Pokemon Go Announces New Safari Live Event Dates

Pokemon Go's Safari Zone events originally scheduled for 2020 will now take place later this year.

As announced on the Pokemon Go update page, Niantic revealed the new dates for the in-person events. Players who take part can expect to find special, featured Pokemon, event-exclusive tasks, and more.

The dates and locations are as follows:

• Sefton Park, Liverpool - Friday, October 15 to Sunday, October 17
• Fairmount Park, Philadelphia - Friday, October 29 to Sunday, October 31
• Tower Grove Park, St. Louis - Friday, November 12 to Sunday, November 14

These are the original locations the events were set to happen at before they were postponed in 2020 due to COVID-19. And Niantic says ticket holders can participate in the events, no matter where they are in the world. The Pokemon Go team says they are working to keep the events safe, with line management, social-distancing protocols, and mask requirements for all staff members.

In-person Pokemon Go events started to come back earlier this year, with Pokemon Go Fest 2021 taking place in over 20 cities back in July.

It's been a turbulent month for the Pokemon Go developers and fans, however. In early August, Pokemon Go players took to social media with the hashtag #HearUsNiantic after the developer removed the extended range feature for Pokestops. That functionality let players interact with Pokestops from further away, and was added to help folks play the game during the pandemic.

Niantic responded to the fan feedback and permanently extended the radius back to 80 meters. And in an effort to be more transparent, Niantic says it will publish a developer diary every other month to explain the company's current plans and priorities for the game.

Pokemon Go events aren't the only thing PokeFans have to look forward to. November will see the launch of the Pokemon Diamond and Pearl remakes, before Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes the series in a new direction next January.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.