Forget about the usual introductions you’ve come to expect from these news wraps. This Pokémon columnist will jump right into it with a mindblowing statistic to set the pace: Niantic says Pokémon Go trainers have spent 7.2 billion hours walking around while playing the game this year. That is a huge number and proves gaming doesn’t need to be sedentary.
In other news, Pokémon TCG fans can finally enter the draw for a chance to win cards from the Illustration Contest 2022, but there’s a catch (and people aren’t thrilled).
Back on the Pokémon Go side of things, Niantic confirmed the first Community Day of 2023, which kicks off on Jan. 7, will be all about Chespin, the starter from Pokémon X and Y.
Meanwhile, Go trainers have been ripping their hair out trying to get their hands on Sandstorm and Ocean Vivillon—both of which have proven to be elusive due to the requirements.
Who said Tuesday was the most boring day of the week?
Pokémon Go trainers are an active bunch
Pokémon Go is the gift that keeps on giving.
In a report outlining the social impact it’s had in 2022, Niantic revealed trainers spent around 7.2 billion hours walking while playing throughout the year. Imagine all the calories burned! It’s a staggering number that works out to be the equivalent of walking around the planet 180,000 times. It also happens to be a four percent increase compared to the previous year.
Pokémon Go has been praised for leading to significant increases in physical activity since it released, but the fact it’s still working its magic confirms what we already knew—it’s a blessing.
Walk on, trainers.
Pokémon TCG Illustration Contest 2022 promo card raffle begins
Six months after the Pokémon TCG Illustration Contest 2022 winners were announced, fans can finally enter the draw for a chance to win limited edition promo cards for Arcanine, Greninja, and Bulbasaur.
It can only be done via a raffle method, which fans aged 18 years and above who live in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. can sign up for on the Pokémon Center giveaway page.
Those who do will be automatically entered into a draw where they have a chance to receive a special one-time-use promo code sometime in the next four months, which can be used to obtain the cards.
But there’s another catch, too: You’ll have to spend $30 or more on the Pokémon Center online shop and redeem the promo code during the checkout, which, in addition to the raffle system, has been subject to criticism.
Chespin to kick off Go’s first 2023 Community Day
Niantic confirmed Chespin would be the centerpiece of the first Pokémon Go Community Day next year. The lovable Generation VI starter will have a higher chance of appearing in encounters on Jan. 7 from 2pm to 5pm local time. The odds of a Shiny Chespin appearing are also higher, so iIf your new year’s resolution happens to be catching one, you’re in luck.
Other perks of the Community Day include Quilladin appearing in four-star raids and all the usual event bonuses like double catch candy, more XP for catching Pokémon, more stardust, etc.
My kingdom for Sandstorm and Ocean Vivillon
Pokémon Go trainers have had their hands full trying to catch all the different forms of Vivillon, but two forms—Sandstorm and Ocean—have proved to be more complicated than the rest. That’s because finding Scatterbugs that evolve into them requires trainers to pin postcards from UAE and Turkey for Sandstorm Vivillon and Hawaii for Ocean Vivillon and into their Postcard Book.
The specificness of these areas has made it hard for trainers to hook up with others via social media and friend code-sharing websites since demand outweighs supply, by a long shot. As a result, Twitter has been flooded with frustrated trainers looking for help.
What’s more, as the hype of obtaining all forms starts to dwindle, Sandstorm and Ocean Vivillon will become even harder to come by since fewer trainers from those locations would be willing to help out.
So, if you still need them both, the best time is now.
That brings us to the end of yet another exciting (and mostly positive) news day.
More things are bound to pop up as we head further into the second to last week of the year, and as always, you can find the latest and most breaking news right here at Dot Esports.
