The Pokémon GO team

Trainers,

Trade Evolution has long been an iconic mechanic in the main Pokémon series. We are excited to adapt this feature to Pokémon GO!

Trading certain Pokémon will result in no Candy cost to evolve them. More Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region are also coming to Pokémon GO—and some of them will benefit from the addition of trade Evolution, too.

Trade Evolution

• How it works: Trade an eligible Pokémon to lower the Candy cost to evolve them.
• Which Pokémon can gain Evolution benefits from trading? Kadabra, Machoke, Graveler, and Haunter are some Pokémon that...

Trainers,

Ready those Incubators! The Adventure Sync Hatchathon is back, and it’s the perfect time to get a leg up on your New Year’s resolutions. During the Adventure Sync Hatchathon, you can be rewarded with extra Stardust, Rare Candies, and a Unova Stone if you walk a certain distance. You can find Pokémon wearing party hats by hatching Eggs and encountering Pokémon in the wild, too.

Date + Time

From Thursday, January 2, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Thursday, January 16, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PST (GMT −8)

Features

• You might be able to hatch a Pichu or Wurmple wearing a party hat from a 2 km Egg.
• You’ll have the chance to hatch Pichu wearing party hats from 7 km Eggs.
• In two-star raids, you’ll have the chance t...

Trainers,

As December’s last event, Pokémon GO Holidays 2019, wraps up, we set our eyes toward the new year on the horizon! As we ring in 2020, you can look forward to the following events and features.

1. More Team GO Rocket Special Research
2. January Research Breakthrough encounter: Lapras that know Ice Shard and Ice Beam
3. The egg-citing Adventure Sync Hatchathon is back
4. Heatran blazes back into raids
5. Unova nouveau in the new year

January Team GO Rocket Special Research

The fight against Team GO Rocket continues! Activate the new Special Research during the month of January to hel...

Trainers,

Thank you for sharing your feedback when it comes to Pokémon GO Community Day hours and how it impacts different regions. The safety and wellbeing of our Trainers is of the upmost importance, so moving forward we plan on testing Community Day hours that are based on the hemisphere that you reside in.

For January Community Day, the event times are as follows:

• Northern Hemisphere—Sunday, January 19, 2020, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in your local time zone
• Southern Hemisphere—Sunday, January 19, 2020, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in your local time zone

Please note that countries located on the equator line will be impacted by the split by hemisphere. We ask Trainers plan accordingly if they are impacted due to their location.

We look forward to your continued feedback and support of Community Day as we continue to experiment with times that work for all Trainers to participate in ...

Trainers,

The bond between Trainers and their Pokémon has been at the core of every part of the Pokémon franchise, from the main-series games to the anime and beyond. The partnership between a Pokémon and its Trainer is built on trust, and as with any great partnership, those involved grow together, play together, and explore together. In the new Buddy Adventure feature, Trainers worldwide will be able to experience what it’s really like to have a Pokémon exploring the world with them.

Collaborating with our partners like Best Buddies!

“Since launching Pokémon GO, this might be the most collaborative feature...

Trainers,

Get ready to explore the world with your Buddy Pokémon! In the all-new Buddy Adventure feature, your buddy will be by your side in your Pokémon GO explorations like never before.

Buddy Adventure is an elevated bonding experience for Trainers and their buddies. You’ll get to know your Buddy Pokémon’s mood as you increase your Buddy Level by playing with your buddy, feeding your buddy treats, and battling and exploring with your buddy. In addition, swapping Buddy Pokémon no longer resets progress toward earning Candy. Like any great Pokémon Trainer, you’ll find that the world around you will become richer with Pokémon by your side as they grow with you and help you along your journey.

The Buddy Adventure feature set will roll out to Trainers around the world by 2020.

Trainers,

The year of 2019 has been incredible, and we can’t thank you enough for joining us on this adventure! From encountering Pokémon discovered in regions like Sinnoh and Unova to taking on Team GO Rocket and their infamous boss Giovanni, this year has brought so much to Pokémon GO that we can’t wait to see what happens in 2020! But before we move into a fresh new year, we wanted to revisit a few of our favorite memories.

What were your Pokémon GO highlights this year, Trainer? Reminisce with us on social media with #PokemonGO!

January

• Adventure Sync Hatchathon—We kicked off the year strong...

Trainers,

In this special Community Note, we’re excited to share some more details on GO Battle League, upcoming changes to the combat system, attacks that some Pokémon will be able to learn in Pokémon GO for the first time, and some familiar attacks certain Pokémon will be able to learn once again!

Let’s GO!

Leagues, seasons, ranks, rules, and more!

Pokémon GO Battle League will be a triathlon-style contest!

• Battles will take place in all three leagues: Great League, Ultra League, and Master League. However, only one league will be available at a time, and they will all rotat...

Trainers,

While 2019 might be winding down, the world of Pokémon GO never stops! From raids to Pokémon (Shadow Pokémon, Legendary Pokémon, or Legendary Shadow Pokémon!) to new avatar items, there’s so much to look forward to this holiday season. Get cozy, Trainers—it’s going to be a long list full of cool gifts from us to you!

1. A Challenging Development—Team GO Rocket Special Research
2. Different Pokémon will be hatching from Eggs
3. Virizion glides into five-star raids
4. Lugia and Ho-Oh Special Raid Weekend!
5. Pokémon GO Holidays 2019
6. Warm up with a special winter weekend event!

A Challenging Devel...

Trainers,

Perhaps one of the greatest lessons we learn from Pokémon is that it’s possible to evolve into a surprising and cool being—sometimes we just need a little boost or help! Let’s celebrate how much your Pokémon (and you) have grown this year with the first-ever Evolution Event and an accompanying Raid Day. Pokémon Evolution can depend on whether a Pokémon is a certain gender or has spent time as a Buddy Pokémon. Sometimes Evolution occurs because of particular items, times of day, or Lure Modules. During this event, you’ll be able to explore all these unique ways Pokémon evolve!

Evolution Event Look forward to Evoluti...

Trainers,

As 2019 wraps up, we wanted to thank you all for making this year’s Community Days awesome. To celebrate this year, look forward to a special two-day event featuring Community Day encounters and bonuses on Saturday, December 14, and Sunday, December 15, 2019, as a thank-you for joining us for the 2019 Community Day series.

Community Day Schedule: Saturday, December 14, 2019

From 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in your local time zone, you can enjoy the following benefits.

• Pokémon appearing more frequently in the wild: Totodile, Swinub, Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, Ralts, Slakoth, Trapinch, Bagon, Turtwig, ...

Trainers,

We’ve intercepted messages from Team GO Rocket that indicate they’re planning to take over more PokéStops and capture more Pokémon! There will be an increased amount of Team GO Rocket activity in your area soon, and we’re sure this won’t be the last time. We’ll share any other intercepted messages we receive if something like this happens again!

Sources seem to point to the following information.

The increased activity is set to happen on...

• Sunday, November 24, 2019, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in your local time zone.

Keep your eyes peel...

Trainers,

Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield have been released on Nintendo Switch! In celebration of the latest games in the Pokémon series, Galarian Weezing will be appearing in four-star Raid Battles around the world right after November Community Day ends!

Date + Time

• Saturday, November 16, 2019, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in your local time zone

Features

• Galarian Weezing will appear in four-star raids!
• After this Raid Hour, Galarian Weezing will occasionally appear in raids.

You might notice that Galarian Weezing...

Trainers,

We’re excited to announce the worldwide rollout of Niantic Wayfarer, a tool for determining PokéStops and Gyms, to level 40 Trainers! In addition, level 40 Trainers worldwide will now be eligible to submit PokéStop and Gym nominations within Pokémon GO.

We hope that the launch of Wayfarer, and the global expansion of PokéStop and Gym nominations, will help in our continued efforts to create an engaging experience worldwide and give Trainers like you the opportunity to shape Pokémon GO.

You can learn more about Niantic Wayfarer and what makes a quality review by visiting wayfarer.nianticla...

Trainers,

As the year draws to a close, we’re excited to let you know about the Pokémon GO events on the horizon! Look forward to in-game festivities that will explore Pokémon types, introduce you to Legendary Pokémon, and celebrate friendship during this joyful time!

Supereffective Week

Did you know that Fairy-type moves are super effective in battle against Fighting-type Pokémon? Or that Psychic-type Pokémon are weak to Bug-type moves? Take part in Supereffective Week to learn more about Pokémon types, and you might discover an exciting Pokémon to partner up with in battle against Team GO Rocket!

Date + Time...

Trainers,

We’ve received word from the team leaders that they’ve fought and defeated the Team GO Rocket Leaders! Since their initial meetings with each of Team GO Rocket’s leaders, the leaders of Team Instinct, Team Mystic, and Team Valor have practiced their battle strategies, learned from each other, and felt inspired by each of you to better prepare for their next battle. To catch up with the events that have led to this point, be sure to check out the ...

Trainers,

The world of Pokémon GO is in peril! Team GO Rocket Leaders Cliff, Sierra, and Arlo have made their move and can be encountered by Trainers worldwide! Not only have they caught more Shadow Pokémon and strengthened them through unnatural means—their arrival also confirms a suspicion Professor Willow has held for a while: Giovanni, the boss of both Team GO Rocket and the original Team Rocket, may have arrived in the world of Pokémon GO.

The Team GO Rocket Leaders and Giovanni also seem to be using new technology to conceal the locations of their hideouts. Professor Willow, Spark, Blanche, and Candela have been hard at work developing new devices to counter Team GO Rocket’s new tech, and we ask you to explore the world around you, battle the Team GO Rocket Leaders, and conduct Special Research to find and defeat Giovanni!

1. Open up your Special Research: Looming in the Shadows — Professor Willow has issued new Special ...

Trainers,

The movement of the Team GO Rocket Leaders seems to have disrupted Pokémon habitats, and certain Pokémon have apparently become more common! We have yet to understand why these Pokémon in particular are suddenly appearing more frequently. Perhaps they have some special significance wherever Team GO Rocket came from?

Date + Time

• Thursday, November 7, 2019, at 1 p.m. PST until Thursday, November 14, 2019, at 1 p.m. PST (GMT −8)

Features

• Oddly specific Pokémon have started appearing more often, like Ekans, Meowth, and Koffing! Our researc...

Trainers,

Professor Willow has kept a detailed log of his research concerning Team GO Rocket. He’s shared this log with us in hopes we can support him and the team leaders when it comes to this threat. We’ve prepared his report for you below and will continue to update as he shares more of his findings.

Stay safe and stay alert, Trainers!

—The Pokémon GO team

...

Trainers,

Cobalion, the Iron Will Pokémon, is coming to five-star raids! This Steel- and Fighting-type Legendary Pokémon is said to have a body and heart of steel, so it’s in your favor to challenge it with Fire-, Fighting-, and Ground-type Pokémon.

Date + Time

From Monday, November 4, 2019, at 1 p.m. to Tuesday, November 26, 2019, at 1 p.m. PST (GMT −8)

Features

• Cobalion will make its debut in five-star raids.

Cobalion is part of a trio of Pokémon said to have challenged humans in order to protect other Pokémon. The three are rarely seen apart, so look forward to m...