Pokémon GO Fest 2017

Pokémon GO Fest is an annual in-game and real-world event organized by Niantic to celebrate the Pokémon GO community. The inaugural GO Fest was held on July 22, 2017, in , Chicago, Illinois, marking the game's one-year anniversary with a special gathering of Trainers. This event established the festival's significance as a global celebration of the Pokémon GO experience, featuring collaborative gameplay, themed challenges, and new in-game bonuses.
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==The event==
This Fest was a pivotal milestone for the game, featuring unique activities for both attendees at Grant Park and players worldwide. Its tickets for Chicago went up on June 19, 2017GO Fest - Chicago Tickets Now on Sale!. Trainers at the event participated in collaborative gameplay designed to unlock in-game bonuses for all players. Special timed "Challenge Windows" throughout the day tasked players with catching specific types of Pokémon to unlock certain perks. Global participants contributed to the overall challenge by catching Pokémon to extend the duration of unlocked bonuses. Successfully completing these challenges led to the unlocking of a "Mystery Challenge" at Grant Park, culminating in the appearance of Legendary Pokémon for the first time in Pokémon GO.GO Fest - Summer events
===In-game===
The event was divided into three phases:
====Phase 1: Catch Challenge====
Location 	Challenge 	Rewards
Grand Park	Catch Pokémon 	Candy Bonus
Grand Park	Catch Pokémon 	XP Bonus
Grand Park	Catch Pokémon 	Stardust Bonus
Grand Park	Catch Pokémon 	Egg Distance Bonus
Grand Park	Catch Rock-type Pokémon 	Buddy Distance Bonus
Grand Park	Catch Pokémon 	Encounter Rate Bonus
Worldwide 	Catch as many Pokémon as possible	Bronze: Increased Bonus Duration (24 hours)Silver: Increased Bonus Duration (48 hours)Gold: Mystery Challenge Unlocked.
====Phase 2: Mystery Challenge====
To unlock the Mystery Challenge within Grant Park, Trainers must achieve the gold tier in Phase 1’s Worldwide Catch Challenge. The mystery challenge was unveiled to be a Legendary Raid Battle, and successfully defeating it lead to the unlocking of Phase 3. 
====Phase 3: Global Reward====
A global reward was unlocked once trainers in Grant Park successfully complete Phase 2, by defeating the Legendary Raid Boss.
===Grant Park exclusives===
Event	Event	Notes
 	 	Legendary Pokémon debut
 	 	To celebrate Team Mystic's win, and debut
 	 	Then-exclusive to South America
 	 	Increased spawn rates for of its forms; C, H, I, A, G, and O.
 	 	Exclusive medal for the Pokémon GO Fest.
===Global rewards===
The global rewards were initially scheduled from July 22 to July 24GO Live - Legendary rewards, but were later extended to July 27, 2017.GO global rewards extended
Information	Information 	Reward
 	 	Double
 	 	Double
  	XP 	Double
  	Pokémon encounters	Increased
 	Hatching distance 	Reduced
 	Buddy distance 	Reduced
===Legendary Raid Battle===
Upon Team Mystic's win, an Articuno was announced. The remaining two legendary birds were also confirmed to appear soon after.IGN - Zapdos, Moltres Will Be Available for Limited Time
Pokémon	Date 	Notes
 	July 22 - July 31, 2017 	Debut
 	July 31 - August 7, 2017 	Debut
 	August 7 - August 14, 2017	Debut
==Connectivity issues==
The first Pokémon GO Fest was plagued with technical problems that impacted gameplay for many attendees, primarily due to severe connectivity issues and game crashes. As compensation, Niantic offered a full ticket refund to all registered attendees and awarded them with $100 worth of PokéCoins. Additionally, Pokémon, Eggs, and check-in PokéStops were accessible within a two-mile radius of Grant Park until July 24, 2017, for attendees who validated their event QR codes. Lugia was automatically added to attendees' accounts. This incident highlighted the complexities of hosting large-scale mobile events, prompting Niantic to enhance connectivity and infrastructure for future gatherings.GO Fest - Chicago Update
==Lawsuit==
On July 27, 2017, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Niantic, Inc. Advertised as a major gathering for players, the event naturally saw attendees traveling from around the world. Ticket holders encountered delays, connection issues, and game crashes, despite Niantic’s efforts to provide compensation through $20 ticket refunds, $100 in PokéCoins, and other compensations. The lawsuit was initiated in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, led by plaintiffs Jonathan Norton and Kenneth J. Fleischer, representing the affected attendees. The suit alleged claims of misrepresentation, consumer protection violations, and unjust enrichment due to Niantic’s inability to deliver the promised gameplay experience.Zimmerman Law Offices
After extensive negotiations, the parties reached a settlement agreement in 2018. Niantic agreed to pay a total of $1,575,000, covering verified travel reimbursements, legal fees, and related expenses for attendees. The settlement, which Niantic entered without admitting wrongdoing, required attendees to submit claims by July 24, 2018, to qualify for compensation. The court granted final approval of the settlement on September 6, 2018. This resolution underscored the complexities of large-scale live events and Niantic's commitment to addressing attendee grievances, setting a precedent for future improvements to their event planning and technical preparedness.Class action settlement agreementCircuit Court of Cook County, IllinoisGO Fest settlementLitigation notice
==Impact==
Despite the issues, the attendees participated in more than 69,000 Raid Battles and captured over 7.7 million Pokémon, including 440,000 Legendary Pokémon, over the weekend. Globally, players engaged in over 4.6 million Raid Battles and caught more than 500 million Pokémon, including 1.9 million Legendary Pokémon. In Chester, UK, a separate event hosted by Big Heritage attracted 17,000 attendees, blending historical exploration with Pokémon GO gameplay, showcasing the game's global reach and community spiritNiantic Labs - Pokémon GO Fest in Chicago.
Pokémon GO Fest became a landmark event for Pokémon GO, evolving in subsequent years to include new locations, and a blend of in-person and global participation. The festival has expanded to feature themed in-game content, global raids, exclusive research tasks, and the introduction of rare and Legendary Pokémon encounters.GO Fest - A Legendary first year of Pokémon GO
==References==
==External Links==
* Official website
==Related articles==
* List of events in Pokémon GO
Category:Pokémon GO