Are you ready for some Overwatch fun in the sun? The Summer Games event returns tomorrow, July 20, with new skins and is expected to last until August 10, plenty of time to get in some raucous games of Lucioball. That’s right, the Lucioball game mode is returning. If you somehow haven’t had a chance to play it yet, now’s the time. It’s kind of like football (soccer) with its own special mechanics, basically lots of zooming around and blasting balls into goals. 

Weekly challenges are in play for players to complete and earn legendary skins. New skins are in the pool here and have been showcased on Blizzard’s social channels, if you want a quick look at some of the fashion options that are perfect for summer Overwatch.

Treat yo’self.

Scoop up your enemies as Sprinkles Mei [Legendary] in Overwatch Summer Games, live tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/X1inJP6oOE

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) July 19, 2021

Yes, there’s a Sprinkles Mei. You heard me correctly. What better way to dish out the cold chill of game wins than with a freaking ice cream-themed Mei? Seriously. No Mac and Cheese ice cream here, but there are sprinkles. Makes you want to just go find an old-fashioned ice cream parlor and load up on a sundae. Or you know, just unlock the skin, whichever comes first.

Shell yea.

Splash into Overwatch Summer Games as Poolside Ashe [Legendary] starting tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/3Hb8vtTquF

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) July 19, 2021

Another event skin that’s sure to be a hit is Poolside Ashe. Fun in the sun, super-soaker style weaponry, and yes, even a freaking pink flamingo hat for BOB are all on deck with this skin. There’s a shark charm on the gun too, just in case the other accoutrements weren’t enough to have you chasing this skin down.

Long time no sea.

Plunge into Overwatch Summer Games as Mermaid Symmetra, beginning July 20! pic.twitter.com/gcpooD5FHz

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) July 18, 2021

There are plenty of other skins to look forward to as well, but for Symmetra players out there, you can live the mermaid dream. That’s right, there’s a Mermaid Symmetra skin. It looks exactly like you probably envision it.

The action all begins tomorrow! While we’re still holding out for news on Overwatch 2 all the time, this is a returning event that’s always added a bit of summer fun to the standard Overwatch mix, so I can’t complain about the addition of sprinkles and sharks. Are you going to be hunting the new legendary skins or kicking around in some Lucioball? Let us know in the comments!

Pokémon Go Fest returned this past weekend for its 5th year, allowing trainers from all over the world to get out and try to catch ‘em all. Participants were able to join the fun from anywhere by purchasing a Go Fest ticket in the app to unlock special challenges and events throughout the weekend. Those who did buy a ticket helped put on a virtual Pokémon concert and were treated to rotating habitats allowing for even more types of monsters to catch than normal.

Obviously, this year’s Go Fest was very different from last year’s all-virtual event. Niantic decided on a hybrid event this time and threw celebrations in over 20 cities around the world while allowing those who couldn’t make it in person or chose to play at a safe distance to work together towards global challenges. Because of this flexible nature, trainers hit some very impressive numbers while celebrating Go Fest 2021:

• 1.5 billion Pokémon were caught
• Trainers spun PokéStops 900 million times
• 23 million raids were completed
• Trainers collectively walked over 125 million kilometers

Yes, that says 1.5 billion Pokémon. A tremendous feat by trainers, for sure. We’ll have to wait to see if whether Niantic decides to keep with this formula or revert back to only local celebrations next year. The numbers above point to huge levels of engagement from the public, and are encouraging for Go Fest being more accessible in the future.

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While I wasn’t able to join in the fun, I saw plenty of trainers around downtown Chicago proudly wearing their Pokémon gear and exploring the city to fill out their Pokédex and hunt down a shiny they maybe haven't found yet. Some were even wearing cute paper Pikachu hats. Apparently, a massive inflatable egg was set up in a park nearby for trainers to gather, and now I’m pretty bummed I missed out on the festivities. Hopefully, I’ll make it next year!

Did you take part in Pokémon Go Fest this year? What were your favorite moments, and which awesome Pokémon did you manage to catch? Let us know in the comments!