As we move closer to the first ever Wizards Unite Fan Festival, more details are surfacing as to what fans can expect at this much-awaited event. The event will be held in Indianapolis at White River State Park on August 31 and September 01.
Niantic has learned from Pokémon GO that Pokémon is a sought after commodity. Now, the company is applying the same learning to Wizards Unite, but instead of Pokémon it will be dragons. Introducing dragons makes sense as well, considering these creatures had a significant presence in the Harry Potter universe and they can be segregated on the basis of region as well.
Currently, there are four regional dragons – Chinese Firebolt (Asia), Antipodean Opaleye (Australia), Common Welsh Green (Europe) and Peruvian Vipertooth (Americas).
At the event, players will get Special Assignments, completing which will unlock Dragon encounters for the players. Moreover, the dragons may not be a usual Foundable, rather an Oddity. This means players will have to battle them, like they fight werewolves in the Fortresses.
Hopefully, all the regional dragons will be available for the fans to catch at the event. Once the event is over, the dragons will go back to being regional. Since there is no trading system in the game for now, it could mean that getting these dragons outside the festival could be a rare thing.
The news of the dragons’ arrival first came at the San Diego Comic-Con, where it was confirmed by the Wizards Unite panel. During the event, the Adventure Sync feature, which is yet to arrive in the game, was also confirmed.
Apart from the dragons, another interesting thing to watch for at the event will be the Threat Clock. The clock will tell players the emergency level in the park. If players want to rest, they can plant themselves at the Greenhouse, and for a chance to win some prizes, players can test their knowledge of Herbology, potions and more. Acromantula Eggs will also be strewed around the park, but you have to watch out for them.
To navigate around the registry specific Foundables, creatures and artefacts, you should keep an eye out for the Landmark Flags around the site. These Landmark Flags will be in the physical world, and they will match the digital world. Such a crossover between the real and the digital world is one of the best things that make these fan festivals special.
Additionally, the Threat Clock will also get a physical manifestation. As per Niantic, cool things will happen as the clock reaches emergency.
“A series of Special Assignments will be available at the Fan Festival. Attendees will need to keep an eye on the Threat Clock throughout the day because when the hands reach a state of emergency, who knows what will happen next,” Niantic says.
Talking of what the event could hold outside the game, those attending the event will get to experience magical artefacts and creatures. Moreover, to help players relax, there will be a Wizards Unite themed lounge area.
“A Fully Interactive Experience – Magic will be all around at Harry Potter: Wizards Unite Fan Festival, complete with a real-life Threat Clock, themed lounges and even creatures throughout the White River State Park,” Niantic said, according to iMore.
Players will need to buy tickets to get an entry into the event. One can buy the tickets from an in-app link. All you have to do is click on the suitcase item in-game and then press the button in the upper right to claim your ticket. To be eligible for the ticket, you must be registered and been accepted for a chance to get the tickets.
Here, check this tweet to know more about the process to buy a ticket.
Thanks to community feedback, it’s now even easier to get your ticket to Harry Potter: Wizards Unite Fan Festival! Click the Events button in-game and get your Fan Festival tickets today. pic.twitter.com/TwH878ZJKS
— Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (@HPWizardsUnite) August 15, 2019
Even though the Wizards Unite Fan Festival is a two-day event, players can attend only one of the days. According to Niantic, both days will offer the same experiences. For the early access ticket holders, the Wizards Unite Fan Festival starts at 9 a.m., while for others it is 11 am. The event will run until 7 p.m.
AT&T, which partnered with Niantic to bring fortresses to all AT&T U.S. stores, is also helping Niantic with the fan festival. According to Niantic, players will get exclusive offers and discounts from AT&T and Simon at the event. Players will have to visit A&T Experience for a special in-game item, a picture with a giant inflatable Niffler, exclusive offers and more.
Visiting the booths set up by Simon Properties, which runs shopping malls, will give players a chance to win special prizes, such as a $10 Simon Gift Card, which will be redeemable at any of Simon’s Indianapolis area locations. Moreover, players will also get a chance to enter for a $10,000 shopping spree sweepstakes.