Niantic has announced the first details of Pokémon Go Fest 2023, including the date and locations of the event. Taking place in the UK for the first time, in London’s Brockwell Park from Friday 4th to Sunday, the 6th of August, as well as in Osaka, Japan, over the same dates and in New York, USA, between the 18th and 20th of August. Early bird tickets for all three events are now on sale for £27 (discounted from £32).

As with last year’s event, tickets cover you for one of the three days of the event and split the day in half, with one half spent in the park venue and the second half exploring the wider area in the city, with exclusive bonuses available throughout. 

When purchasing your ticket, you can choose whether to spend the morning or the afternoon in the park venue itself. You can also add multiple ticket add-ons for Raid or Egg bonuses for £16 each. An additional day of the citywide bonuses can also be purchased for £22, though it does not include additional Special or Timed Research.

An exclusive Go Fest 2023 t-shirt can also be pre-ordered along with tickets for £28.

No specific focus on the theme of the event has yet been announced. However, there’s probably a good chance that it could be Galar-themed, given the unexpected trip to London and the 8th Generation being next on the list for a real rollout in Pokémon Go.

The pricey event follows hot on the heels of a boycott by some players of purchasing anything within the game in retaliation for some very unpopular changes recently made to Remote Raids. However, the scale of Go Fest might make it challenging for any kind of boycott to have a real impact.

Last year’s Go Fest – the first in-person version of the event in 3 years – saw over 150,000 players visiting Sapporo, Berlin and Seattle and spending on average $650 each. Niantic even estimates that the events had a $309m impact on the local economies.