Pokémon GO Fest 2025: Inside the Biggest Event on the Pokémon GO Calendar
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors
The best way to describe a Pokémon GO Fest? "Like going to Coachella or Glastonbury," says Moise Kabongo, the game's French marketing manager.
He's not far off. Pokémon GO Fest 2025 took over Paris this weekend, attracting tens of thousands of trainers from across the globe to catch, trade, and battle Pokémon. Special cell phone towers were even erected to cope with the signal surge.
Centred in Paris' beautiful Parc de Sceaux, there were trainers as far as the eye could see, all of them with a different mission in mind.
A giant inflatable Pikachu at Pokémon GO Fest in Paris
A giant inflatable Pikachu at Pokémon GO Fest in Paris
Pokémon GO
Some came to get their hands on the mythical Pokémon Volcanion, making its first appearance outside of Osaka and Jersey City.
Others were after shiny Pokémon like Carbink, Frigibax, Arctibax and Baxcalibur, and costumed Pokémon such as a dapper Pikachu with a top hat or a version of Falinks dressed up like a train. But it wasn't all about catching 'em all.
A few attendees got engaged. Several couples popped the question in the mascot meet-and-greet tent, presided over by a life-sized Snorlax and giant Eevee. For Kabongo, this is what Pokémon GO Fests are about.
"I really want to emphasize this between the community, because I'm a marketer, and I think marketing has a very anthropological approach. It's all about understanding the correlation between people and the products."
Statues of Team Instinct, Team Mystic, and Team Valor
Statues of Team Instinct, Team Mystic, and Team Valor
Pokémon GO
The diversity was staggering. Parents brought children in Pikachu costumes, pensioners roamed with eyes glued to phones, and groups of twenty-somethings stood in huddles to trade Pokémon and discuss which habitat to hit up next.
The park was divided into several habitats. The Moonless Volcano area, for example, hosted fire and steel Pokémon like Numel and Houndoom, while the Hypnotic Tundra held ice-types like Piplup and Spheal.
Missions, meanwhile, rewarded bonuses such as lures, Pokémon candy, raid passes, and Pokémon encounters. But GO Fests are more than chances to hoover up content. It's the atmosphere that makes the event.
While you don't have to be in the park to experience Pokémon GO Fest 2025, there's nothing like being there.
Thousands packed out the Parc de Sceaux
Thousands packed out the Parc de Sceaux
Pokémon GO
The biggest queue formed outside of the merch tent. It was bursting with t-shirts and plushies, which could then be signed by Pokémon GO artists and animators stationed at a stall nearby.
It's little wonder each player spends, on average, about $715 at these events. In total, 2024's GO Fest in Madrid generated $40 million in revenue. That's an astonishing amount of financial engagement for a game that launched in 2016.
"Look, I have worked on many games before," says animation director Kaan Kayimoglu. "You have a shelf life. So when you ship the game, you can't do anything with it. You can't do some patches, you know. Yes, like minimal content, but that's it. But in Pokémon GO, you see people playing, liking it, and everyone all over the world comes here and plays."
That ranges from lone players to influencers with millions of followers, like Pinku Kiwi and Jamie Jo. "This event's good," said content creator May Naidoo of TikTok channel MayPlaysTV. "My only problem is just the weather, and they can't really control that."
Pokemon GO Fest 2025 Dates
Go Fest 2025 ran from Saturday 28th June, 2025 to Sunday 29th June, 2025. It started at 10am CET and ended at 6pm CET on both days.
It reached a scorching 91 degrees in Paris, with trainers huddling under the shade of trees and leaving great swathes of deserted grass to bake in the sun. It was the only uncomfortable part of an otherwise smooth show that's well and truly banished the growing pains of earlier productions.
So, where does the game go from here? For Kabongo, there's all the time in the world to decide. "It's kind of like something a bit eternal," he says. "I don't that I don't think that Pokémon GO will ever stop to be honest. Like, it would never die."
"I can see it continuing to grow because as I was telling you, it's not just about the game. This game allows you to make friends and connect on an emotional level with people. We've seen people getting engaged, friendships being made. So yeah, I think we can carry on like this for years."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
Kamala Harris' New Book Gets Brutal Reception
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The announcement by Kamala Harris, former vice president, that she is publishing a book about her failed 2024 presidential campaign, titled 107 Days, with reference to the period she spent vying with Donald Trump, has been panned by conservative critics. Newsweek contacted Harris for comment on Friday via email outside of regular office hours. Why It Matters Harris became the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee in August after Joe Biden dropped out of the race amid concern within his party over the then-president's age and cognitive state. However, Harris went on to lose the 2024 presidential election, picking up 226 Electoral College votes against 312 for Trump. On Wednesday, Harris announced she won't run to be governor of California in 2026, sparking speculation she could be considering a second White House bid in 2028. What To Know Harris announced she has written on a book about the 2024 presidential campaign, to be published by Simon & Schuster and titled 107 Days, on Thursday in a post on her X account. The former vice president said: "Since leaving office, I've spent a lot of time reflecting on those days and with candor and reflection, I've written a behind-the-scenes account of that journey." What the world saw on the campaign trail was only part of the story. My new book is a behind-the-scenes look at my experience leading the shortest presidential campaign in modern history. 107 Days is out on September 23. I can't wait for you to read it: — Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 31, 2025 The news received a mixed reaction online, with conservatives in particular highly critical, though some commentators did say they were looking forward to reading it. During an appearance on CNN's The Source With Kaitlan Collins, the network's senior reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere said: "And there's going to be a book tour and one of the things that I talk to people who have been dealing with it with her is that she really struggles with what she is going to say about Joe Biden." In an X post response to Harris, White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said: "Writing a memoir about being a loser is a choice." Writing for The New York Post, columnist Kirsten Fleming said Harris's book would be a "diary of defeat," adding: "Anything written on her ill-fated attempt to win the White House should be a grim autopsy on a spectacularly bad campaign with a historically terrible candidate." The cover for Kamala Harris' upcoming book '107 Days' (left) and Harris speaking at the State of the People POWER Tour opening ceremony on June 6, 2025 in Los Angeles, California (right). The cover for Kamala Harris' upcoming book '107 Days' (left) and Harris speaking at the State of the People POWER Tour opening ceremony on June 6, 2025 in Los Angeles, California (right). Mario Tama/Simon & Schuster/Getty Stephen Miller, the current U.S. Homeland Security adviser, wrote on X: "What is Kamala Harris' book even going to be about? All the interviews she refused to do? Why she chose Governor Jazz Hands over the Jewish guy? 4 chapters on her endorsement from Dick Cheney?" Harris picked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate over Josh Shapiro, the Democratic governor of Pennsylvania. On popular Fox News show The Five, presenter Lisa Kennedy said: "I argue the only book that's worth reading is if she's actually honest about the enemies she will claim tanked her chances." Former Democratic Congressman Harold Ford Jr. agreed: "If she's able to get a lot of book sales hurray and good for her, but I hope to your point she honestly confronts some of the things we all saw happening in that campaign, and if it does nothing more, it will give the next nominee on the Democratic side some lessons about what he or she should do and mainly what they should not do." However, conservative commentator Jesse Watters was more positive, suggesting the book could push Harris toward a 2028 White House run. He said: "In October/September the book publishes … and then she does the book tour and the tour reconnects her with the American people, the crowds, the donors and kind of launches her toward the next year's midterms and then she'll campaign for people and she'll raise money for them and she hopes the Democrats win the midterms and that kind of sets her up." On his popular The Breakfast Club podcast, Charlamagne tha God, real name Lenard McKelvey, said: "I don't know if she should run again, but I'd definitely like to see her write a book, I definitely would like to see her start a podcast and just build a real connection with people." What People Are Saying Simon & Schuster Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Karp said: "107 DAYS captures the drama of running for president better than just about anything I've read. It's one of the best works of political nonfiction Simon & Schuster has ever published. It's an eyewitness contribution to history and an extraordinary story." Senior Vice President and Publisher of 37 Ink Dawn Davis said: "There is so much to be gleaned from these pages—to read the book is to be a fly on the wall as critical decisions were made and key team members tapped, all in such a dramatic moment in our history, all in just 107 days." Speaking to CNN's Kaitlan Collins about Harris in 2024, David Axelrod, formerly Barack Obama's chief campaign strategist, said: "It's clear that you read her statement, that she is setting herself up to run." Appearing on MSNBC Susan Page, the Washington D.C. bureau chief for USA Today, said: "Democrats historically have not been interested in nominating again someone who ran, got the nomination and failed." What Happens Next Simon & Schuster said that Harris's book is scheduled for publication on September 23, 2025.
Newsweek
6 hours ago
- Newsweek
Rescue Dog Obsessed With Laundry Baskets Wins Pet of the Week
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A week of pet videos carried us into a new month, which just so happens to be National Dog Month. And what better way to honor these furry companions than by highlighting pets from our readers? These dogs, while sometimes getting into trouble, bring a smile to their owners' face daily. They are a crucial piece to their family tree. If you wish to feature your pet in Newsweek's Pet of the Week, follow the instructions at the end of this article to get involved. Winner Photos of Laina resting in a basket; and looking up at the camera through a trolley. Photos of Laina resting in a basket; and looking up at the camera through a trolley. Patti Generale Laina, a rescue hound, instantly captured our hearts with her silly habits that helped brighten her owner's day, earning her spot as this week's winner. Owner Patti Generale told Newsweek via email that Laina is obsessed with laundry baskets. There is no rhyme or reason for it, but you can almost always find her sitting in one. Otherwise, you might see her cozying up next to you if you have food. She is a "very food-motivated" dog. Generale said: "She brought us a lot of joy." Finalists Photos of two 7-year-old Cavachons dogs at home. Photos of two 7-year-old Cavachons dogs at home. Vicki Peacock Our first finalist for this week comes from owner Vicki Peacock's two Cavachons—a Cavalier King Charles spaniel and the bichon frisé mix. Peacock originally wanted a boy dog, but after seeing one female pup, she couldn't resist getting her, she told Newsweek via email. Now, she has Harvey and Coco, who are from the same litter. These two 7-year-old dogs are sweet-natured; however, they tend to get into mischief. "Harvey is the leader and thinks he is much bigger than he is, but they are very sweet and gentle and love to make friends," Peacock said. Otherwise, they enjoy cuddle sessions and their quiet time. They have been nothing but great company for Peacock, who lives alone, making her laugh every day, she said. Photos of Daisy, a 1-year-old rottsky dog, resting at home. Photos of Daisy, a 1-year-old rottsky dog, resting at home. Karen Garcia Next up, we have a 1-year-old dog named Daisy, whom owner Karen Garcia likes to call a "Rotten Rottsky" due to her mischievous personality. This rottsky and Siberian husky mix came from an unexpected litter, Garcia told Newsweek. "She has a unique, dominating, mischievous personality that's humorous at times," she said. Photos of a 1-year-old French bulldog named Pierre playing outside. Photos of a 1-year-old French bulldog named Pierre playing outside. Jamie High Last, but not least, is a French bulldog named Pierre, whom the owner cannot thank enough for bringing joy into every day. The owner, Jamie High, told Newsweek that Pierre is nearing 1 year old. And as a pup, he is constantly getting into something. He can be a "handful," but that's what makes Pierre, Pierre. "He helped me through a very tough time in my life, and I'm grateful every day," High said. "I wouldn't change a thing about him!" If you think your pet could be next week's Newsweek "Pet of the Week," send us your funny and heartwarming videos and pictures of your pet, along with a bit about them, to life@ and they could appear in our "Pet of the Week" lineup.
Newsweek
7 hours ago
- Newsweek
Rottweiler Finds Musical Instrument, Gets Stuck in the Most Unexpected Way
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. In a vet clinic in New South Wales, Australia, one dog surprised staff when she arrived in "a bit of a pickle." Koda, a 10-month-old rottweiler, had surprised her mom when she returned home from her first Tinder date and found her pup at the door. The surprise? A white circular object was lodged firmly in her mouth. The pup had managed to get hold of a Zendrum—a hand-held percussion instrument—and accidentally lodged it in her mouth. Koda's owner rushed her to the vet where veterinarian and clinic owner Dr. Bruce Krumm quickly stepped in. "We sedated Koda first, then intubated her as a precaution in case general anesthesia was required. Fortunately, Dr. Krumm was able to remove the Zendrum without needing to fully anaesthetise her," Tiana McLaren, practice manager at Kanwal Veterinary Hospital, told Newsweek. Pictures of Koda the dog with the Zendrum instrument in her mouth. Pictures of Koda the dog with the Zendrum instrument in her mouth. @kanwalvet/Instagram "Cases like this are rare. While we often see foreign-body ingestion, it's not every day something gets stuck quite like this," McLaren said. Unexpectedly consumed items are no surprise in the pet world. In 2023, pet medical insurance company Trupanion reported that it handled 24,000 foreign-body ingestion claims in pets. The average claim was $878, while the highest claim was $27,403. The clinic shared a video of the moment on Instagram where it has been viewed more than 540,000 times. In the comments, people shared their reactions. "Sooo he bit more than he could chew," joked one viewer, while another said: "They just wanted to be a drummer." "Miss Koda is still cute," wrote a third commenter. "Even with a Zen drum stuck to her snoot." Not all feedback was friendly, though. Some social-media users suggested the procedure must have cost the owner thousands and accused veterinarians of profiteering. But McLaren said: "Just to put things into perspective—the total cost of the procedure was $259. It's not about a money grab. It's about caring for animals." Koda is now doing just fine, free from the musical drum, and her mom is still seeing the man from the first date who got to see it all. This isn't the first time an unusual vet story has captured viral attention. Earlier this year, an owner panicked when her dog started acting strangely, only to discover that the pup had accidentally eaten a THC-infused edible. Another dog owner found herself left with a $600 vet bill, but the diagnosis was far from expected. After a trip to the veterinarian, they found out that the dog was simply struggling with gas. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
