the next day with clusters of Pokémon GO Trainers roaming the city battling Legendary Pokémon throughout the day Sunday. Together, from late Saturday to Sunday, Trainers in downtown Chicago participated in more than 69,000 Raid Battles and captured more than 7.7 million Pokémon, including more than 440,000 Legendary Pokémon. It was an amazing sight to behold and is a testament to the love of the game and to the bonds these Trainers share with one another.

Trainers from around the world joined in as well. During that same time period they participated in more than 4.6 million Raid Battles and caught more than 500 million Pokémon, including more than 1.9 million Legendary Pokémon.


At the same time we were struggling in Chicago, an amazing event was unfolding in Chester, UK, organized by our partner Big Heritage. More than 17,000 people visited that event over two days in one of England’s oldest and most historic settings. The combination of history and family-oriented Pokémon GO play was a hit.

We will be folding all of our learnings into the Pokémon GO events planned for later this summer in Yokohama, Japan and across Europe.

As these events unfold, Trainers all around the world will have a chance to capture even more Legendary Pokémon. Based on the efforts Saturday at Pokémon GO Fest, Lugia and Articuno were unlocked. In the weeks ahead, they will be joined by Moltres and Zapdos.

• Articuno (Team Mystic) released on Saturday, July 22 and available through Monday, July 31.
• Moltres (Team Valor) to be released on Monday, July 31 and available through Monday, August 7.
• Zapdos (Team Instinct) to be released on Monday, August 7 and available through Monday, August 14.

Real-world events are core to the Niantic mission of exploration, exercise and social interaction. We’ve been doing events since the early days of Ingress in 2012. Those events grew progressively larger over time, starting with a few dozen attendees and growing to over 10,000 in Tokyo last summer. At each stage of growth, we encountered challenges and each time we overcame them, we gained new skills and pioneered new techniques for building real-world experiences that support our mission. Last Saturday was not a happy day for us but we are committed to listening to that feedback, however harsh, to improve what we do so that we can continue to build experiences that bring together people, technology, and the real world in innovative ways.

Source: https://www.nianticlabs.com/blog/gofestupdate072517/

Pokémon GO Fest Chicago was held in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA at the beautiful Grant Park on July 22nd, 2017 but the event did not go as planned as it was plagued with technical issues. Cell phone networks from Verzion, Sprint and AT&T were overloaded and did not function properly causing people at the event to be unable to play the game. The Pokémon GO Fest Live Stream was also plagued with technical issues from audio static that made people sound robotic, to video streaming issues and also video quality issues. Hopefully Niantic will learn from this mistake and order and require portable cell phone towers from all providers that are now common at major sporting events and concerts like Coachella. Junichi Masuda also attended the event.

Twitter Posts:

Legendary Pokémon Articuno and Lugia are here! #AdventureTogether https://t.co/wKNLY7I9aA pic.twitter.com/dA1R3PrlMW

— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) July 23, 2017

Trainers, we’re aware of server and connectivity issues impacting #PokemonGOFest and are working as quickly as possible to address them.

— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) July 22, 2017

Blog update! Thank you Chicago!https://t.co/kaZPMEskuf

— 増田順一@GAME FREAK inc. (@Junichi_Masuda) July 23, 2017

Niantic Pokémon GO Fest Chicago Update

Today at Pokémon GO Fest in Chicago, technical issues created problems for a large number of players attending the event. From everyone at Niantic, we apologize to all of the Trainers who came out to Pokémon GO Fest today. Although we were able to solve many of the technical issues, we were not able to offer every attendee a great experience.

Niantic is taking the following steps immediately:

• All registered attendees will soon receive an email with instructions on how to receive a full refund for the cost of their ticket. These instructions will be sent to the email addresses associated with your Pokémon GO account.
• All registered attendees will receive $100 in PokéCoins in their Pokémon GO account.
• Special Pokémon, Eggs, and check-in PokéStops appearing during Pokémon GO Fest have had their range increased to a two mile radius surrounding Grant Park through Monday morning, July 24. These Pokémon and Eggs will only be visible to Pokémon GO Fest attendees who validated the QR code they received when they entered Pokémon GO Fest. Attendees who were unable to validate their QR code during the event can do so through the special PokéStops through Monday morning.
• All registered attendees will have the Legendary Pokémon, Lugia, added to their account.

We appreciate the patience of all the Trainers who joined us in Chicago this weekend. We will strive to make sure our experiences are of the highest quality going forward.

Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/pokemongofestupdate

Niantic has announced that as part of the one-year anniversary celebrations, Legendary Pokémon are coming to Pokémon GO very soon.

YouTube - Pokémon GO - Adventure Together for Legendary Pokémon!

A Legendary first year of Pokémon GO!

Trainers, As part of our ongoing celebration of Pokémon GO’s one-year anniversary, we’re excited to reveal that Legendary Pokémon are nearly here! Soon, millions of Trainers around the world will be able to discover, battle, and catch these extremely rare and very powerful Pokémon.

As Trainers around the world go out and explore their neighborhoods in search of Pokémon and Raid Battles, they can keep an eye out for unique Legendary Eggs appearing at Gyms. If Trainers and their team are able to successfully defeat a Legendary Raid Boss, they’ll have the opportunity to catch a Legendary Pokémon of their own! While Legendary Pokémon will help them take on the toughest Raid Bosses and Gym Battles, they’re not willing to leave their Trainer’s side, so they can’t be left to defend Gyms.

On July 22, thousands of Trainers in Grant Park for Pokémon GO Fest and the millions of others around the world will be working together to unlock in-game bonuses for the entire Pokémon GO community. If they manage to catch enough Pokémon during the Pokémon GO Fest Challenge Windows, the first Legendary Pokémon will be revealed in Grant Park. If the Trainers in Chicago succeed in defeating the Legendary Pokémon, that Pokémon will start appearing in Raid Battles around the world, after Pokémon GO Fest.

Trainers everywhere can tune in to watch the action taking place in Grant Park live and join in the conversation using #PokemonGOFest on social media. Follow the official livestream on Twitch or YouTube for the latest news coming out of Pokémon GO Fest including Challenge Window updates, exclusive interviews, and the reveal of the first Legendary Pokémon!

It’s time for Trainers everywhere to start powering up their Pokémon for battle because there are many legendary adventures to come!

Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/legendarypokemon

Pokémon GO is in the process of being updated to version 0.69.0 for Android and 1.39.0 for iOS devices. Below are some release notes and comments from the development team.

• Added icons to the Pokémon information screen to indicate how the Pokémon was caught.
• Added the ability for Trainers to spin the Photo Disc at a Gym after completing a Raid Battle.
• Added the ability for Trainers to send Berries to their Pokémon defending Gyms through the Pokémon info screen when they are not nearby. Motivation regained will be less effective through this method.
• Added the ability for Trainers to give Berries to Pokémon defending Gyms if their motivation meter is full.
• Improved Pokémon Collection screen search functionality.
• Fixed an issue where Trainers were unable to complete Raid Battles started before time expired on the map view.
• Fixed an issue where Pokémon are not properly returned to their Trainer after defending a Gym.
• Various bug fixes.

Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/ver-update-071817

Niantic has announced further details about Pokémon GO events that will take place around the world during July, August and September of 2017. The Chicago event was previously announced during the First Anniversary of Pokémon GO press release.

Pokémon GO events around the world!

Trainers, Over the next few months, we'll be hosting a number of events taking place around the world in celebration of Pokémon GO's one year anniversary. No matter where you live, you're invited to join in the fun!

Pokémon GO Fest Chicago

Pokémon GO Fest (Saturday, July 22 taking place in Grant Park, Chicago, IL) is fast approaching, and we hope you’re all as excited as we are. We wanted to share some details about how Pokémon GO Trainers everywhere can participate in a global challenge with Trainers at the event to unlock special rewards worldwide.

During the day, there will be three Challenge Windows in which Trainers everywhere will work alongside those in Chicago to unlock global rewards. During the Challenge Windows, Trainers in Grant Park will attempt to unlock perks for Pokémon GO players around the world by catching certain types of Pokémon. Each Pokémon- type will be tied to a different perk, so Trainers at the park will need to carefully choose which Pokémon they catch. Will those in attendance try to catch Electric-type Pokémon to reduce the distance required to hatch Eggs, or Grass-type Pokémon to increase Stardust bonuses, or other Pokémon- types to secure a variety of other bonuses? Join in the action and find out!

Meanwhile, Trainers outside of Chicago will attempt to catch as many Pokémon as possible during the Challenge Windows to extend the duration of the bonuses unlocked by those attending the event. If Trainers around the world catch enough Pokémon, a mystery challenge will be unveiled in Grant Park that, once completed, will unlock an extra-special bonus across the globe. Trainers everywhere will want to grab their friends and family to help make this the biggest celebration in Pokémon GO’s history!

Pokémon GO Safari Zone Events in Europe

We’re excited to announce that a variety of Pokémon GO Safari Zone events will be taking place at select Unibail-Rodamco shopping centers during August and September!

 August 5, 2017
 Fisketorvet—Copenhagen, Denmark
 Centrum Cerny Most—Prague, Czech Republic

 August 12, 2017
 Mall of Scandinavia—Stockholm, Sweden
 Stadshart Amstelveen—Amstelveen, The Netherlands

 September 16, 2017
 CentrO—Oberhausen, Germany
 Les Quatre Temps—Paris, France
 La Maquinista—Barcelona, Spain

All seven Pokémon GO Safari Zone events will give Trainers the opportunity to catch a wide variety of Pokémon in special zones featuring Pokémon originally encountered in the Kanto and Johto regions, including some Pokémon never before encountered in Europe! Additionally, Trainers in attendance will join forces to take on unique and powerful Raid Bosses that will be making appearances at these events.

Pikachu Outbreak in Japan

The Pokémon Company will be hosting its annual Pikachu Outbreak event in Yokohama, Japan, from August 9–15, where a special Pokémon GO experience is taking place. More information about Pikachu Outbreak will be unveiled by The Pokémon Company in the coming days, so stay tuned for all the exciting details!

Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/gosummerevents