Niantic offers full refunds after Pokémon Go Fest debacle
Tech issues rendered the game unplayable, all attendees eligible for a refund and $100 of in-game currency
Niantic has offered registered attendees of Pokémon Go Fest a full refund and in-game currency, after its first official event was blighted by technical and logistical problems.
In a post on its blog, Niantic acknowledged that "a large number of players" had been unable to properly play Pokémon Go due to technical issues. The company has apologised for being unable "to offer every attendee a great experience", and outlined a series of gestures to appease its disappointed fans.
That includes offering a full refund of the $20 ticket price to all registered attendees - though tickets were changing hands for well above that amount online - who will also receive $100 worth of Pokémon Go's in-game currency.
The most common complaint among the many negative reports from the event was the attendees' inability to actually play Pokémon Go. The crowd's frustration at the situation led to negative chanting and boos when Niantic CEO John Hanke took the stage. Kotaku found the video below, which captures the sour atmosphere at the event.
