Pokemon GO players are no doubt disappointed to learn that the planned Pinsir Raid has been completely canceled, with no sign of it being rescheduled at all. But in brighter news, developer Niantic has announced the weekly challenges that will lead up to Pokemon GO Fest 2020.
These challenges will be taking place throughout the month of July and will be available to all players, meaning those who don't have a GO Fest ticket can still participate, provided they can draw themselves away from the new mobile title Pokemon Cafe Mix.
The first challenge, titled Skill, will take place from July 3rd - July 8th and also be coinciding with Pokemon GO's fourth anniversary. It will focus on catching Pokemon and see three new Pokemon be introduced to the game - shiny Pidove, Ducklett, and a Flying Pikachu. And over the weekend, the Legendary Ho-Oh will be making an appearance in five-star raids.
The second challenge will run from July 10th - July 15th and be all about battles. Completing all the tasks in this one will earn players encounters with the likes of Hitmonlee and Absol, as well as access to Elite Battle Challenges, which can be completed purely for bragging rights.
The final week, which will run from July 17th - July 22nd, will be all about friendship and will see Summer Style Pikachu appear in the wild and in eggs, as well as see another new Pokemon be included - the Grass type Petilil. Completing all of this week's tasks can earn players an encounter with Alolan Raichu and, much like the Battle week, the opportunity to clear Elite Friendship Challenges.
One thing all the weeks will have in common is that, if 1 million players from each team - Team Mystic, Team Valor, and Team Instinct - complete the Timed Research, a unique Pokemon will appear for each corresponding team during GO Fest.
For example, in the first week, Team Mystic can encounter Alomaloma, Team Valor will see Chansey, and Team Instinct will run into Chimecho. A full list of details can be found on Niantic's website.
In other news, The Pokemon Company announced a brand new MOBA title, Pokemon Unite. Essentially, it's League of Legends but with Pokemon. Despite it being touted as a big announcement, however, it has garnered a very mixed response, with many fans expressing their displeasure with the game for a variety of reasons.
This comes only a week after the announcement of a Pokemon Snap sequel, which was received much more positively by fans, as it has been a hotly demanded title for years.
Pokemon GO is available on Android and iOS devices.
Source: Niantic