Pokémon GO Fest 2025 lights up the globe with new Mythicals and record participation

Pokémon GO Fest 2025 has officially gone live worldwide, transforming smartphones into augmented-reality arenas from 28 to 29 June (10:00–18:00 UTC each day). Millions of Trainers are raiding, trading, and shiny-hunting in what is already shaping up to be the biggest mobile gaming celebration of the year.

Article content:

• A brief look back
• Streamer and community reaction
• Industry impact
• Duelmasters and Gaming Tournaments for Money
• Conclusion

A brief look back

The first GO Fest launched in Chicago in 2017 and quickly evolved from a single-city meetup to a hybrid global spectacle. Lockdowns in 2020 pushed Niantic to embrace an online format; participation soared and never looked back. Last year’s fest logged more than 17 million sign-ins. The 2025 edition ups the ante with simultaneous debuts of Crowned Zacian, Crowned Zamazenta, and the long-awaited Mythical Volcanion.

What’s new this weekend

• Mythical debut: Completing the “Full Steam Ahead!” special research grants a Volcanion encounter with its unique Water- and Fire-type move pool.
• Raid focus: Saturday features Crowned Zamazenta in five-star raids; Sunday switches to Crowned Zacian, each with boosted IV floors and exclusive backgrounds.
• Rotating habitats: Four themed biomes refresh every two hours, offering new shinies such as Carbink and Frigibax.
• Ticket perks: Premium pass holders enjoy higher shiny odds, access to regional Pokémon like Klefki, legacy Community Day moves, and half-cost Stardust trades all weekend.

Streamer and community reaction

Prominent creator @M0ther0fDemons praised the “smoothest remote-raid rotations in years,” highlighting faster lobby fill times and stable servers. Long-time battler @JEngels21 flexed a perfect IV Crowned Zamazenta after only seven raids, fuelling social-media hype about shiny chances on day two. Overall sentiment across Reddit and X leans positive, with most criticism aimed solely at the US$15 Volcanion ticket.

Industry impact

Pokémon GO recently surpassed US$6 billion in lifetime player spending, proving that location-based gaming still prints money. Analysts expect a double-digit spike in Q3 active users if this weekend’s retention matches 2024 levels. The title’s momentum even influenced Scopely’s US$3.5 billion acquisition of Niantic’s games division earlier this year, underscoring mobile AR’s strategic value in an increasingly crowded market.

Duelmasters and Gaming Tournaments for Money

For Trainers eager to translate raid reflexes into real earnings, Duelmasters hosts streamlined gaming tournaments for money across PUBG Mobile, FC 25, Modern Warfare 3, and other competitive titles. Its Elo-driven matchmaking aligns players of equal skill, enterprise-grade anti-cheat ensures integrity, and winners enjoy secure crypto or direct-bank payouts—often within minutes. With entry fees ranging from free cups to high-stakes brackets, Duelmasters offers an accessible pathway from augmented-reality raids to high-reward competitive arenas.

Conclusion

Pokémon GO Fest 2025 blends fresh Mythicals, generous bonuses, and seamless global connectivity to keep a nine-year-old game squarely in the spotlight. Whether you’re chasing a shiny Crowned Zacian at 14:00 UTC or testing your skills on Duelmasters, the weekend proves that mobile experiences—and the communities they inspire—remain central to gaming’s future.