On June 4th, I made the long journey from Perth, Western Australia, all the way to Jersey City to experience the in-person GO Fest event and ultimately to compete in the North American International Championships (NAIC). Arriving a few days early gave me time to adjust, shake off the 20+ hours of flights, and climatise to the warmer, sunnier vibe compared to Perth’s rainy winter.
New York was everything I imagined and more. Walking through Times Square for the first time felt surreal. This was officially my first time in the U.S., having only been to Hawaii for Worlds the year before. Now I was right in the heart of it all.
GO Fest Time
We chose Sunday for our in-person GO Fest experience, which worked out perfectly since Saturday afternoon was hit with rain. The event was held in Liberty State Park, a beautiful location with views of the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline. When Sunday rolled around, we made our way there and were greeted by four distinct habitats, each with themed spawns to match.
Trainers could also complete Special Research to encounter the mythical Volcanion, a unique dual Fire and Water type. To earn it, players needed to explore all four habitats, complete specific tasks, and rack up catches across each biome. A fun challenge that added some structure to the day.
The layout of Liberty State Park added to the experience. The themed habitats really elevated the atmosphere, creating an immersive vibe that made everything feel that little bit more exciting. I managed to pick up a handful of shinies. Shiny Conductor Falinks, Top Hat Pikachu, and a couple of Unown. Definitely some fun Gym flexes for when I made it back home in Perth.
By the end of the day, I clocked a whopping 41,000 steps, likely the most I’ve ever walked in a single day. My legs were jelly by the end, but totally worth it, especially considering how many New York Pizza and Cheesecake slices I managed to walk off.
The day after, I didn’t even feel like opening the game. I was completely PoGO’d out. But with GO Fest behind me, it was time to switch gears. NAIC was just around the corner, and I needed to lock in my team. This proved tricky, since just days before the event, we got hit with a massive meta shift. It caught the community off guard, especially so close to one of the biggest events of the year, and with Worlds on the horizon too.
Mindset Shift
After plenty of trial and error, one Pokémon in particular caught my attention: Shadow Scizor. With the recent Bullet Punch buff, it suddenly became a legitimate threat, able to rip through teams if you can dodge the Fire types that melt it instantly. Not to mention, it just looks awesome.
From there, I built around it. Its main weakness is obvious: Fire. So naturally, Water types made sense. I paired it with Jellicent, a reliable bulky partner, and rounded out the team with Cradily, Mandibuzz, Diggersby, and Dedenne. A mix of bulk, coverage, and comfort picks that complemented my mechanically focused playstyle, strong energy management, smart switch timer usage, and tactical catches.
After finalising the lineup, we flew out to New Orleans, the site of NAIC 2025. The city had a totally different vibe from New York. We even got to try some of the famous beignets the city is known for. I never thought I’d enjoy a powdered doughnut for breakfast, but there I was, sugar all over me, loving every bite.
Badge pickup day was next. A familiar ritual, collecting our competitor packs filled with goodies like a playmat, NAIC hat, deck boxes, and more. But the real highlight is catching up with friends from past events.
Game Day: NAIC 2025
Friday. Game day.
Players anxiously waited for the brackets to go live. As always, I found myself placed in one of the last groups of the day, meaning my first match wouldn’t be until after 1 PM. The wait was long, but it gave me time to sit back, watch some top-tier battles from the stands, and cheer on fellow Aussies making appearances on stream.
My first opponent was LegendarioGKK, and I was hoping for a smooth start. But I was quickly reminded there’s no such thing at NAIC. Game one slipped away, and the next two were down to the wire. I scraped through with marginal plays, each decision making the difference. I managed to win the next round vs Flckedd with a 2-0 victory, then the chaos.
Next up: ArceusAurelius
Both of our phones had connection issues. In our first game, I led Shadow Scizor into Runerigus, an ideal lead, and managed to get a Night Slash boost immediately. But then both games froze. The internet dropped out. We had to rematch. No boost the second time, and I lost that game.
Game two, More issues. I got the win, but Arceus lost a few turns to lag, and we were forced to replay again. The momentum was gone, and I dropped the match, knocking me down into the losers bracket.
From there, I had to battle through the gauntlet. I beat strong players like ShinyHunterBen, Zimmykid and more, fighting tooth and nail to stay alive. Eventually, I made it all the way to the loser’s final of my bracket. And guess who I had to play again? Yep, ArceusAurelius.
The rematch was intense, but once again, he took me down. The only player to beat me that entire tournament. Fitting, in a way. I ended up Top 33 out of over 300 competitors.
If I had won that last set, I would’ve made it to Day 2. But instead of dwelling on what-ifs, I chose to look forward. I was proud of how I played. Only one Aussie made it to Day 2, TheyLuvJy, and we all cheered him on the next day. He put up a strong fight against BattleBill but ended up being taken down, concluding his run.
Championship Sunday
With the Aussie squad officially knocked out, we could sit back, relax, and enjoy the finals. The top 3 were names everyone knew: P4T0M4N, Ilqm, and ItsAXN. A truly stacked top cut.
Ilqm and P4T0M4N faced off first, delivering a showcase of high-level Pokémon GO. Clutch catches, precision plays, and big-brain reads. P4T0M4N was knocked down, setting Ilqm up in the Losers Final against ItsAXN, the reigning World Champion.
AXN won that match and advanced to the Grand Finals, needing to win two Best-of-Fives to take the title. And somehow, he pulled it off. Ilqm got some insane boosts during the sets, which kept things close, but AXN stayed composed and came out on top.
Back-to-back major wins. World Champion. Portland Champion. Now NAIC Champion. “Cracked” doesn’t even begin to cover it. It’s a testament to his consistency, mental game, and sheer talent.
Wrapping Up
After the finals, it was time to unwind. We attended some socials, caught up with old friends, and met faces I’d only ever talked to online. Moments like these are what make the global Pokémon GO community so special.
Eventually, it was time to make the long journey home. New Orleans to San Francisco (4 hours), San Francisco to Melbourne (15 hours), and finally Melbourne to Perth (another 4). After finally arriving home, I was craving a shower and my own bed to try and refresh before overcoming the jetlag.
This article is extra special to me because it marks my 100th published article on Pokémon GO Hub. I couldn’t think of a better story to pair with that milestone. GO Hub has been an outlet for me to share my experiences, thoughts, and passion with the community. Back in 2021, I was lucky enough to meet some of our writers in London, and the GO Hub crew remains one of the best groups I’ve ever worked with.
On behalf of GO Hub, thank you to everyone who’s read, supported, and followed along with our work. Here’s to the next hundred.
Until next time, Trainers.
Stay safe and take care.
