Posted in: Games, Mobile Games, Niantic, Pokémon GO | Tagged: Niantic, Niantic Labs, pokemon, pokemon go, Team GO Rocket

Pokémon GO Team GO Rocket Balloon Event Review

Some spent their Christmas Day with family, sharing gifts and love. Others spent it working. Others spent it quarantining, because… you know, 2020. Jessie and James, however, spent it trying to kick the butts of Pokémon GO trainers all over the globe. Yesterday, the iconic duo that many will remember from the Pokémon anime appeared more in-game yesterday with boosted Team GO Rocket encounters. Did this event appease those who have been upset (vocally) on social media about the rarity of these encounters, or will Niantic have to prepare for trouble and make it double?

What Worked For This Pokémon GO Event

• Jessie and James themselves! After playing this full event and making sure I was able to battle the Team GO Rocket balloons within every available window, as well as coordinating with my raid groups to see their experiences, it's clear that Jessie and James encounters were very much boosted. Of all of the possible encounters, I personally received Jessie and James every single time except once.

What Didn't Work For This Pokémon GO Event

• The one thing I would've improved for this Team GO Rocket day in Pokémon GO was the number of encounters offered. The event started at 8 AM and ended at 10 PM, but encounters were only available every two hours. This is of course highly boosted over the normal six hours, but the most active trainers would only be able to get balloons at 8 AM, 10 AM, 12 PM, 2 PM, 4 PM, 6 PM, and 8 PM. Even though the event "lasted" two more hours, it essentially ended with the encounter offered at 8 PM. While Niantic has done Team GO Rocket events where the balloon arrives every 30 minutes, it feels like once an hour would've made more sense for this day.

Overall Thoughts

While even more highly boosted balloon rates would've improved this event, it was still a fun day of gameplay that was structured to allow players to benefit without having to have a grind session on Christmas Day. Overall, it was a low-key, well-planned event that is sure to have pleased most Pokémon GO trainers.

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