Did you think that Pokémon GO was an abandoned phenomenon that belonged to the year 2016? Well, think again. Almost ten years after its launch, the famous mobile app is more advanced and popular than ever, so much so that Niantic and the Pokémon Company are organizing a festival of its own. Every year, several cities around the world welcome trainers from all over the world for weekends of community captures, battles, and raids.
And for the first time since the launch of the Pokémon GO Fest initiative, the city of Paris (with the help of the city of Sceaux) is finally welcoming Pokémon, much to the delight of French players. This Friday, June 13th, in the morning, we had the chance to take advantage of the very first morning of on-site activities to share with you all the tips you need to remember before heading there. Because even though we loved the experience, it's best to avoid going there empty-handed.
A free celebration but paid missions
This weekend, the bulk of the Pokémon GO Fest festivities are taking place at Parc de Sceaux. This natural and historic site located in the Hauts-de-Seine department has been decked out in the colors of the mobile game for the occasion. Giant Pikachu, team flags, and more: all these features are accessible completely free of charge. The park remains open to the public, allowing you to enjoy rest areas, quiz areas, and even marquees for meeting Pokémon mascots and content creators.
But the real appeal of Pokémon GO Fest lies in the community missions that can be found directly in the app. To do this, you must purchase a ticket from the official Niantic website, costing €27. This virtual ticket gives you 4 hours of gameplay in the heart of Parc de Sceaux, with two special studies to complete. One allows you to obtain the legendary Volcanion, available for the very first time at GO Fest Paris, while the other highlights Zacian and Zamazenta, which invade the raids there.
Pay close attention to the time!
Once you have chosen your day and your game slot, the Pokéstops, gyms, and other virtual elements located at Parc de Sceaux during GO Fest will only appear at that time. You will therefore have 4 hours to complete the objectives of the two special studies, the most important being that of Volcanion. Indeed, this requires performing actions in the 4 biomes of the GO Fest.
Once these areas are completed, the rest of the missions can be completed anywhere, so you'll have time to rest. But still, remember to participate in raids whenever the opportunity arises! Free raid passes are included with your participation in the missions, so take advantage of them. We can only recommend that you keep an eye on the time regularly, because we almost got caught this morning. It would be a shame to buy a ticket and not enjoy it to the fullest.
Beware of the sun and dehydration
While some areas of the play area are shaded by trees or arbors installed by the GO Fest organizers, the vast majority of the grounds are in full sun. While it's tempting to go and activate all the Pokéstops, you should still avoid suffering a heatwave for a rare Pokémon. There are numerous water points spread across the site: so remember to bring a water bottle. Another essential tool for the seasoned trainer: sunscreen. Even if the weather forecast is milder for the rest of the weekend, be careful of UV rays.
Do you need a portable battery?
Obviously, the answer is yes. But if you don't have one: don't worry, Pokémon and Niantic have everything planned. The Parc de Sceaux has been decorated with physical Pokéstops, which actually turn out to be smartphone charging stations! But this isn't a miracle solution. This Friday morning was expected to be one of the least busy times of the weekend, but the Pokéstops were already packed. So take precautions in anticipation of the crowds expected this Saturday and Sunday.
Do you have to be a Pokémon GO pro to have fun?
Absolutely not! We redownloaded the app for the occasion and got back into the swing of things without further ado. The game is more intuitive than ever, and the members of the organization on site as well as other players will be happy to help you. What struck us most at Pokémon GO Fest was the atmosphere and the community's mutual support. If you miss the great days of summer 2016 when everyone went outside to hunt Pokémon in a good mood, Pokémon GO Fest perfectly recreates this excitement.
A perfect opportunity to visit the city of Paris
Once your gameplay in the Parc de Sceaux is over, the festivities don't stop there. Niantic and Pokémon have set up official exploration routes that can be found directly in the "routes" tab of the Pokémon GO application. You can then return to the city with other players to explore these courses full of Pokémon, while enjoying unmissable landscapes and monuments. Here are the different routes and their starting points:
- History and environment – The Paris of yesterday and tomorrow: departure from Place de la Bastille
- Street art and urban culture – Walk in the 13th: departure from Quai de la Gare
- Active and sporty city – Along the Canal de l’Ourcq: departure from the Agnès Tirop sports center
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