Organizers suspended parts of Pokémon GO Fest gameplay near Chicago’s Museum Campus for Saturday’s evening and all day Sunday, citing overlapping events in the area. Grant Park gameplay will continue, and the Field Museum’s real-world GO Fest pop-up is also su
Saturday morning, Pokémon GO Fest was already in motion. By the afternoon, though, players near Chicago’s Museum Campus found the game suddenly taking a break.
Organizers suspended portions of Pokémon GO Fest gameplay “in response to several overlapping events in the area,” they said Saturday. The stop covers the area east of South Michigan Avenue, from south of Grant Park to slightly south of East Cermak Road.
That means Pokémon GO gameplay at the Field Museum is included in the suspension. Organizers said gameplay was paused for part of Saturday and all of Sunday in the affected zone.
The changes extend beyond the app. The real-world GO Fest pop-up at the Field Museum has also been suspended. Still, the Pokémon Fossil Museum exhibit at the museum remains open.
Pokémon GO itself is an augmented reality game that requires players to use mobile devices to “hunt” real locations to find and catch Pokémon species. train them and battle with other players. With the local gameplay suspended, the festival’s usual on-the-ground momentum shifts for many players heading toward the museum belt.
The three-day festival began Friday and continues from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Organizers said gameplay at Grant Park and other city locations is continuing uninterrupted.
The scheduling complications are tied to what else is happening nearby at the same time. Along with the museums in the area, the Beyond Wonderland music festival is happening Saturday and Sunday at nearby Northerly Island. A USA soccer match was also played Saturday afternoon at Soldier Field.
This year marks two milestones for fans: the 10-year anniversary of the mobile Pokémon GO game and the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise.
Pokémon GO Fest Museum Campus Field Museum Grant Park Pokémon Fossil Museum Beyond Wonderland Northerly Island Soldier Field USA soccer match augmented reality game Chicago events