Niantic has released a new video with more details for Operation: Ko Lan. With the video, a new Operation: Ko Lan events page with even more details about the event has been released. Here is the video:
What is Operation: Ko Lan?
A new event from Niantic for Agents in Ingress from April 11-15 2019. Teams of 6 for each faction will compete during Cassandra Prime for the opportunity to submit an application, as well as Prime Challenges at each Primary location during the other Anomalies throughout the year. The chosen 2 teams picked from the submissions, 12 Agents total, will be sent to the island of Ko Lan in Thailand to compete in various challenges in an attempt to win the Osiris Stone which will play a key role in the Finale Anomaly, Abaddon Prime in May of 2019. There will be 3 locations in this series on different dates. May 4, 2019, in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. May 11, 2019, in Amsterdam, NL. And the Finale on May 25, 2019, in Chicago, IL, USA
You can see the island of Ko Lan on Google Earth:
https://earth.google.com/web/@12.91755595,100.77830545,118.73439133a,11329.34593844d,35y,0h,45t,0r
More information below from the event site for Operation: Ko Lan:
Two select Ingress Squads, of up to 6 Ingress Agents each will be chosen to compete in Ingress Prime: Operation Ko Lan – the Ultimate Ingress Challenge. These two opposing Squads (1 from Enlightened, 1 from Resistance) will be whisked to the remote island of Ko Lan and other mysterious sites in Thailand, with travel, food, and lodging expenses paid for by the NIA. Upon arrival, they will be deployed by the NIA’s Tactical and Kinetic Operations special forces to complete a series of intense physical and strategy challenges, leading them ultimately to a Prime Object that Dr. Oliver Lynton-Wolfe claims is hidden somewhere on remote beaches or waters in or around Ko Lan.
Form your Squads carefully: the keeper of this Prime Object will unlock key powers for their Faction to employ during the Abaddon Prime finale in May of 2019.
Step 1 – Compete in a Prime Challenge: Get your Squad of (up to) 6 Agents together for a Prime Challenge event being held at an XM Anomaly coming to a city near you. During the Cassandra Prime series, Prime Challenges are being held in San Diego, Philadelphia, Sapporo, Singapore, Warsaw, and Linz.
The top three squads (from each Faction) in each Primary city, as determined by the NIA’s Tactical and Kinetic Ops team, will have the opportunity to submit an Application for Consideration.
Step 2 – Submit a Squad Application: Since the NIA will be fully funding the trips for up to 12 Agents, the two Squads will be chosen at the discretion of the NIA. Applications to include:
1) confirmation of willingness and ability to participate in Operation Ko Lan
2) a video showcasing your individual personalities, real-world physical skills, Ingress enthusiasm, and strong team dynamic
3) a video about building your community: the friends and Ingress family you’ve helped to create in your city, and any activities you would like to showcase (e.g. community service)