Having been at IGN for almost 10 years now, I’ve attended my fair share of unusual press events for upcoming games, movies, comics, and TV shows. I’ve floated in the air inside a Batman-themed skydiving wind tunnel at San Diego Comic-Con. I’ve watched a group of Diablo cosplayers perform a ritual to summon Zedd to DJ the D4 launch party. And I’ve been taught by Captain America’s stunt double how to fight Iron Man. But the invitation I received from The Pokémon Company International this week may be the most unusual of all.
Back in 2019, a curious new game called Pokémon Sleep was announced. It immediately raised numerous questions. Is this a Pokémon game you play in your sleep? How does one play a Pokémon game in their sleep? Do Porygon dream of Mareep? But years passed without another word about the game, leaving the gaming community to wonder if Pokémon Sleep was something we collectively dreamed up — and leaving those questions unanswered. Except for the last one. The answer is no, they dream of Mega Ampharos. (Who doesn’t?)
Now, four years later, Pokémon Sleep has emerged from its prolonged slumber, and I was invited to a media event where we’d get a hands-on demo of the game and spend the night at a hotel to try it out, all expenses paid. I didn’t quite understand at first. “Do I actually have to spend the night to try out the game?” I asked in an email. “Yes,” the publicist replied. Upon reflection, it was a stupid question. The game is called Pokémon Sleep, after all.
I ran the invite by IGN’s Senior Features Editor, Matt Kim, and he enthusiastically encouraged me to accept it, so long as I wrote about it in this travelog style. Hey, an unusual media event calls for an unusual article. (If you’re mad that I’ve already written 300 words and I still haven’t gotten to the game preview, send your frustrations to @LawofTD.)
I packed an overnight bag with all of the essentials – clothes, toiletries, a swimsuit in case there’s a pool, a flight suit in case there’s another wind tunnel, and a few Pokémon TCG decks in case anyone would dare challenge me to a battle.
Before I got in my car to head over, I had a moment of reflection to appreicate just how bizarre it was to drive to a hotel in Santa Monica not even 20 minutes from my apartment so I could attend a Pokémon Sleep-over. (Note: all expenses were paid for by The Pokémon Company International.)
The host hotel sounded fancy, which shouldn’t have been a surprise because the amount I’ve given The Pokémon Company in exchange for Pokémon cards alone could buy a small island, so, you know, they’ve got the money. It was located a PokéBall’s throw away from the beach, along the bustling Ocean Avenue, where I used to sit and talk with you. Turns out it was a “Hotel & Bungalow,” although I admit I didn’t know what a bungalow was. My brain suggested it was some kind of hammock.
Arriving at the Pokémon Sleep Event
5:30 pm - I roll up to the Hotel & Bungalow and see it is a fancy place indeed. I see a shiny Tesla and brand new BMW, and I immediately become self-conscious about my beat-up Honda Accord that hasn’t been washed in a month. When I came to a stop out front, a valet opened my door, took my keys, and tried to unload my luggage, but I insisted I do it, for some reason. When I was closing the trunk he grabbed my bag with an iron grip and offered to escort me to the front desk, and I felt it was in my best interest to stop resisting his polite service and let him do his job.
I check in with a lovely woman at the front desk. She tells me there’s a selection of fine dining options on-site, as well as a pool, but no wind tunnel, and I feel embarrassed for bringing the flight suit. I see two other guests checking in, one wearing a black hoodie with a white Pikachu on the back. I relax and realize I am among my people now.
5:45 pm - I unlock my room door using a neat wooden keycard and walk in to see a nicely decorated room with a big bed and a welcome basket waiting for me on the desk. No hammocks to be found. Disappointing.
I open it up to find a Kanto Gym Badge backpack, a Pikachu toiletries bag, a Pikachu holiday-themed blanket, and a cute little sleeping Snorlax plushie. Everything a Pokémon Trainer needs to catch Pokémon in their sleep, I assume.
I immediately bond with the tiny Snorlax and tears well in my eyes from its overbearing cuteness.
A few informational notecards bearing the Pokémon Sleep logo give a taste of what to expect from the game. I had already watched the Pokémon Sleep trailer released earlier that day, so I felt super smart already knowing everything on the cards. I spend the next hour feeling smug, unpacking my bag, answering a few work emails, and even manage to squeeze in 30 minutes of doom scrolling.
6:45 pm - I head downstairs to the event space and check in at the front with my PR contact Erich, who I’m meeting for the first time IRL. He gives me a warm greeting, hands me a black cardboard box containing a smartphone, and innocently asks if I brought any Pokémon decks. See? Always be prepared! He says he wants to play me with his Gardevoir deck, and I make a mental note to pack my deck full of Gardevoir counters and pretend like they were always in there. But our battle will have to wait, because the Pokémon Sleep presentation is about to begin.
7:00 pm - I enter the room and see it’s decorated with all manner of sleeping Pokémon. There’s an abundance of Snorlax, natch. While waiting for everyone else to finish checking in, I catch up with some old colleagues and make some new friends as we enjoy drinks and snacks. I accidentally spill my drink down my shirt. No one notices.
7:35 pm - The Pokémon PR team surprises us with what appears to be a person wearing a giant inflatable Snorlax costume. Squeals of joy can be heard throughout the room. I stop squealing and line up to take a picture.
How to Play Pokémon Sleep
7:43 pm - We gather into the presentation room and finally, after years of waiting, we are told exactly what Pokémon Sleep is. Doing the grand unveiling is Yuri Horie, App Product Marketing Manager from The Pokémon Company International, and joining her via Zoom is Kaname Kosugi, Pokémon Sleep Director from The Pokémon Company.
She explains that Pokémon Sleep is a different kind of game that uses a different kind of art style than other Pokémon games. (I’d describe it as having a children’s storybook quality.) The game will be released at the end of Summer 2023. (Hey, that’s soon!)
In the game, the player helps Professor Neroil research Snorlax’s mysterious ability to emit Drowsy Power, which causes Pokémon that gather around it to get drowsy. (A quick Google search reveals that “neroil” is the name of the oil extracted from orange blossoms to use in perfumes and food, and is, allegedly, one of the secret ingredients in Coca-Cola.)
The player assists by using the Pokémon Sleep app to track their sleep at night, and then that data is used to play the game when you wake up. There’s no actual gameplay at night. You just tap a button to signal to the app that you’re going to sleep, then place your phone or Pokémon GO Plus + on the bed near your pillow face down. Yuri noted that it’s best to have the device on the bed close to you, and not to put it on a hard surface. This best lets the device use its accelerometer to detect and record your sleep patterns. And don't forget to plug your phone in so the battery doesn't die halfway through the night.