Pokémon GO
A running log of what is changing in Pokémon GO. Every update, event and announcement, newest first, with the live schedule and the raid rotation kept alongside it.
Latest Updates Live
Every Pokémon GO update, event and announcement worth knowing about, newest first. This page is revised as news lands, so the top of this list is always the most recent thing to have happened. Last update: 14 August 2026.
Dancing in the Moonlight is an Asia-Pacific event, not a global one
The Clefairy event runs from 23 September at 10:00 to 27 September at 23:59 local time, and only in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Clefairy appears in numbers for five minutes at 13:00 and 19:00 each day. The Moonlight O'Clock hours at 12:00, 13:00, 19:00 and 20:00 add Clefairy with a Special Background, Jigglypuff, Teddiursa, Skitty, Munna and Bunnelby, and every featured wild Pokemon can be shiny. Catch XP is doubled. Two Timed Research pages give encounters including Lunatone, the first of them expiring on 29 September, and rewards have to be claimed within three days.
Official announcement →The Explorer Gadget catches Pokemon while the phone is locked
The Explorer Gadget is built into the app for Trainers at level 20 and above. With the app running in the background it throws Poke Balls at nearby Pokemon and spins PokeStops while the phone is locked. It uses Poke Balls only, never Great or Ultra Balls, and it will not catch Mighty Pokemon or species that are not yet registered in the Pokedex. Daily limits scale with Trainer level, and it stops once Pokemon storage or the item bag is full. It cannot run at the same time as a paired accessory such as Pokemon GO Plus +, though both can be managed from the same account. Catch and spin totals are shown behind the Explorer Gadget icon. The rollout is phased and no global availability date has been given.
Official announcement →Free Timed Research gives every Trainer a max-stat Mewtwo
The 10th anniversary celebration runs from 12 August at 16:00 PDT to 6 September at 23:59 local time. Free Timed Research ends in an encounter with a Mewtwo that has maxed-out stats and a Special Background, and catching it unlocks the third Mega Level for Mega Mewtwo Y. The research has to be completed before the event ends. Trainers who caught Mewtwo at the Times Square in-person event on 9 July get a different set of stats and rewards.
Official announcement →PokeXciting! takes the 30th anniversary to five Asia-Pacific cities
PokeXciting! is a two-day city celebration visiting Kuala Lumpur on 12 and 13 September, Taipei on 10 and 11 October, Singapore on 7 and 8 November, Manila on 23 and 24 January 2027 and Bangkok on 13 and 14 February 2027. Each city gets its own PokeXciting! Pikachu in a differently coloured costume, which keeps appearing in that region for a month after the event. A cross-region GO Stamp Rally runs from 12 September 2026 to 11 September 2029: spinning the marked PokeStops in a city saves a stamp to the Scrapbook and gives an encounter with that city's Pikachu and its Location Background. The in-city events also carry free Timed and Field Research, party-hatted starter Pokemon, and Unown spelling out each city's name.
Official announcement →Next season's Community Days are 12 September, 10 October and 21 November
The 12 September date is a Community Day Classic. Featured Pokemon and bonuses have not been announced for any of the three.
Official announcement →PokemonXP and the 2026 World Championships bring two costumed Pikachu
The celebration runs in two phases. PokemonXP is from 25 August at 10:00 to 28 August at 10:00, then the World Championships event runs from there to 30 August at 20:00 local time. Pikachu in a Cosmog spacesuit and World Championships 2026 Pikachu both debut, and both can be shiny. GO Battle League goes from 5 to 15 battle sets a day, 75 battles in total, and reward Pokemon come with a wider spread of Attack, Defense and HP. Daily GO Point earning is uncapped on 29 and 30 August. Timed Research unlocked by watching the championship streams rewards the 2025 champion's Tinkaton and an Elite Charged TM.
Official announcement →GO Pass: August brings Latias and the return of the Lucky Trinket
The August pass runs to 8 September and is free for every Trainer, with Latias as the headline encounter and a shiny chance. Rank milestones at 1, 25, 50 and 75 give an extra Candy for trading, a higher Gift limit, double Daily Adventure Incense duration and improved Egg rewards. The $7.99 Deluxe upgrade adds the Lucky Trinket, a one-use item that turns a Great Friend or better into a Lucky Friend. Every trinket expires on 13 September regardless of when it was claimed.
Official announcement →Summer Marathon: Arctic Embers debuts Shiny Snom
The Arctic Embers leg of the Summer Marathon runs from 4 August at 10:00 to 10 August local time, and is the first chance at a Shiny Snom.
Gigantamax Rillaboom returns, shiny for the first time
A Max Battle Day on 1 August brought Gigantamax Rillaboom back, and this was its first appearance with a shiny form available.
Ozone Ascent adds the Meteorite, unlocking Mega Rayquaza
Free Timed Research over 25 and 26 July rewarded a Meteorite. Rayquaza is the one Pokemon that cannot Mega Evolve on Mega Energy alone: the Meteorite teaches it the Charged Attack Dragon Ascent, which is the prerequisite. A $4.99 paid research track gave a second Meteorite plus Mega Rayquaza Energy.
Official announcement →Mega Mewtwo X and Y debut at GO Fest 2026: Global
The global weekend on 11 and 12 July featured Mewtwo and Zeraora, and both Mega Mewtwo forms made their debut. Trainers cleared 45 hourly Global Challenges, which triggered the Ultra Unlock that brings Mega Starmie to the game on 22 August.
Niantic's games team is now Scopely Explore
The team behind Pokemon GO formally took the name Scopely Explore on 6 July. Scopely bought Niantic's games business in March 2025; the rename is the branding catching up to that sale. The development team is unchanged.
Official announcement →Forever Forward season begins
The current season started on 2 June and runs to 8 September. It reworked the Daily Discoveries bonuses: Scenic Sunday replaced the old Double-Time bonus with Route activities, Fast-Track Monday was removed, and Showcase Tuesday now allows up to five PokeStop Showcases at once.
Season page →On Right Now
Worked out against your own clock, because Pokémon GO event windows run on local time rather than a single global cutover.
Live now
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Forever Forward season
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GO Pass: August
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Choose Your Path: Venom and Vines
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Groudon in five-star Raids
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Mega Garchomp in Mega Raids
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10th Anniversary Celebration
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Nickit Community Day
Next up
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Max Monday: Dynamax Magikarp
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Ultra Unlock: Water Festival
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Lunala in five-star Raids
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Mega Swampert in Mega Raids
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Mega Starmie Super Mega Raid Day
Event Schedule
Everything currently on the calendar, in date order. All times are local.
| Event | Type | When | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
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The current season. Reworked Daily Discoveries and introduced Dynamax Electabuzz, Magikarp and Feebas.
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Season | 2 Jun, 10:00 – 8 Sep, 10:00 | Live now |
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Latias as the headline encounter, with a shiny chance. Deluxe upgrade adds the Lucky Trinket.
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GO Pass | 4 Aug, 10:00 – 8 Sep, 10:00 | Live now |
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Summer Marathon: Arctic Embers
Shiny Snom debut.
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Event | 4 Aug, 10:00 – 10 Aug | Ended |
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Smoochum and Magby from 2 km Eggs with boosted shiny odds, Larvesta from 5 km Eggs. Double hatch Candy and half Egg hatch distance.
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Event | 8 Aug, 11:00–17:00 | Ended |
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Max Monday: Dynamax Beldum
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Max Battle | 10 Aug, 06:00–21:00 | Ended |
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Choose Your Path: Venom and Vines
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Event | 11 Aug, 10:00 – 17 Aug | Live now |
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Groudon in five-star Raids
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5-star Raid | 12 Aug, 06:00 – 18 Aug, 22:00 | Live now |
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Mega Garchomp in Mega Raids
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Mega Raid | 12 Aug, 06:00 – 18 Aug, 22:00 | Live now |
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Free Timed Research rewards a max-stat Mewtwo with a Special Background, and unlocks the third Mega Level for Mega Mewtwo Y.
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Event | 12 Aug, 16:00 – 6 Sep | Live now |
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Nickit Community Day
Winner of the Trainer vote over Yamper, Fidough and Tadbulb. 3x Catch Stardust and Shiny Nickit. Evolve during the event or in the four hours after to get Thievul with Icy Wind.
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Community Day | 16 Aug, 14:00–17:00 | Live now |
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Max Monday: Dynamax Magikarp
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Max Battle | 17 Aug, 06:00–21:00 | Tomorrow |
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Arrokuda, Cramorant and Barraskewda debut. Arrokuda comes from Field Research, the GO Pass and Rainy Lure Modules; Cramorant from Eggs, the GO Pass and GO Battle League.
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Event | 18 Aug, 10:00 – 24 Aug, 20:00 | in 2 days |
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Lunala in five-star Raids
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5-star Raid | 19 Aug, 06:00 – 25 Aug, 22:00 | in 3 days |
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Mega Swampert in Mega Raids
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Mega Raid | 19 Aug, 06:00 – 25 Aug, 22:00 | in 3 days |
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Mega Starmie Super Mega Raid Day
Mega Starmie's debut, unlocked by the 45 hourly Global Challenges Trainers cleared at GO Fest 2026: Global.
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Mega Raid | 22 Aug, 11:00–17:00 | in 6 days |
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Max Monday: Dynamax Hitmontop
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Max Battle | 24 Aug, 06:00–21:00 | in 8 days |
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First half of the World Championships celebration. Wild spawns are Ralts, Numel, Spheal, Drifloon, Elgyem, Sobble and Pawmi, with Deino as a rare encounter. Costumed Pikachu and Impidimp are in one-star Raids.
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Event | 25 Aug, 10:00 – 28 Aug, 10:00 | in 9 days |
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Regirock, Regice and Registeel in five-star Raids
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5-star Raid | 26 Aug, 06:00 – 8 Sep, 22:00 | in 10 days |
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Mega Gyarados in Mega Raids
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Mega Raid | 26 Aug, 06:00 – 8 Sep, 22:00 | in 10 days |
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Pikachu in a Cosmog spacesuit and World Championships 2026 Pikachu debut, both able to be shiny. Wild spawns are Alolan Sandshrew, Mankey, Lickitung, Totodile, Wooper, Foongus, Froakie and Litten, with Togetic and Beldum as rare encounters. GO Battle League goes from 5 to 15 battle sets a day, and daily GO Point earning is uncapped on 29 and 30 August.
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Event | 28 Aug, 10:00 – 30 Aug, 20:00 | in 12 days |
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Max Monday: Dynamax Eevee
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Max Battle | 31 Aug, 06:00–21:00 | in 15 days |
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The summer-ending event. Details still to be announced.
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In person | 5 Sep – 6 Sep | in 20 days |
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Featured Pokemon and bonuses not yet announced.
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Community Day | 12 Sep | in 27 days |
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In person at KLCC Park, and the first stop on the Asia-Pacific 30th anniversary tour.
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In person | 12 Sep – 13 Sep | in 27 days |
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Asia-Pacific only. Clefairy floods spawns at 13:00 and 19:00 daily, with double Catch XP.
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Event | 23 Sep, 10:00 – 27 Sep | in 38 days |
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In person in the Xinyi District, with its own PokeXciting! Pikachu.
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In person | 10 Oct – 11 Oct | in 55 days |
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Featured Pokemon and bonuses not yet announced.
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Community Day | 10 Oct | in 55 days |
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In-person events. Tickets go on sale next season.
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In person | 6 Nov – 8 Nov | in 82 days |
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In person, citywide, with its own PokeXciting! Pikachu.
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In person | 7 Nov – 8 Nov | in 83 days |
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The worldwide in-game counterpart to the Wild Area events.
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In person | 14 Nov – 15 Nov | in 90 days |
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Featured Pokemon and bonuses not yet announced.
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Community Day | 21 Nov | in 97 days |
Raid Rotation
Five-star and Mega Raid bosses rotate on Wednesdays for the rest of the season. Max Battles run their own Monday slot.
| Dates | Five-star Raid | Mega Raid |
|---|---|---|
| 12–18 August | Groudon | Mega Garchomp |
| 19–25 August | Lunala | Mega Swampert |
| 26 August – 8 September | Regirock, Regice and Registeel | Mega Gyarados |
Two Mega Raids sit outside that rotation. Mega Starmie debuts in a Super Mega Raid Day on 22 August, from 11:00 to 17:00 local time — it was unlocked by the 45 hourly Global Challenges Trainers cleared at GO Fest 2026: Global. Mega Rayquaza is available year-round, but only to a Rayquaza that has learned Dragon Ascent from a Meteorite; Mega Energy alone will not do it.
Earlier in August the lake trio — Azelf, Mesprit and Uxie — returned to five-star Raids after Kyurem left, each one locked to its own region of the world.
Max Battles
Max Mondays run 06:00 to 21:00 local time: Beldum on 10 August, Magikarp on 17 August, Hitmontop on 24 August and Eevee on 31 August. Gigantamax Rillaboom returned for a Max Battle Day on 1 August, its first appearance with a shiny form available.
The Season
Forever Forward is the current season. It began on 2 June 2026 at 10:00 and ends on 8 September 2026 at 10:00 local time, which is also when the next season starts.
The season reworked Daily Discoveries, the weekday bonus rota. Scenic Sunday replaced the old Double-Time bonus with Route-focused activities, Fast-Track Monday was removed outright, and Showcase Tuesday now lets you enter up to five PokéStop Showcases at once instead of one. It also brought Dynamax Electabuzz, Magikarp and Feebas into Max Battles, and both Mega Mewtwo forms at GO Fest.
Save the Dates
Announced but not yet detailed. Tickets for the Wild Area events go on sale next season.
| 5–6 September 2026 | Pokémon GO Fest: Mega Finale. The summer-ending event; details still to come. |
| 8 September 2026 | Forever Forward ends and the next season begins, at 10:00 local time. |
| 12 September 2026 | Community Day Classic. Featured Pokémon not yet announced. |
| 10 October 2026 | Community Day. Featured Pokémon not yet announced. |
| 6–8 November 2026 | GO Wild Area 2026, in person, in Sendai and Mexico City. |
| 14–15 November 2026 | GO Wild Area 2026: Global, the worldwide in-game counterpart. |
| 21 November 2026 | Community Day. Featured Pokémon not yet announced. |
| 23–24 January 2027 | PokéXciting! Manila, in person around SM Mall of Asia. |
| 13–14 February 2027 | PokéXciting! Bangkok, in person; venue still to be announced. |
About the Game
Pokémon GO is a location-based mobile game built on real-world map data, released in July 2016. It is still the highest-profile Pokémon title outside the main series, and it runs on a rolling schedule of seasons, monthly passes, Community Days and raid rotations rather than discrete releases — which is why a page like this one is a log rather than a review.
| Released | 6 July 2016 |
| Platforms | iOS and Android |
| Developer | Scopely Explore, formerly the Niantic games team |
| Current season | Forever Forward, to 8 September 2026 |
| Current pass | GO Pass: August, to 8 September 2026 |
The game changed hands recently. Scopely bought Niantic’s games business in March 2025, and on 6 July 2026 the team formally took the name Scopely Explore. Niantic itself continues as a separate company on the mapping side.