A new Pokémon GO event, called Friendship Day, will focus on playing the game with friends and celebrating Grass-type Pokémon. The mobile augmented-reality title, which launched in 2016, lets players explore the real world in order to find, battle and catch the franchise's iconic Pokémon. Since it released, the game has been highly successful and has received a plethora of post-launch support from developer Niantic.

2021 has been a big year for Pokémon GO, as the title celebrated its five-year launch anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, Niantic has created a huge number of different tours and events to keep fans busy throughout the year. Pokémon GO recently had a seasonal event, titled Spring Into Spring, which challenged players to capture ten specific Pokémon within one week. The required Pokémon, and the event's rewards, were all themed after the spring season. This week a brand new in-game event, Rival's Week, will put the spotlight on certain Pokémon who have long-standing rivalries. The event will add new Pokémon to the game, make certain other Pokémon appear more frequently, and offer increased rewards to players who capture them.

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Pokémon GO developer Niantic has just announced an upcoming in-game event, called Friendship Day, which will focus on Grass-type Pokémon and offer rewards to those who play with friends. Various Grass-type Pokémon, such as franchise veterans Chikorita and Tangela, will spawn in the wild more often during Friendship Day. The event also emphasizes friendship, by making it more likely that players receive a Lucky Pokémon when they trade with a friend; it will also offer an increase in trade distance. Special Friendship Day challenges will give players a chance to grab a ton of experience, as well. The announcement suggests that Friendship Day will return in the future, perhaps putting an emphasis on different types of Pokémon each time. Pokémon GO's very first Friendship Day will be on Saturday, April 24, running from 11am to 2pm local time.

Pokémon GO has recently put an increased emphasis on playing with friends, offering bonuses and rewards for those who explore and battle cooperatively. Last month Niantic announced a referral system, offering rewards such as special Pokémon encounters and Rare Candy for players who refer the game to a friend who has never played or has not played in a long time. Following a successful trial period in Australia, the referral system is now available to fans worldwide.

Pokémon GO, even five years after release, continues to receive constant updates and events to ensure that players stay engaged. The mobile title acts as a perfect mix between real-world exploration and Pokémon gameplay, motivating health and the support of local businesses in a fun and original way. With the recent push towards referrals and cooperative play, it seems that Niantic is hoping to strengthen the Pokémon GO community going forward.

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Pokémon GO is available now on iOS and Android. Friendship Day will arrive on April 24.

Source: Niantic, Twitter