Pokémon Go: Tap... Tap... Tappity-Tap...

Oh yes, I haven't mentioned. Pokémon Go has a minor weekend paid event over this weekend. It's similar in vein to the Regigigas or Genesect events from a while back, but it has its own complications and controversies, many of which are caused by the featured Pokémon and what it entails. Likewise, it also has its own set of Special Research, for which I've adopted the title as part of the title of this post that covers it, also in part because the Today View title for it isn't too particularly exciting - it's just called the "___ Debut" where the blank is the Pokémon that debuts.

That brings me to the point of what this event involves. The featured Pokémon for this event is Mr. Mime, but its Galarian Form; it's a regular Pokémon, but with a unique regional form. This is in contrast to the other two events, which featured a Legendary Pokémon that could and would be introduced through EX Raids. That does or did cause some controversy, because by way of the featured Pokémon, it would make the paid event worthless, and many did voice their concerns. And yet, many of those eventually bought the Ticket for access to the paid event anyway, practically voiding much of the controversy along with that. Predictably, I also purchased the Ticket for different purposes, not the least of which is for this blog.

Then there is the Special Research. For this paid event, the Special Research only has five pages, like the Genesect one, but the content is different. The first three pages deal with capture tasks or at the least tasks that revolve around that; it is especially worth noting that tasks on the first page and the third page demand capturing Ice and Psychic types respectively, the very same types for Galarian Mr. Mime and its evolved form Mr. Rime. The fourth page contains bonding tasks, including the prompt to evolve the obtained Galarian Mr. Mime, while the fifth page is a freebie for its completion. The storyline of the Special Research involves Professor Willow dealing with disturbances by Galarian Mr. Mime, which is both entertaining and silly.

As with the previous two paid events, there is also a background event, which for the purpose of the Special Research lasts from last Friday to Monday tomorrow. The background event involves extended Incense similar to a Community Day, and the Incense attracts mostly Pokémon of the Ice and Psychic types, also the same as the types of the featured Pokémon above. Cubchoo, the Ice-type Pokémon introduced last year, also has its Shiny form available now. The background event, like ones for the others as above, can be taken advantage of by all Trainers, not just Ticket holders, but it is very much clear that the background event is meant to aid Ticket holders as much as it is to provide something entertaining for all.

I got caught up in the controversy and bought my Ticket after the background event had began, also after considering how much the Ticket can serve to aid myself with everything that it allows me access to. Once the Special Research was distributed, it just became a matter of getting things done. I completed the first three pages yesterday, while I completed the rest of the pages today, ending it in due time within the main period of the Special Research distribution. In doing so, I also captured two Galarian Mr. Mime, both of which have very good (though not the very best possible) stats, and one of which is now a Mr. Rime. It could be said that I had a stroke of luck this time around with both of them turning out very good, which may not always be the case.

Evidently, this paid event in Pokémon Go is quite different in scale than the previous ones, which did affect (or has affected) the perceptions of Trainers regarding it. But if things are any indication, I and other Trainers struggled to overcome those perceptions and in the end had a good time, perhaps more than what was expected. At this point, new paid events will be likely to generate different and even controversial perceptions, something that may in fact be inevitable. Yet those perceptions may just be able to take a backseat to excitement when warranted, as with this one.

One year ago: Sitting Pikachu Keychain

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 12/20/2018

Three years ago: Movie Manga!