It can be tough being a Pokémon Go fan in North America if you don’t live in the LA or nearby New York City. Niantic has hosted live in-person events like Go Fest for three years in a row around these two cities—much to the disdain of fans located elsewhere on the continent.
Outside of NA, Europe has seen a Go Fest run in four different countries in four years, while fans in Japan have been able to go to various prominent locations from Osaka to Sapporo. Despite so much variety elsewhere to give more trainers a chance to have a home event, Niantic has only focused on two locations the past three years now in NA.
Dot Esports sat down with Angela Ferguson-Martins, marketing manager of global live events, to better understand the decision-making with the live events team by asking what goes into locational decision-making and why Niantic focuses primarily on these two locations in NA.
“I definitely want to make it clear that we hear that feedback, and we work to action on it inside of the organization,” Ferguson-Martins told Dot. “I think a big part of that is geographically we try to choose locations that are complimentary to the weather, complimentary to where trainers are playing and also where trainers can travel in from. I think something that’s really great about Los Angeles is how easy it is to travel in from neighboring states, neighboring big cities, right?”
Ferguson-Martins went on to explain how LA and New York are home to international airports that see flights not just for the whole of the U.S., but for international visitors as well. While the location is prime, the Niantic team emphasized how the weather is a huge part of the team’s decision-making and why you might not see a Go Fest in Texas, for example, anytime soon.
“We try to make it the most comfortable experience for trainers,” Ferguson-Martins explained to Dot. “I think, especially for, you know, February here, we’re very limited in locations, right? A lot of the country right now, especially as you see, changes in weather, are not suitable for a February event… we don’t want to make it too hot for trainers.”
2025 Go Fest will appear in Jersey City, a short drive away from NYC, with spawns likely to be in New York for the City Experience. Fans were quick to express their disappointment at the event not traveling somewhere different like Canada or Central America. Others are just happy not to return to Randall’s Island for a third year.
Ferguson-Martins expressed how the team at Niantic is aware how trainers aren’t keen on these repeated location events and said while a lot of considerations go into the live-event decisions, the team has some “fun announcements” coming up, especially with the 10-year anniversary of Pokémon Go being next year.
“I think like bigger and better is kind of our mindset right now. We want to make it a really fun celebration, especially for those trainers who have been coming to live events year after year, season after season,” Ferguson-Martins concluded. “We want to make it feel like a really special one and a really big milestone one. So I hope trainers are looking forward to what we do and what we announce, but nothing I can share today.”
For those looking to take part in a Pokémon Go event outside of these two locations, trainers globally will be able to participate in Pokémon Go Tour: Unova Global from March 1 to 2, while Go Fest New Jersey runs from June 6 to 8 in Jersey City.
Published: Feb 25, 2025 12:40 pm