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Pokémon Go Fest: Global will be free, and one hour longer, in 2026

Increased shiny chance and event Special Research available at no cost over the July weekend.

The Pokémon Go Fest 2026 logo against a blurred park background.
Credit: Niantic / The Pokémon Company
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As well as the confirmation that Mega Mewtwo X and Y will be coming to Pokémon Go Fest this year, some extra news on the Go Fest: Global weekend on 11th and 12th July: attendance will be free for the first time, likely in celebration of the game's 10th anniversary.

This means the event's Special Research questline, and bonuses like increased chance of finding shiny Pokémon, will be available for all players at no cost.

There's no mention of there being supplementary tickets of course - last year's Go Fest: Global featured three tickets totalling £43, including a week-long Go Pass with a Gold Bottle Cap - so it's possible premium add-ons will be returning. But either way, expect the core Go Fest: Global weekend experience to be free.

As well as this, Niantic has also said there will be an extra hour of gameplay each day, with each day running until 7pm.

If you're after Mega Mewtwo over the Go Fest: Global weekend, you'll want to play both days - X will be in Super Mega Raids on the Saturday, and Y on the Sunday - while regionals Tropius, Bouffalant and all forms of Unown will be attracted to Incense across both days. As for the Special Research, that'll see the arrival of mythical Zeraora in Pokémon Go for all players.

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Matthew Reynolds

Matthew Reynolds

Matthew Reynolds is founder and editor of One More Catch, and has covered Pokémon Go since day one. An award-winning games journalist based in the UK, he has written for Polygon, Eurogamer, Digital Spy, The Guardian, and Retro Gamer magazine.

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