Pokémon GO's Future? Night Events and Country Specific Pokémon, Says Dev
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A senior developer at Pokémon GO has laid out the game's future - and it looks promising.
According to senior product director Michael Sterenka, who spoke to Newsweek during Pokémon GO Fest 2025 in Paris over the June 13th-15th weekend, players can expect the introduction of special night events, as well as more Pokémon specific to certain countries.
"I've always wanted to figure out what we can do for nighttime experience,' Sterenka said.
Pokémon GO Fest 2025 happened in Paris from June 13–15, 2025
Pokémon GO Fest 2025 happened in Paris from June 13–15, 2025
Pokémon GO
"There are definitely safety considerations in place for that. If you have your phone open and you're not really looking where you're going and it's dark outside, that could be a little bit tricky, but I've always felt like that was an area worth exploring for us and something I'd love to figure out in the future."
Don't expect nighttime events anytime soon, though. Like anything implemented in Pokémon GO, developer Niantic wants to make sure everything is well and truly battle-tested before it's introduced to the smash hit mobile game, which has been running since 2016.
"We don't have anything planned currently on that front, but if I could pick one thing to add to the event experience, that would be the thing that I would do."
The second item on Sterenka's wishlist is even more ambitious: regional diversity that brings different experiences based on where you are in the world. For instance, if you play Pokémon GO in France, you'll be able to catch a greater range of different Pokémon than a player in, say, Brazil.
This functionality is, to a lesser extent, already in the game. One Pokémon, Stonjourner, is a timed UK-exclusive. Comfey, meanwhile, currently only appears in Hawaii. But Sterenka is dreaming bigger than just Pokémon.
"Pokémon GO being such a location-based game, we always want to build experiences that are authentic to the places that people play in. So we do that right now for broader campaigns or maybe country specific activations...I would love for something that actually has regional differences, and based on where you're playing, similar to how we lean into all the amazing features here at Parc de Sceaux."
Some Pokémon you can catch during Pokémon GO Fest 2025
Some Pokémon you can catch during Pokémon GO Fest 2025
Pokémon GO
Parc de Sceaux hosted Pokémon GO Fest 2025, and offered a preview of what might be coming down the line. The premier event in the Pokémon GO calendar offered numerous incentives for the thousands of players in attendance, including new missions, rare items, and previously hard-to-obtain Pokémon.
There were also distinct habitats for players to explore. Each habitat housed its own set of field research tasks themed around the habitat they're linked to. The Moonless Volcano area, for example, featured fierce and fiery Pokémon like Numel and Houndoom, while the Hypnotic Tundra boasted Piplups and Spheals.
On top of this, there were nine free daily raid passes, an increase from three hours to eight hours of party play, and surprise Pokémon that popped out while taking snapshots. It all seemed designed for one purpose: to get players out of the house and interacting with each other in the real world.
A giant inflatable Pikachu dominates Pokémon GO Fest 2025
A giant inflatable Pikachu dominates Pokémon GO Fest 2025
Pokémon GO
For Sterenka, that's exactly what makes the game so popular. "Pokemon GO is the most family friendly, accessible game in the world. And when you look around here, it's proof of that. You see people who you would probably never see together otherwise, all coming together to play this wonderful game that everybody loves."
"We really try to encourage people to meet up in person and have these real-world social experiences. So it's really not like any other game out there, and in fact, a lot of people who play Pokémon GO don't consider themselves gamers, and this is more of sort of a lifestyle app that leverages the fun of catching Pokémon to really get people outside and enjoying the world around them."
Pokémon GO Fest 2025 Ticket Price
A ticket for Pokémon GO Fest 2025 costs $14.99/£14.99. You can buy tickets from the in-game shop and Pokémon GO web store.
Buying your ticket in advance is recommended. Those who bought tickets before April 15th received a Skiddo encounter after completing the timed research. Buying from the web store got you three premium battle passes, five rare candies, and five max revives.
Pokemon GO Fest 2025 Start Time: When Was GO Fest Global 2025?
GO Fest 2025 ran from June 13–15, 2025. It started at 10am CET and ended at 6pm CET on both days.
What is Pokémon GO?
Pokémon GO is a free-to-play augmented reality mobile game originally released in 2016. Developed and published by Niantic in collaboration with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for iOS and Android devices, it sees players catch, trade, and compete with Pokémon who appear in your real-world location.
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