Pokémon Go in-person Safari Zone events will return

Pokémon Go’s Safari Zone events will return later this year, Niantic announced Thursday. Three dates have been announced for events in Liverpool, Philadelphia, and St. Louis, signaling a return to in-person events for the mobile game, which has focused on virtual events over the past 15 months. Those same Safari Zone events were postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anyone who has a ticket will be able to participate in the respective event, even if they’re not physically at the Safari Zone. Here are the dates, and details from Niantic on each location:

• Pokémon Go Safari Zone: Liverpool is now scheduled for Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, to Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Sefton Park
• Pokémon Go Safari Zone: Philadelphia is now scheduled for Friday, Oct. 29, 2021, to Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, in Fairmount Park
• Pokémon Go Safari Zone: St. Louis is now scheduled for Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, to Sunday, Nov. 14, 2021, in Tower Grove Park

Players participating in the Safari Zone events will have access to featured Pokémon spawning in the wild, event-exclusive Special Research and Field Research, extended activation time for Incense and Lure Modules, and special 2 km Eggs. Niantic also noted that Philadelphia event-goers will want to “take a snapshot for a surprise.”

Pokémon Go players attending the events in-person must RSVP for a spot to ensure each event can meet local restrictions and safety protocols. Niantic is asking Pokémon Go players to follow health guidelines and travel restrictions when heading out to these events. “We’re working closely with local authorities to design safe event experiences, implementing precautions such as careful line management, social-distancing protocols, and mask requirements for all staff members,” Niantic said.

Niantic also said that the City Explorer Pass, which was originally designed as essentially a Pokémon Go guided tour around a city (plus access to special Pokémon), has been removed from the events. Niantic will refund the cost for people that purchased the add-on.

Niantic announced in August that its pandemic measures in Pokémon Go will remain in the game — spin distance for Gyms and PokéStops was set back to 80 meters. When Niantic reverted the pandemic measures in early August, players were upset. After a large social media campaign, Niantic promised to roll back the changes. On Wednesday, Niantic published a report regarding its pandemic changes.

The COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, with numbers fluctuating across the United States and Europe. Niantic said it will notify ticket holders as soon as possible if the events were to be postponed again.