Why 'Pokémon Go' Needs More Events: Lapras Brings In $208 Million For Town Ravaged By 2011 Earthquake

In the United States, Pokémon Go has had holiday events and corporate sponsorship promotions, but never a real event. There has not been an announcement from Niantic that rare Pokémon would spawn more in a certain spot, which is I think is a major disappointment to the fans. Catching a Dragonite or a Snorlax is impossible for some rural players, who barely get any spawns themselves.

Imagine if Niantic increased the spawn rates of a rare Pokémon in a certain town, giving players a reason to go there. In Ishinomaki, Japan they did just that. From Nov. 11 to 23, Lapras, one of the rarer Pokémon in the mobile game, spawned more frequently. According to Japanese sources, the event pulled over 100,000 people and earned the town 20 billion yen, or $208 million. The area was devastated in the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and still hasn’t really recovered.

The event cost the city $280,000, broken down into advertisements, event necessities and a “Niantic system update.” According to locals on reddit, the town is already starting to see what a massive of influx of cash can do. Lights that had been devastated by the tsunami were finally being worked on while tourists filled the streets.

Why We Need More Pokémon Go Lapras Events

Niantic needs to start creating events for U.S. Pokémon Go players. Getting people to show up in a town after a tragedy is hard – it’s much easier to ignore the devastation of the world than face it head on. Giving players a reason to travel to a town they wouldn’t normally visit could change everything.

Let’s say Niantic has an increased spawn rate of a Snorlax in a town destroyed by a tornado. That town then becomes a hub for commerce and tourism for a couple of weeks, where the locals benefit financially. The town that’s struggling to rebuild now has a massive influx of support from visiting Pokémon Go players that could bring money, or at least awareness, necessary to get the town back in order.

It seems a little weird to try and get people to help through virtual pets in balls, but we’ve already seen the effects of an event like this in Japan. After two weeks, the event ends and the town gains some semblance of normalcy back.

Niantic isn’t the Red Cross and I’m not asking them to be. Still, it would be nice if they helped instead of dragging along players wishing for a Christmas event.