NianticPokemon Go is available for iOS and Android devices. (Niantic)
UPDATE: Since the publication of this post, a new game update has been released, and it gives us our biggest hint yet that there will be an anniversary event. According to The Silph Road, the update includes the code, “ONE_YEAR_ANNIVERSARY.”
July 6th marks the one-year anniversary of Pokemon Go. So how does Niantic plan to celebrate? Will they hold some sort of special event? Might there be an announcement?
Niantic has not yet formally revealed any plans, but it seems incredibly likely that at the very least there will be an event in Pokemon Go to celebrate the one-year anniversary. After all, back in February, there was a special event to celebrate Pokemon Day, a day that commemorates the launch of the very first Pokemon game. If Niantic celebrated the launch of the Pokemon franchise, it doesn’t make much sense that they wouldn’t celebrate the launch of their own game.
That Pokemon Day event wasn’t anything too extensive, though. All that happened was that special Pikachu wearing party hats spawned in the wild. It’s possible that Niantic will just do something similar again on July 6th, maybe even having the exact same party hat Pikachu spawning in the wild. To make it a bit more special, they could also throw in some other bonuses like double XP or Stardust.
To give you an idea of what to expect next week, here’s a look back at all of the events that have taken place in Pokemon Go so far:
| Event | Description | Start Date | End Date |
| Halloween | Double Candy | 10/26 | 11/1 |
| Daily Bonus Launch | More Pokemon Spawns | 11/7 | 11/11 |
| Thanksgiving | Double XP & Stardust | 11/23 | 11/30 |
| Baby Pokemon Launch | Festive Pikachu Spawns | 12/12 | 12/29 |
| Christmas | Free Incubators, Increased Baby Pokemon Spawns, 60 Minute Lure Modules | 12/25 | 1/3 |
| Valentine’s Day | Increased Pink Pokemon Spawns, Six-Hour Lure Modules | 2/8 | 2/15 |
| Pokemon Day | Party Hat Pikachu Spawns | 2/26 | 3/6 |
| Water Festival | Increased Water Pokemon Spawns | 3/22 | 3/29 |
| Easter | Increased Spawns in 2km Eggs, Double XP, Lucky Eggs 50% Off | 4/13 | 4/20 |
| Worldwide Bloom | Increased Grass Pokemon Spawns | 5/5 | 5/8 |
| Adventure Week | Increased Rock Pokemon Spawns, More Items, Poke Balls 50% Off, 4x Buddy Candy | 5/18 | 5/25 |
| Solstice Event | Increased Fire and Ice Pokemon Spawns, Increased XP Bonuses for Throws & Egg Hatching | 6/13 | 6/20 |
Some players are speculating that Niantic will mark the one-year anniversary with something a bit more elaborate, though. They have previously hinted that legendary Pokemon will be added to the game this summer, so it’s possible that they will celebrate the first anniversary by officially revealing the launch of legendary Pokemon. However, that is purely speculation.
As some further evidence that there will be some sort of a celebration next week, Niantic posted an announcement on its website earlier this month called “Celebrating the First Anniversary of Pokémon GO,” something they probably wouldn’t do if they didn’t plan to celebrate the first anniversary of Pokemon Go. This post announced several things, including the Solstice Event, Pokemon Go Fest in Chicago, and the forthcoming release of the new gym system. But one part of the post reads, “Over the next few months, we’re hosting real-world and in-game events planned alongside some very exciting new features that will get you outside exploring the world with family and friends.” They only announced a single in-game event in that post, but they refer to multiple “in-game events,” suggesting that another is on the way soon. And it’s hard to imagine there being a more appropriate time for one this summer.
Niantic tends to announce special events a few days before they begin, so if there is going to be an anniversary celebration, we’ll likely know about it sometime soon. Stay tuned for news about a potential Pokemon Go anniversary event.