Despite claiming that there would be plenty of partnerships popping up within Pokemon GO, players haven't had all that many to anticipate. Admittedly, more have started appearing lately, with the most recent being a Japan-only McDonald's deal that will see the line of restaurants made into PokeStops that are being covered by lures. This is sure to attract aspiring trainers, but fans outside of the region can't take advantage of such a promotion – which is why it's nice to see Niantic confirm that there are plans to make the game a focal point in community events around the States.

The developer announced that it will be teaming up with the Knight Foundation in order to promote engagement with various community events in the United States of America. The goal of this partnership, according to Niantic, is to "promote civic engagement within public spaces," which it should be able to accomplish for Pokemon GO.

CEO of Niantic, John Hanke, summarized his rationale behind the partnership, stating:

"We founded Niantic to give people the chance to connect with the world around them using technology and games in innovative ways. The partnership with The Knight Foundation is a great forum to explore how technology can drive civic engagement."

The first event that'll be taking advantage of this newfound alliance between Niantic and the Knight Foundation will be Open Streets 704 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The event will kick off on May 7 and is said to feature 16 PokeStops and two Gyms. Better yet, each in-game locale will actually be physically marked for players roaming the area, allowing them to enjoy the ongoings without having to have their heads buried in their phones trying to locate them.

Those outside of Charlotte may not be able to take part in the community event, but Pokemon GO's forthcoming Grass-type event should help to tide fans over in the meantime.

Pokemon GO is currently available on iOS and Android devices.

Source: GameSpot