Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 7/27/2020

This month in events in Pokémon Go needs no introduction - it is practically a (or the) "Go Fest month" because of what happened yesterday and two days ago. Still, that was only two days, and a month is more than two days. Fortunately, the events this month can be described in terms of their relation to Pokémon Go Fest as well as what happens around it. They lend further credence that this is indeed such a month.

In the first three weeks of the month, there were three lead-in events to Go Fest in the last week. They all were held from the Friday of the week to the following Wednesday, and all of them utilized the Timed Research feature. The sets contained challenges tied to a specific theme, akin to the Global Challenges of last year's multiple Go Fest, except this time it was for one edition instead of from many. They also correlated with another event in the same period, essentially sharing the perks. Further, the Research sets had four pages, the first three of which became important to the two days of the Go Fest, and they all became progressively more challenging; the last page was optional except for true completion and side achievement.

The first week featured the Skill Challenge alongside the 4th Anniversary event. The sets of the Timed Research focused on capture and throwing tasks. Fittingly, all the rewards aside from Pokémon encounters were of mostly Poké Balls, Berries, and Stardust items. One notable task from these sets is making 50 Excellent Throws on the last page, which for anyone really demands intense focus. Otherwise, the rest seemed evidently simple.

The second week featured the Battle Challenge alongside a Team Go Rocket takeover with a total takeover on the very Sunday. Most of the tasks featured enhancing Pokémon and/or taking on Team Go Rocket, and as a result, most rewards were healing items. It was also at this time their balloons first appeared. It is likely that had Team Go Rocket not appeared, there would be a very different set of tasks, which may or may not be simpler.

The third week featured the Friendship Challenge alongside Community Day. The tasks featured doing things with a Buddy Pokémon or sending Gifts to friends. Accordingly, most rewards were Berries as partial assistance to the former, meanwhile doing both assisted the accompanying event. These tasks were relatively straightforward, although one may have had to be tricky in managing them to and post completion.

The completion of the first three pages of each Timed Research by enough Trainers allowed more Pokémon to appear during Go Fest, for all Trainers and even non-participants. These constitute a "remnant" of that, along with a few other things, similar to that for A Colossal Discovery last year. Raids were 30 minutes long, 5 minutes as an egg and 25 minutes for the raid itself. On the second day, the Team Go Rocket total takeover was frequent and long-lasting, including by balloons. During the event, confetti rained down in different guises, and could also become a Buddy souvenir along with the characteristic Pikachu visor for this year. Though limited, non-participants still had a reason to celebrate as well.

Pokémon Go Fest 2020 has come to a close, and this month is about to close as well. But even before the festivities had started, Trainers were still kept hopping with what was happening over the past month. Ultimately, it was still all about the Go Fest, which is and was appropriate as a midsummer blast and adjunct to the anniversary. It is still appropriate to fondly remember all that has happened this month for them.

One year ago: A Time for Everything

Two years ago: Online Pokémon Newsletters

Three years ago: Sprites, Models, and Evolutions