A staple event that is happening every year should be great, right? Well, that is not the case in Pokémon GO though.
Sustainability Week events are happening once per year, and they first began back in 2021. The background of this event is due to the partnership with the Niantic Sustainability Campaign, and the goal was (or is?) to bring in-game rewards for something Trainers will be doing in real life. That is how Sustainability Week was born back in 2021.
Since it was a first back then, the Sustainability Week 2021 was awesome. Filled with new Pokémon debuts, many new Pocket Monsters appearing in the wild, and even more hatching from Eggs. Of course, the bonuses were awesome, and we were tasked with Tiers, and each Tier had its rewards. It was awesome.
The following year, there weren’t any Tiers, but there were Collection Challenges that made the Sustainability Week 2022 a bit more interesting. Staying on track, Shiny Cherubi and Oranguru paved the way into Pokémon GO. The bonuses were not bad, but not great. Mediocre, I should say.
On the other hand, the Sustainability Week 2023 event was awesome. Themed Pokémon everywhere, Shiny Drilbur arrived in the game, as well as Bounsweet. There was both Special Research and Timed Research, and overall Trainers spent more time outside with their Buddy Pokémon. It was awesome.
However, that Sustainability spark soon disappeared, with the latest Sustainability Week 2024 event. Not a single Pokémon debut, being Shiny or a new one. The bonuses are miserable, and there is nothing really special in this event. I can say that this year’s event is the worst one. There isn’t any value, and mind you, this is a campaign that is important to both Niantic and the world. The least they could do is release a new Pokémon. This year, our Buddy Pokémon will be scouring the map to find souvenirs. What a shame.
A lot of things are missing from this year, but I hope that the next one will be better.
