Another event has been canceled due to public health concerns regarding the recent coronavirus outbreak. Niantic officially canceled the Pokémon Go Nidorino and Gengar Raid Day in Japan, South Korea, and Italy.
This event was scheduled to begin on March 1 as part of the ongoing Pokémon Day celebration. But now it appears that at least a few regions won’t be able to get in on the fun.
There’s no confirmation that this decision was solely based on the coronavirus situation that has caused multiple other developers, such as Capcom, to pull out of events as recently as today, but it seems very likely. It also seems possible that more areas will see similar cancelations.
“Nidorino and Gengar Raid Day has been canceled in Japan, South Korea, and Italy,” Niantic said. “Please stay tuned to our channels for updates.”
The event is giving players a chance to capture two special versions of Pokémon that are intrinsically tied to the original games. Nidorino and Gengar both battled in the opening cutscene during the title scroll in Pokémon Red and Blue. With it being canceled in certain areas, this does put a slight damper on the celebration surrounding yesterday’s Pokémon Day events.
It’s unclear if Niantic is planning to reschedule the events to a later date for those regions or if more cancellations will be added to the list. The company did ask players to keep their eyes on the Niantic Support Twitter account for more information as it becomes available.
At time of writing, all regions outside of Japan, South Korea, and Italy will still be getting the event on March 1 from 2pm to 5pm in your local times.
