寶可夢在芝加哥的格蘭公園（Grant Park）舉辦了一個遊戲節，只要付 20 美金的入場費就有機會捉到稀有的寶可夢。門票在開賣後 30 分鐘就售罄，有一些沒搶到票的粉絲甚至願意花 400 美金的高價購買黃牛票。
但原本好好的一個慶典卻因為連不到網路的技術性問題而瞬間變成一場災難，很多粉絲都無法玩遊戲，更別說抓寶可夢了…
對於此，官方發出聲明稿，翻譯如下
在Pokémon GO Fest 2017 in Chicago期間，我們遇到了軟體上及網絡上的問題，導致許多人未能連接遊戲。玩家們對於他們早上的經歷感到失望。同時，我們也從人群中聽到很多噓聲及叫喊。對此，我們希望向大家說明事件的由來。
當我們的技術團隊努力不懈地與活動提供者及電訊營運商試圖解決這個問題時，我花了接近整天的時間與活動的出席者進行面對面對話。前往Chicago的Niantic的員工亦為了支援這個活動付出了同樣的努力。在那幾小時間，我與出席者對話，將我們掌握的資訊告訴大家，並講解我們現時的退款政策以及我們一貫的信用，但我仍然聽取了我們玩家們的意見。無可否認地，很多人因這次事件而感到不快，而我亦盡了我最大的能力去聆聽以及幫助他們。有些人可以正常地遊玩（人數亦隨時間過去上升），而他們也能夠捕捉比少數未知圖騰更多的寶可夢。
在那些與我對話的人當中，有很多有關這個遊戲對他們有多重要的故事。有些談及體重下降，有些會談及從嚴重病症中復原的過程，有的則會談及如何與他們的孩子、兄弟姊妹、父母改善關係。當中，很多人因為與朋友四處遊歷而產生出羈絆。而這些故事為我在這個對所有人而言都極度壓抑以及令人失望的日子帶來欣慰。在此，我個人以及Niantic全體都為此產生的不便以及不安道歉。
到底發生了什麼事？遊戲軟體上的技術問題導致客戶端程式崩潰，亦影響了一些用戶的遊戲體驗。這問題於更改伺服器配置後已經解決，同時亦解決了很多，但非全體玩家，的遊戲崩潰問題。更嚴重的問題是由於一些網絡供應商的移動數據網絡出現飽和。這導致大量參與者無法登入Pokémon GO或者使用其他網際網路服務。同時，網絡擁塞導致能正常使用網際網路服務的玩家也無法登入遊戲。在Nitatic配置更改的一刻，無法登入遊戲的問題已經被解決了。
在純粹有關網絡連接的問題上，我們向每一位協辨活動的電訊營運商提供了經詳細估算的出席人數以及每人需求的數據用量，以便他們能夠提供足夠的覆蓋率。部份營運商設置了移動地基台以擴大他們服務的效能。有部份的運營商則認為無需設置移動地基台，因為他們已經於場地設置了其他儀器。玩家向他們電訊營運商回報了不同程度的成功。有一間電訊營運商啟動了Wifi服務，幫助了一部份的玩家，但並非全體玩家。Sprint是其中一間於活動場地內配置了移動地基台的官方協辨者。儘管他們的網絡繁忙，但仍幫上了忙。雖然大量玩家能於當日的大部份時間正常地遊玩，但仍有大量玩家被排除在外。對此，我們對活動計畫作出了幾項調整。
在當日下午較早的時段，我們通知玩家們，我們會為有需要的出席者進行門票退款，亦會給予所有出席者相等於一百美元的PokéCoins，作為造成不便的補償。我們亦於場地週遭開放了”獨特”的寶可夢蛋，令大家可以在網絡訊號較強的地方捕捉他們。
在當日下午較晚的時段，我們公布了挑戰的勝利隊伍，亦讓玩家們知道所有出席者的帳號均會收到一隻傳說寶可夢。
在當日黃昏較早的時段，如同事先準備好給予全球訓練師的遊戲更新一樣，我們於Chicago市中心的周邊地區以及全世界開放了傳說寶可夢急凍鳥和路奇亞的蛋。
這時，Pokémon GO訓練師們達成了一些真棒的事。當人群離開活動，進入網絡訊號較少過度負擔的周邊地區時，他們能夠一起遊玩，一起捕捉野生的傳說寶可夢。經過一整天的奮鬥，看著訓練師們與他們的朋友集合在一起享受那美麗的黃昏真是非常令人鼓舞。正因為一群又一群的Pokémon GO訓練師們於星期日整天在城市徘徊，與傳說寶可夢對戰，這種精神非常順行地蔓延至晚上，然後於第二日繼續展現。一起地，從星期六到星期日，訓練師們在Chicago市中心參與了超過69,000場Raid Battles，以及捕捉了超過7.7百萬隻寶可夢，當中包括超過440,000隻傳說寶可夢。這真是始料不及地驚人，同時也是個對深愛著這個遊戲的人，以及那些分享著羈絆的訓練師的一個證明。
以下為原文
During Pokémon GO Fest 2017 in Chicago we encountered software and network problems that prevented many people from being able to connect to the game. Players were disappointed with their experience that morning, and we heard boos and shouts from the crowd. We’d like to update you on what caused these issues.
While our technical team worked diligently with our event vendor and telecommunications companies to attempt to resolve the issues, I spent nearly the entire day talking face to face with attendees. So did much of the team of Niantic staff who came to Chicago to support the event. During the hours I spent talking to attendees, I passed on the information we had and communicated our policy on refunds and game credits once we had them but mostly I listened to what our players had to say. Certainly many were upset and I did my best to listen and offer any assistance that I could. Some were able to play normally (more on that later) and more than a few Unown Pokémon were captured by those gathered around to talk.
Among those who came up to me, many shared stories of how important the game was to them. Some talked about losing weight, others about a path to recovery after serious illness, and some about repaired relationships with children, siblings and parents. Many groups of friends who had traveled together talked about the shared bond the game created for them. For those stories I am grateful because it was obviously an incredibly stressful and disappointing day for all of us. Both I personally and all of Niantic apologize for the inconvenience and frustration.
What happened? Technical issues with our game software caused client crashes and interfered with gameplay for some users. The gameplay issue was resolved with a server configuration change and the crashes were also addressed for many but not all users. A more protracted problem was caused by oversaturation of the mobile data networks of some network providers. This caused many attendees to be unable to access Pokémon GO or other Internet services. Network congestion also led to a login issue which affected some users able to access the Internet. This latency-related login issue was addressed with a second Niantic configuration change.
On the pure network access issue, we provided detailed estimates on attendance and required data throughput per user to our event partner who worked with the major carriers to allow them to plan for adequate coverage. Some carriers deployed Cellular on Wheels (COWs) to extend their capacity. In other cases the providers deemed them unnecessary based on other infrastructure already in place at the site. Users reported different levels of success with these providers. Wifi was enabled by one provider as a solution which helped some users but not all. Sprint was onsite as an official partner, deployed a COW, and their network was busy but held up well. Although many players were able to play normally for the majority of the day, many were not, and based on that we made a number of adjustments to the event plan.
Early in the afternoon we informed players that we would refund tickets to those who wanted it and would grant $100 USD in PokéCoins to all attendees due to the inconvenience. We also released the 『unique’ Pokémon spawning at the event to the surrounding neighborhoods to give people a way to catch them where the mobile network was stronger.
Later in the afternoon we announced the winner of the challenge and let players know that all attendees would receive a Legendary Pokémon in their accounts.
In the early evening, as part of a planned gameplay update for all Trainers globally, we released the Legendary Pokémon Articuno and Lugia to spawn in a broader area around downtown Chicago and around the world.
That’s when Pokémon GO Trainers did something awesome. As people filed out of the event into surrounding areas where the cellular network was less overburdened, they were able to play together and to capture Legendary Pokémon 『in the wild.』 It was inspiring to watch Trainers band together with their friends and to enjoy the beautiful evening together despite the struggles of the day. That spirit extended well into the night and resumed again the next day with clusters of Pokémon GO Trainers roaming the city battling Legendary Pokémon throughout the day Sunday. Together, from late Saturday to Sunday, Trainers in downtown Chicago participated in more than 69,000 Raid Battles and captured more than 7.7 million Pokémon, including more than 440,000 Legendary Pokémon. It was an amazing sight to behold and is a testament to the love of the game and to the bonds these Trainers share with one another.