Los Angeles and its neighboring regions have recently faced the wrath of multiple wildfires and fierce Santa Ana winds, wreaking havoc particularly in Pacific Palisades and Malibu. These natural disasters have led to the cancellation of significant Hollywood events and professional sports games. However, ECNETNews reports that Niantic is moving forward with plans for the upcoming Pokemon Go Tour: Unova – Los Angeles, set to take place at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl stadium next month.
In a statement, a Niantic director expressed, “Our team has been closely monitoring the situation in Los Angeles, prioritizing the safety of Pasadena, greater Los Angeles, and our Niantic community. We are continuing our preparations and will provide updates regarding the event as they become available.”
The fires remain a critical concern for the local community, significantly impacting residents. For those looking to support the victims, information on how to assist can be found through local resources.
Despite the wildfires impacting the region, the Rose Bowl has sustained no damage and is confirmed to host the Pokemon Go Tour: Unova – Los Angeles on February 21-23. This event is notable for featuring the debut of Black Kyurem and White Kyurem within the game ahead of their worldwide release on March 1.
In other developments related to the Pokemon franchise, Niantic has utilized the activities of Pokemon Go players to create a real-world AI navigation model. While expressing ethical reservations about military applications of this technology, the possibility of selling the AI data to governmental entities remains on the table. Meanwhile, reports have emerged connecting the Japanese mob to the laundering of money through Pokemon cards. Additionally, the mobile game Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket achieved remarkable success, amassing 30 million downloads within its first week. Excitingly, fans can anticipate the release of Pokemon Legends Z-A later this year.
