Trainers,

We hope you’re prepared for a month of exciting Pokémon encounters and bonuses!

Save Shadow Moltres from Giovanni

This month, Giovanni will have Shadow Moltres in his grasp! If you haven’t already, complete the latest Team GO Rocket Special Research, The Higher They Fly…, to earn a Super Rocket Radar. This will help you track down the Team GO Rocket Boss and save Shadow Moltres! You can also receive a Super Rocket Radar from Timed Research that’ll be available during the Luminous Legends X event.

For more information, please see this help center article.

May Research Breakthrough encounters

From Saturday, May 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. to Tuesday, June 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7), you’ll encounter Galarian Ponyta in Research Breakthrough encounters.

Featured Pokémon in raids

The following Legendary Pokémon will be appearing in five-star raids throughout May.

• Incarnate Forme Tornadus, Incarnate Forme Thundurus, and Incarnate Forme Landorus will continue to appear in five-star raids until Tuesday, May 4, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
• From Tuesday, May 4, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time, Xerneas, the Life Pokémon, will be making its Pokémon GO debut!
• From Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Tuesday, June 1, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time, Yveltal, the Destruction Pokémon, will be making its Pokémon GO debut!

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

• Mega Venusaur, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Abomasnow will continue to appear in Mega Raids until Tuesday, May 4, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
• From Tuesday, May 4, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Saturday, May 15, 2021, at 5:00 p.m. local time, Mega Venusaur, Mega Charizard Y, and Mega Lopunny will appear in Mega Raids.
• From Saturday, May 15, 2021, at 5:00 p.m. to Tuesday, June 1, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time, Mega Ampharos, Mega Houndoom, and a surprise Mega-Evolved Pokémon will appear in Mega Raids.

Every Wednesday in May, a Raid Hour event featuring the Pokémon appearing in five-star raids that week will occur from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. As a reminder, you’ll gain extra XP for completing five-star raids throughout the Season of Legends!

Stay tuned for the June events blog for more details on the Pokémon that’ll be featured in raids after May concludes!

Pokémon Spotlight Hours

In the month of May, Pokémon Spotlight Hour will take place every Tuesday from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time, and each of these hours will spotlight a different Pokémon and special bonus!

• Tuesday, May 4, 2021: Cottonee will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Candy for catching Pokémon.
• Tuesday, May 11, 2021: Dratini will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Candy for transferring Pokémon.
• Tuesday, May 18, 2021: Alolan Rattata will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the XP for evolving Pokémon.
• Tuesday, May 25, 2021: Marill will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Stardust for catching Pokémon.

May Community Day

Join us on Saturday, May 15, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time for a Community Day event! More details—including which Pokémon will be featured—will be revealed in an upcoming blog post.

Upcoming new events

Stay tuned for details about these upcoming events.

• New Pokémon Snap Celebration: From Thursday, April 29, 2021, to Sunday, May 2, 2021, celebrate the release of the much-anticipated New Pokémon Snap with us. For more information on this event, check out the blog here.
• Luminous Legends X: From Tuesday, May 4, 2021, to Monday, May 17, 2021, the Legendary Pokémon Xerneas will be making its Pokémon GO debut! With it, various Dragon- and Fairy-type Pokémon will be appearing more often in the wild, including some that will be appearing in Pokémon GO for the first time. Our research also shows that you can complete challenges to unlock rewards during the second week of this legendary event.
• Luminous Legends Y: From Tuesday, May 18, 2021, to Monday, May 31, 2021, the Legendary Pokémon Yveltal will be making its Pokémon GO debut! We’ve also received word that Team GO Rocket could be planning on causing some trouble around then, and also that Dark-type Pokémon will be appearing more often in the wild. Sounds like the perfect opportunity to put your newly caught Dragon- and Fairy-type Pokémon to use! Like the Luminous Legends X event, you’ll be able to unlock rewards during the second week of the Luminous Legends Y event by completing select challenges.

For more information on the Luminous Legends X and Luminous Legends Y events, check out the blog here.

Keep an eye out for more details on additional weekend events occurring throughout May, and get ready for a new season starting in June!

Weekly free bundles

Every Monday in May, a free one-time bundle containing a Remote Raid Pass and other items will be available in the shop.

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