Get ready, Trainers! Pokémon GO Fest 2023 is going global on August 26-27, inviting millions of players worldwide to dive into an electrifying two-day event filled with unique habitats, exclusive Pokémon-including shiny variants-and exciting challenges that you can experience right from your hometown. Whether you have a ticket or not, the adventure awaits with rotating habitats like Quartz Terrarium and Pyrite Sands, each offering rare spawns and special rewards. Don’t miss your chance to catch mythical Pokémon like Diancie and join the biggest Pokémon GO celebration of the year!
The event takes place on both Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 26 and 27 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. in your local time.
Throughout the event, there will be tons of perks, including no limit on remote raids throughout the entirety of the weekend and lures lasting for one hour (instead of 30 minutes). You can see a complete list of perks and bonuses below.
Pokémon Go Fest 2023: Global ticket holder perks
Ticket holders of Pokémon GO Fest 2023: Global enjoy exclusive perks that significantly enhance their event experience. These include a higher chance of encountering shiny Pokémon, access to special 7 km eggs, and the ability to make up to six special trades per day. Ticket holders also receive nine free Raid Passes from spinning Gym Photo Discs and can participate in habitat-themed Collection Challenges to level up their Elite Collector medal. Exclusive Special Research tasks reward encounters with the Mythical Pokémon Diancie on Saturday and Mega Rayquaza on Sunday, along with unique avatar items like the Diancie T-shirt and Treasure Map Pose. Additionally, ticket holders can take part in the Global Challenge Arena, where completing hourly cooperative challenges unlocks special bonuses, and they can encounter unique Pokémon attracted by Incense, including the global debut of shiny Unown M.
All trainers will be able to take advantage of the rotating habitats, Field Research, and raids, but only ticket holders will be able to get the following:
- Special Research that rewards Diancie on Saturday
- Special Research that focuses on Mega Rayquaza on Sunday
- Global challenges that reward bonuses for ticket holders when completed
- Special spawns via Incense (Hisuian Growlithe, Pawniard, Carnivine, Pachirisu, and Unown A, D, I, M, N, and O)
- Increased chance of finding shiny Pokémon
- Up to six special trades per day
- Habitat-based Collection Challenges
- Up to nine free raid passes from spinning photo discs at gyms
- 7 km eggs with special Pokémon inside
Pokémon gated by real-money tickets usually do release for everyone, just later. If you’re not in a rush to get Diancie or you don’t care for these other perks, you can always save your money and get the mythical Pokémon later.
Outside of Diancie and the shiny buff, ticket buyers should keep their eyes out for Pachirisu and Carnivine. These two Pokémon are usually regional exclusives, so you’ll want to grab them for your Pokédex during this event.
Pokémon Go Fest 2023: Global rotating habitats
Pokémon Go Fest 2023: Global features a dynamic habitat rotation system on Saturday, August 26, where four unique habitats-Quartz Terrarium, Pyrite Sands, Malachite Wilderness, and Aquamarine Shores-rotate hourly from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time. Each habitat appears twice during the day, offering exclusive Pokémon spawns, including special Pikachu variants wearing different crowns that can be shiny. Ticket holders gain access to unique collection challenges and incense encounters tied to each habitat, enhancing the event experience. On Sunday, all Pokémon from these habitats will be available throughout the entire event duration, allowing Trainers worldwide to enjoy diverse encounters regardless of time.
Quartz Terrarium (10-11 a.m., 2-3 p.m.)
- Pikachu (quartz crown)
- Clefairy
- Lickitung
- Heracross
- Miltank
- Wurmple
- Whismur
- Skitty
- Luvdisc
- Shellos (East Sea)
- Buneary
- Audino
- Foongus
- Morelull
- Hisuian Growlithe (ticket holder Incense only)
Pyrite Sands (11 a.m.-12 p.m., 3-4 p.m.)
- Pikachu (pyrite crown)
- Sandshrew
- Alolan Diglett
- Psyduck
- Girafarig
- Shuckle
- Trapinch
- Gible
- Hippopotas
- Timburr
- Joltik
- BInacle
- Helioptile
- Grubbin
- Pawniard (ticket holder Incense only)
Malachite Wilderness (12-1 p.m., 4-5 p.m.)
- Caterpie
- Pikachu (malachite crown)
- Bellsprout
- Scyther
- Snorlax (cowboy hat)
- Spinarak
- Remoraid
- Roselia
- Snover
- Cottonee
- Ferroseed
- Stunfisk
- Formantis
- Oranguru
- Carnivine (ticket holder Incense only)
Aquamarine Shores (1-2 p.m., 5-6 p.m.)
- Pikachu (aquamarine crown)
- Horsea
- Lapras
- Marill
- Wobbuffet
- Carvanha
- Barboach
- Bagon
- Beldum
- Shellos (West Sea)
- Woobat
- Tympole
- Goomy
- Mareanie
- Pachirisu (ticket holder Incense only)
Pokémon Go Fest 2023: Global special moves
During Pokémon GO Fest 2023: Global, Trainers had the opportunity to obtain several Pokémon with exclusive special moves by evolving them during the event. Notable examples include Butterfree with the Fast Attack Bug Bite, Sandslash with the Charged Attack Night Slash, Clefable with the Fast Attack Pound, Flygon with Earth Power, Salamence with Outrage, and Metagross with Meteor Mash. These legacy moves, often crucial for PvP and raid performance, made evolving Pokémon during the event particularly valuable. Additionally, Roserade could learn both Bullet Seed and Weather Ball (Fire), enhancing its versatility. These special moves were available only if the Pokémon were caught or evolved during the event hours, making the Global GO Fest 2023 a prime opportunity for Trainers to power up their teams with rare and powerful moves.
When evolved during the event, the following Pokémon will learn these special moves:
- Metapod → Butterfree: Bug Bite
- Sandshrew → Sandslash: Night Slash
- Clefairy → Clefable: Pound
- Vibrava → Flygon: Earth Power
- Shelgon → Salamence: Outrage
- Metang → Metagross: Meteor Mash
- Roselia → Roserade: Bullet Seed and Weather Ball
- Lickitung → Lickilicky: Body Slam
Pokémon Go Fest 2023: Global raid targets
Pokémon Go Fest 2023: Global raid targets include a variety of exciting Pokémon across different raid tiers. One-star raids feature rotating Pikachu variants corresponding to the active habitat, along with Pokémon like Goomy. Two-star raids introduce Carbink, making its global debut, while three-star raids include Snorlax wearing a cowboy hat. Mega Raids spotlight Mega Rayquaza, available only on Sunday. Additionally, Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre will appear in Primal Raids on Sunday morning. These raids offer opportunities to catch rare and event-exclusive Pokémon, with some available in shiny forms, making them key targets for trainers during the event.
- Pikachu (quartz, pyrite, malachite, or aquamarine crown)
- Goomy
- Carbink
- Snorlax (cowboy hat)
- Mega Rayquaza
- Primal Kyogre
- Primal Groudon
How will the habitat schedule reveal rare Pokémon surprises
The habitat schedule in Pokémon GO Fest 2023 reveals rare Pokémon surprises by rotating themed habitats every hour during the event, each featuring exclusive spawns of specific Pokémon types and species. This rotation ensures that players have multiple opportunities to encounter spotlighted Pokémon, including rare and shiny variants, across different habitats such as Electric and Poison types or others unique to the event. Additionally, ticket holders can complete Collection Challenges tied to each habitat to earn special rewards, while Field Research tasks also rotate with the habitats, offering varied challenges and bonuses. This dynamic schedule not only keeps the gameplay fresh but also increases the chances of encountering rare Pokémon and special forms like Mighty Pokémon, making each habitat hour a potential treasure trove for collectors and competitive players alike.
How does the habitat hour schedule increase chances of rare Pokémon appearing
The habitat hour schedule increases the chances of rare Pokémon appearing by rotating specific themed habitats every hour, which boosts the spawn rates of certain Pokémon types and species associated with that habitat. This focused rotation means that during each habitat hour, players encounter a higher frequency of the spotlighted rare Pokémon, including shiny and special forms, making them easier to find compared to normal gameplay. Additionally, the hourly rotation allows players multiple opportunities throughout the event to catch these rare spawns as habitats repeat, extending the window to encounter elusive Pokémon. This system also ties into event-exclusive challenges and Field Research tasks that align with the current habitat, further incentivizing players to engage during those times and increasing the likelihood of encountering rare Pokémon.
