Niantic’s biggest event of the year Pokémon Go Fest 2024 begins on May 30 in Japan, confirming the highly popular event’s date has been brought forward from last year. After Japan, Go players in Spain will get the chance to participate in June and US players in July.

Given the vast reach and profitability Pokémon Go has, a spread across three continents is becoming a mainstay for the annual Pokémon Go Fest. Niantic is pacing itself with the event this time around, bringing the start date forward but giving itself more time between locales, officially starting on May 30 in Sendai and ending July 14 with a worldwide digital expansion.

By comparison, the 2023 event was entirely contained to August.

More than a game

As the biggest Go event of the year with a real-world edge to it, Go Fest tickets are going for a steeper sale price than a standard microtransaction, costing Madrid players €32 each. Tens of thousands are expected to attend the Madrid event at the Parque Juan Carlos I municipal park and Niantic is offering an early buyers’ discount for those looking to lock in a space now, at €27.

The ability to put so high a price of entry on attendance goes to show how successful Go is, as one of the three most lucrative mobile games in history already. The limited availability and exclusive feel of its in-person events, combined with the community aspect, only further entice players to splash their cash during Go Fest.

The Madrid event will take place from June 14 to June 16.

"Madrid is a city known for its history, culture and vitality, but it is also a city that looks to the future, embracing innovation and new technologies. That is why we are especially excited to host such an emblematic and modern event as Pokémon Go Fest, which brings together people of all ages and from all corners of the world through the magic of technology and gaming," said Madrid City Council’s third deputy mayor and councillor delegate for culture, tourism and sport Marta Rivera.

After Spain, Go Fest will move to the US for a New York City event on July 5 to July 7, overlapping with the game’s eighth anniversary. Go Fest Global will take place one week later as a two-day digital event for anyone who couldn’t attend in person, opening the doors to even more ticket sales from around the world.

A festive track record

Last year’s Go Fest took place in August and enticed players to buy tickets for the chance at obtaining the newly introduced Mega Diancie and fan favourite Mega Rayquaza. Diancie was the focal point of a 2014 Pokémon movie while Rayquaza’s popularity has lasted since the Game Boy Advance era, which included it getting its own game, Pokémon Emerald.

Both received mega forms during Pokémon’s 3DS era and their debut in Go behind a Go Fest paywall was certain to boost sales. The exact incentives to buy tickets for Go Fest 2024 have yet to be revealed, but a similar approach is likely to be taken: releasing popular and powerful Pokémon for the first time.

The 2023 event took place in England, Japan and the US, following the same three-continent trend as the new 2024 version. Europe, Asia and North America have been the three continents to feature Go Fests since 2019, though went on hiatus during the pandemic. The real-world events were smaller scale before then, having taken place in Chicago only.

Another of Go's annual in-person events, Go Fest, has just concluded in Los Angeles. This year's event gave players a new power over in-game time and space.