Celebrating Pokémon's 25th Anniversary with Pokémon GO Tour: Kanto
Reza Nosrati, username MalibuLeo, and Adam Rodney, username indigotic, play Pokemon Go together in North Hollywood, Calif. on Feb. 20, 2020. (Carolyn Burt | The Corsair)
This year Pokémon celebrates their 25th anniversary. To commemorate this milestone, they’ve partnered with big brands like McDonalds and Levi’s to create limited edition merchandise, as well as artists Katy Perry and Post Malone to put on virtual concerts and special releases. In addition, the are also marking the anniversary through Pokémon GO, with an all day event for fans of the game, that took place on Feb. 20.
Pokémon GO, which launched in 2016, is a mobile game that allows players to collect a variety of digital creatures, i.e. Pokémon, via augmented reality. The game spawns creatures around your current location. By walking around outside players have opportunities to catch these Pokémon, and make them stronger so they can fight other players' creatures or the computer-generated villains.
One big element of this game consists of community days where certain harder-to-collect Pokémon are made more available, and timed challenges are given to players. Saturday marked the launch of the in game event, Pokémon GO Tour: Kanto.
The Kanto event was a unique community day with an $11.99 dollar entry fee that gave players a 12-hour window to access unique gameplay content. Another key feature was the release of rare "shiny" versions of the first 151 Pokémon. Shiny Pokémon have a unique color palette different from the usual characters and are more difficult to find normally in the game; enticing players all over the world to purchase the ticket to be a part of this limited opportunity.
Another aspect of the event was for the first time having players battle against real world trainers chosen by Niantic, the developer of the app. Niantic had players of the game enter the contest by submitting a photo of their trainer via twitter as well as the three Pokémon they would have others battle against. Of the eight accounts selected from all over the world to be incorporated into the gameplay, one was Los Angeles based photographer, Reza Nosrati.
Nosrati, who's been playing the game since its launch, walks around 27 kilometers or about 17 miles every week playing the game. He usually logs about 2 hours a day, 4 to 5 days a week, to stay on top of all the special in-game events.
“I love it personally, it allows me to kind of escape from reality instead of being trapped inside my apartment all day, all the time. I can go for a walk and just enjoy the fresh air as well as catch Pokémon” said Nosrati. He frequents different popular spots in Los Angeles to play with local players and catch as many Pokémon as possible.
Reza Nosrati's character, MalibuLeo, is featured in Pokémon Go as part of the Kanto Event on Feb. 20, 2020. The event is a part of the on going celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Pokémon. (Carolyn Burt | The Corsair)
Nosrati enjoys the community that comes with the game. “It's almost a sport in a way that it bonds people over an escape from their regular life.” While Nosrati is one of the few chosen for this in-game experience, fans of the game were equally excited to purchase their tickets and partake in the all day event on Saturday.
Players came equipped with backpacks full of water, snacks, and external batteries to recharge their devices. Some even brought multiple phones or tablets to play the game with multiple accounts.
While the event happened worldwide, Los Angeles is home to numerous hot spots where it was easier to play the game. These usually align with landmarks or busy streets like the Santa Monica Pier or the Burbank Town Center.
Jay Moreno, another avid fan of the game, played for 6 hours along the Santa Monica Pier during the Kanto Tour. She loves playing it with her siblings during their lunch break from work, or whenever she has a couple of hours free during the week.
She’s also not afraid to spend money to redeem for Pokécoin, the in-game currency. “Yeah one month I spent over 100 dollars on the game but now it's like only 20 or 30 a month”, said Moreno.
While Pokémon GO has been on the market since 2016, it continues to build a community of trainers in Los Angeles and all around the world. It lets players turn an outdoor walk into a game filled with whimsical creatures, and those who have been fans of the franchise for the past two decades to take a trip down memory lane.
