Roll Up, Roll Up, Pokémon Go’s latest in-game event starts today, April 20 — and fans think it contains a cheeky nod to 4/20.
Today brings the long-awaited free release of Grass-type Mythical Pokémon Shaymin — for those who didn’t cough up paid Go Fest tickets last summer.
Grabbing players’ attention is the event’s new special research questline – titled “Grass and Gratitude” – which is now available alongside the game’s similarly grass-themed sustainability week.
This is the second year in a row that Pokémon Go developer Niantic has held a Sustainability Weed event — sorry, Week Event – over 4/20. Last year’s event saw the debut of a shiny version of the Grass-type Pokémon Cherubi. Number of Pokémon in the franchise’s official Pokedex? #420.
Maybe it’s all smoke and no fire? But to be blunt, some fans now believe that references to 4/20 are high on the agenda now, and some are regular additions.
For more information on Pokémon Go’s Grass and Gratitude research, check out the Eurogamer guide.