What Is the Pokemon GO Tour Pass? New Free Progression Feature, Explained

The Pokémon GO Tour Pass: A Free and Paid Adventure

Recently, Niantic's announcements of new in-game passes have prompted a common question: "How much will it cost?" The new Pokémon GO Tour Pass, however, is a surprising exception – it's free! But what exactly does it offer?

Understanding the Pokémon GO Tour Pass

Introduced with the Pokémon GO Tour: Unova global event, the Tour Pass features a system of tasks and rewards. Players earn Tour Points by completing various in-game activities. These points unlock rewards, boost rank, and enhance event bonuses during the Unova event.

The standard Tour Pass is free, automatically granted to players when the event starts (February 24th, 10 AM local time). A paid version, the Tour Pass Deluxe ($14.99 USD or equivalent), offers an immediate Victini encounter, upgraded rewards, and faster progression.

Earning Tour Points and Their Benefits

Tour Points are earned through familiar in-game activities: catching Pokémon, participating in raids, and hatching eggs. Daily Pass Tasks provide additional points.

Accumulated points unlock rewards, increase player rank within the Tour Pass tiers, and unlock bonuses. Higher ranks yield better rewards, such as Pokémon encounters, candy, Poké Balls, and more. Crucially, rank also boosts Catch XP:

• 1.5x Catch XP at Tier 2
• 2x Catch XP at Tier 3
• 3x Catch XP at Tier 4

While Niantic hasn't revealed all rewards, the free Tour Pass culminates in a Zorua encounter with a unique background. The Deluxe Pass offers a different top-tier reward: the Lucky Trinket.

Decoding the Lucky Trinket

Exclusive to the Tour Pass Deluxe, the Lucky Trinket is a single-use item that transforms a friend into a Lucky Friend. This allows for a Lucky Pokémon trade without requiring Best Friend status (Great Friends are required to use the item). Note that Lucky Trinkets acquired during GO Tour: Unova expire on March 9th, 2025.

Pokémon GO is available now.