Trainers,

It’s almost time to leave 2020 behind us and head towards a new year—2021 is just around the corner! We’ve got lots in store, so buckle up for Pokémon GO’s January events.

January Research Breakthrough encounter

From Friday, January 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. to Monday, February 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. PST (GMT −8), you’ll encounter Chansey in Research Breakthroughs.

Featured Pokémon in five-star raids and Mega Raids

Things are heating up in raids this January! The following Legendary and Mythical Pokémon will be appearing in five-star raids throughout January—one of which is appearing for the first time!

• Ho-Oh will be appearing in raids from Friday, January 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. PST (GMT −8) to Tuesday, January 5, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time. If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny Ho-Oh!
• Genesect holding a Burn Drive will be appearing in raids from Tuesday, January 5, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Tuesday, January 12, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
• Heatran will be appearing in raids from Tuesday, January 12, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Tuesday, January 19, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time. If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny Heatran!
• Kyogre and Groudon will be appearing in raids from Tuesday, January 19, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Tuesday, January 26, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time. If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny Kyogre or Shiny Groudon!
• A surprise Pokémon will be appearing in raids beginning on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.

In addition, the following Mega-Evolved Pokémon will be appearing in Mega Raids.

• Mega Charizard Y, Mega Blastoise, and Mega Abomasnow will be appearing in Mega Raids, with Mega Charizard Y becoming even more powerful from Tuesday, January 5, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. through Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 10:00am local time. Mega Blastoise is also a prime pick to use in five-star raids this month, so make sure to stock up on Blastoise Mega Energy!
• On Tuesday, January 19, 2021, a certain Mega-Evolved Pokémon will make its Pokémon GO debut in Mega Raids! More details will come to light as we get closer to the date. Mega Venusaur and Mega Houndoom will also be appearing in Mega Raids beginning on January 19, with Mega Houndoom being even more powerful from Tuesday, January 26, 2021, through Monday, February 8, 2021.

Pokémon Spotlight Hours

In the month of January, Pokémon Spotlight Hour will take place every Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. local time, and each hour will spotlight a different Pokémon and special bonus!

• Tuesday, January 5, 2021: Lillipup will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Stardust for catching Pokémon.
• Tuesday, January 12, 2021: Drifloon will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the XP for catching Pokémon.
• Tuesday, January 19, 2021: Shroomish will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Candy for catching Pokémon.
• Tuesday, January 26, 2021: Phanpy will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Candy for transferring Pokémon.

Celebrate 2021 with our New Year’s–themed event

Happy 2020! Wait, no—it’ll be 2021 in just a few days. Turns out Slowpoke is just late to the game as always. Silly Slowpoke!

For this year’s New Year’s event, you can expect new costumed Pokémon (like a silly Slowpoke wearing 2020 glasses) and new avatar items, as well as the return of some familiar Pokémon wearing party hats. This event will run from Thursday, December 31, 2020, at 10:00 p.m. to Monday, January 4, 2021, at 10:00 p.m. local time.

For more details, be sure to check out the blog here.

Celebrate the different regions of the Pokémon world in January!

As we count down the days to Pokémon GO Tour: Kanto, we’ll be celebrating during the Season of Celebration with events themed around different regions of the Pokémon world! Different weeks will highlight Unova, Sinnoh, Hoenn, and Johto, as Pokémon originally discovered in these regions will be appearing more often in the wild.

Stay tuned for more details this week on the Unova Celebration event, which begins on Tuesday, January 5, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.

Collection Challenges coming soon

Whether you’re new to Pokémon GO or a seasoned Trainer, Collection Challenges provide a handy guide to catching Pokémon featured during certain events. Look out for the launch of Collection Challenges in early January 2021.

Please be aware of your surroundings and follow guidelines from local health authorities when playing Pokémon GO. Upcoming events are subject to change. Be sure to follow us on social media, opt in to receiving push notifications, and subscribe to our emails to stay updated. For the latest on in-game events and feature updates, be sure to check this help center article.

—The Pokémon GO team