Look up, Trainers—Team GO Rocket balloons have arrived in Pokémon GO!

Trainers,

Mysterious balloons have popped up in the sky, and the culprit is Team GO Rocket! With these Team GO Rocket balloon invasions, you can now battle Team GO Rocket anywhere on the map. We ask that you keep an eye out for balloons in the sky and battle the Team GO Rocket Grunts and Leaders piloting them. Who knows—you may even find Giovanni! Reports show that they appear once every few hours, but could appear more often during takeovers.

1. Tap a balloon to battle Team GO Rocket: Be ready for a challenge! Tap a Team GO Rocket balloon, pick your battle party, and defeat Team GO Rocket to rescue their Shadow Pokémon. Team GO Rocket balloons will hover near you for a limited time, so be sure to check the map for balloons and tap them before they fly away!

2. Equip your Rocket Radar to encounter balloons with Team GO Rocket Leaders: When you have a Rocket Radar equipped, you can find Sierra, Cliff, or Arlo piloting a Team GO Rocket balloon.

3. Equip your Super Rocket Radar to encounter Giovanni: It appears that even the boss of Team GO Rocket himself can be found riding in a Team GO Rocket balloon! If you activate and equip a Super Rocket Radar, Giovanni’s balloon is certain to appear.

Turns out, Professor Willow and the team leaders were on to something when they discovered those scraps of paper! With Team GO Rocket flying across the world of Pokémon GO, we’ll need as many of you as possible to help defeat them! Keep an eye out for these Rocket balloons, and continue to train. Hopefully this will be the extent of their mischief and they’ll surrender now before we have to prepare for more fights. But just in case...we might have to revisit the original plan for the GO Fest Weekly Challenge: Battle Timed Research. Stay tuned for more updates on what that Timed Research will now entail, as well as the accompanying battle-themed event.

Please be aware of your surroundings and follow guidance 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