Pokemon Go’s first official real world event sold out in half an hour, but you can still join in at home

Pokemon Go Fest was announced and sold out before we finished Googling flights to Chicago.

Pokemon Go players have rushed to buy tickets to the first official meet up for Niantic’s phenomenally popular app.

Pokemon Go Fest tickets went on sale on Monday afternoon US time, and sold out almost immediately. Only 30 minutes elapsed between the first tweet announcing the tickets to a follow up to say they were all gone.

Sponsored by Sprint and Boost Mobile, Pokemon Go Fest will be held in Chicago’s Grant Park from 10:00am to 7:00pm on July 22. Niantic said the event will bring together “thousands” of trainers locally, as well as “millions” worldwide.

More than just a meet up, Pokemon Go Fest features “a wide variety” of critters to catch, “including some that have never been seen before in Grant Park” to help local trainers fill out their Pokedex.

Pokemon Go Fest global challenges

Make sure you’re ready to take part by getting across today’s huge Pokemon Go gym update and catching up with our updated Pokemon Go guide.

Multiple challenges will be issued both to attendees and the broader Pokemon Go player base throughout the day, unlocking in-game rewards for everyone, all over the world. Participants will earn a unique Pokemon Go Fest Chicago medal for their profile pages – the first badge of its kind to be issued.

Niantic has organised a walking course lined with Pokestops, and Pokemon Go trainers who complete the trail will receive “special 2 km Eggs which can only be obtained in Grant Park”. To comfort tired Pokemon Go trainers after this effort, three lounges will offer the chance to group up with other members of Instinct, Mystic and Valor.

There will also be various photo opportunities at the event, so you can get selfies with your favourite Pokemon. Nice.

There are special early entry schemes set up for Sprint and Boost customers, as well as those who stay in partner hotels nearby. For information on that as well as other relevant intel for those who actually managed to get tickets, check out the Pokemon Go Fest website.

The rest of us will just have to wait for word on the Pokemon Go Fest challenges and how we can participate in them remotely – and hopefully also for announcements of further Pokemon Go Fest events around the world.

Pokemon Go’s first official real world event sold out in half an hour, but you can still join in at home posted first on pipervictor.blogspot.com