Pokémon Go Fest is one of the most anxiously awaited events in the game’s calendar, bringing out scores of players to catch rare critters, explore new cities, and meet up with fellow players from the community.
Taking part in Pokémon Go Fest can be lucrative as a player, providing plenty of opportunities to catch event-specific creatures and add to a growing digital collection. As shown by a recent Statista report commissioned by Niantic, it’s just as beneficial for the cities hosting the event. On Jan. 7, Niantic released a summary article showcasing the incredible economical impact of Pokémon Go Fest in 2024, highlighting how the three host cities (New York, Madrid, and Sendai) benefited from taking part in the event.
The article noted that Niantic had commissioned Statista to work on a report about Go Fest’s impact, finding that “Pokémon GO Fest generated +$200 million across the three cities that played host.” It then elaborated that $61 million of this was in tax revenue.
Pokémon Go Fest New York stood out as the most impactful in terms of income and spending, earning $126 million and generating $26 million in tax revenue, making up a significant chunk of the overall findings. It wasn’t just the total stats that stood out here either, as the report found that the average spend per Go Fest New York visitor was a whopping $795 in total. In comparison, the average spend per visitor for Madrid and Sendai was $669 and $407 respectively.
Alongside the monetary impact of the event, the social impact was also significant. Niantic’s article pointed to a figure of 1.2 million Pokémon Go players joining forces across the three events, doing everything from meeting new people in the community for the first time to proposing to their partners.
One of the most notable things about Pokémon Go Fest’s varied roster of locations is that it encourages players to travel to locations they’ve never visited before, giving them the chance to meet new community members and add previously unattainable regional Pokémon to their collection. Pokémon Go Fest Madrid is the perfect example here—59 percent of attendees travelled to the event from outside of Spain, with the article elaborating that “nearly 40% of visitors expressed strong interest in returning to Madrid.”
While every Pokémon Go event has an influence on the community and wider game world to a degree, it’s hard to deny the staggering impact of 2024’s Go Fest trio. If you want to dive into the individual reports for each location further, they’re available on Niantic’s website here.
The locations for Pokémon Go Fest change every year, with 2025’s line-up featuring Osaka, Jersey City, and Paris.
If you’re a Go player and want to meet fellow fans at one of the biggest events of the year, make sure to keep an eye on official Pokémon Go channels for further details about the next Go Fest events. Further information and ticket details should be available in March 2025.
