How to Start a Party in Pokemon Go: Party Play Explained

With so many new features and events happening in Pokemon Go, it can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming to keep up with all its shiny bells and whistles. Recently, Niantic added Party Play, another way for trainers to buddy up in real life and earn rewards in the game.

If you’re curious about this new feature in Pokemon Go, the first step is learning how to start or join a party in Party Play. Let’s cover the basics so you can gather your friends and take on Party Play Challenges together.

Related: What Are Party Play Challenges in Pokemon Go? Party Play Challenges Explained

What is Party Play in Pokemon Go and How Do I Join In?

Party Play in Pokemon Go is a new feature where players can join up as part of a group to take on special challenges together—a few notes before you decide to jump in.

You need to be at least Level 15 to access Party Play in the game, so if you’re below that level, you may not see the option until you earn more XP.

Party Play does not support remote play at this time, meaning you’ll need to be in-person with the people you party up with in order to take on challenges and travel the Pokemon Go map together.

If you’ve satisfied these requirements and want to engage in Party Play for Pokemon Go, your next step is to create or join a party.

How to Start a Party as the Host for Party Play in Pokemon Go

In order to partake in Party Play in Pokemon Go, someone will need to “host” the party. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean you’ll have to pull out all the stops and provide snacks. All this means is that one member of the party will be the one to officially start that group in the app so the other players can join.

To start a party in Pokemon Go as the host; you’ll first navigate to your trainer profile in the app by clicking on the icon of your avatar at the bottom left of the screen. From here, you’ll see the new “Party” tab at the top of your screen. Click on “Party” to go to the Party Play menu.

As the host, you’ll want to hit the “Create” option to create a party other nearby trainers can join. Doing this will generate a QR code and a 9-digit code number. Have your friends scan the QR code or type in the party code to join.

Once your party is assembled, you, as the host, will be the one to press “start” to enter Party Play mode in Pokemon Go.

How to Join a Party in Party Play for Pokemon Go

Not the leadership type? If you’re trying to join a party hosted by a friend, you’ve got a few fewer steps to take.

First, open up your trainer profile by clicking on your avatar at the bottom left of your phone screen. Click on the “Party” tab to open the Party Play menu from there.

Once here, you’ll tap “Join Party.” This will prompt you to “Find the Host,” a reminder that you’ll need to be near your friends in order to participate in Party Play. Hit “Okay,” and then you’ll be able to scan the QR code from your host’s device or hit the “Party Code” tab to enter the numeric code instead.

From here, your host will see that you’ve joined from their screen and will be able to start Party Play once everyone has assembled.

By following these steps, you can participate in Party Play Challenges and get extra power during raids in Pokemon Go.