How to best prepare for Pokemon GO Fest 2023

Pokemon GO Fest 2023 official poster (Image via Niantic)
Pokemon GO Fest 2023 official poster (Image via Niantic)

One of the most awaited Pokemon GO events of the year, the GO Fest 2023, is going live soon. The event will take place from August 4-6, 2023, in London (England) and Osaka (Japan), in New York (USA) from August 18-20, 2023, and for the rest of the world on August 26 and 27, 2023. It will mark the debut of brand new Pocket Monsters, shiny forms of old critters, and feature a plethora of event bonuses.

Pokemon GO Fest 2023, like its previous iterations, will be one of the biggest events of the year. With the number of things to do during the event, it can often be a bit overwhelming for players.

This guide will help you keep track of everything you need to prioritize to make the most of the event, no matter where you play from.


Best Items to stock up on before Pokemon GO Fest 2023

Important items for Pokemon GO Fest 2023 (Image via Sportskeeda)
Important items for Pokemon GO Fest 2023 (Image via Sportskeeda)

Poke Balls

With so many Pokemon to catch, Poke balls (Normal, Great, or Ultra) will be the most needed item in your inventory. One of the most important task for you in the days leading to the event is to clean up your inventory as much as possible and use up or discard any superfluous items you can find to make space for tons of Poke Balls.

Superfluous items, in this case, apply to items such as excess berries, evolution items, and even Rare Candy. Save a bare minimum number of berries and evolution items in case of emergencies, and either use or toss the rest.

Rare Candies are too precious to be tossed, but they are also useless lying around in your bag. Invest them in maxing out the Legendary Pokemon you wish to flex in the next rotation of the Master League.


Raid Passes

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There will be a plethora of fascinating Raids during the GO Fest 2023, including the Mega Rayquaza raid. To make sure you land a hundo (or even a shundo) version of the Pocket Monster you are raiding for, you would want as many Raid Passes as possible.

Stock up on the Premium Battle Passes or regular Raid Passes ahead of the event to make the most of it.


Incense, Lucky Eggs, and Star Pieces

An Incense will help you spawn more critters as you walk around the designated area for the in-person events during GO Fest 2023.

Lucky Eggs are very useful for players who are still below Level 50. Star Pieces on the other hand are useful for everyone. Ensure that you have a couple of these items in your bag so that you can capitalize on the event bonus that will be active during Pokemon GO Fest 2023.


Egg incubators and Egg space

There will be a bunch of Egg-exclusive critters available during the event. To catch these, you must have enough space to collect Eggs from the event.

Moreover, you will need Incubators to hatch these eggs. Alongside Raid Passes, this is one area you might have to spend some money in.


How to prepare your Pokemon GO Plus and GO Plus+ ahead of GO Fest 2023

These new gadgets can be quite helpful during GO Fest 2023 (Image via Sportskeeda)
These new gadgets can be quite helpful during GO Fest 2023 (Image via Sportskeeda)

If you plan on using Pokemon GO Plus or Plus+'s auto-catch feature during the event, you have to be extra conservative with your Poke Ball storage ahead of the event. Either device will use this precious resource very quickly.

To ensure you don't run out of all sorts of catching Balls, turn off Great and Ultra Balls for the GO Plus+. Moreover, don't forget to turn on the auto-spin feature so that your stock of Poke Balls keeps getting replenished.

Carry a backup battery if you are using the older version of the device before you leave home. For the users of the newer version, ensure that the gadget is fully charged to make the most out of it over the day.

Lastly, connect your auto-catch device to your account before you reach the in-person event venue to avoid confusion, as there will likely be hundreds of similar devices in your vicinity.


What shiny Pokemon will debut in Pokemon GO Fest 2023?

Some of the Shiny Pokemon debuts in Pokemon GO Fest 2023 (Image via Sportskeeda)
Some of the Shiny Pokemon debuts in Pokemon GO Fest 2023 (Image via Sportskeeda)

There will be many new shiny Pokemon coming to Pokemon GO Fest 2023. Based on what region you are in and which version of the event you are participating in, these are the shiny debutants you might encounter:

London and Osaka

  • Shiny Dewpider
  • Shiny Petilil
  • Shiny Unown Exclamation

New York City

  • Shiny Skrelp
  • Shiny Golett

Global event

  • Shiny Shellos East Sea
  • Shiny Shellos West Sea
  • Shiny Goomy
  • Shiny Joltik
  • Shiny Oranguru

While these shiny critters will make their Pokemon GO debut during the event, there will also be many other Pocket Monsters and their shiny forms up for grabs. Make sure to go through your list of shiny Pokemon beforehand so you know which ones to prioritize.


General tips for Pokemon GO Fest 2023

Be comfortable wherever you go

Wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothes and shoes when you go for in-person events during Pokemon GO Fest 2023. Carry a small backpack with some food and water to snack on while you catch Pokemon.

Don't forget any medicines or supplements that you need to take. Lastly, don't venture into spaces you don't feel 100% comfortable going into, even if that means forgoing a shiny Goomy.


Clear up Pokemon storage space

Your Pokemon Storage surely has a bunch of extra catches from past Community Days or Raid Hours. Toss the extra ones unless you want them specifically for your collection.

The same applies to copies of costumed Pokemon. If you don't want to transfer them for Candy, you can also store them in Pokemon HOME. Doing this can save you lots of money on purchasing extra storage space during the event.


Follow social media for real-time updates

Niantic is infamous for its Pokemon GO glitches. To make sure you aren't falling prey to any, keep checking Twitter and Reddit for live updates on the event.

This is especially advantageous for those living in the Western hemisphere, as you can avoid the mistakes made by people in places where the event started earlier.


Mega Evolve a Pokemon for added bonuses

Make sure to Mega Evolve Pokemon during the event, as it will give you extra Candy for catching critters of that type.

Dual-type monsters like Tyranitar, Swampert, and Altaria are excellent choices because they give you more chances of getting extra Candy.

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