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Pokemon GO finally turns seven and has enjoyed numerous memorable events throughout the years. These events have brought excitement, new features, and unique experiences worldwide. Some allowed players to fill their Pokedex or expand their collection, while others upgraded their competitive team. Even on its seventh birthday, the game offers so many things.
Let's explore some of Pokemon GO's major events and reminisce about them.
Pokemon GO anniversary, Halloween, and five other events over the years
1) Pokemon GO 1st Anniversary 2017
From July 6-27, 2017, Pokemon GO hosted its inaugural Anniversary event to commemorate the game's achievements and widespread popularity. This event held special importance as it marked a significant milestone.
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Throughout the event, Pikachu and its evolution line appeared worldwide, sporting the iconic hat Ash wore in the animated series. Additionally, players could hatch Ash hat Pichu from 2km eggs.
The in-game shop offered an Anniversary box containing 20 Ultra Balls, six Max Revives, six Limited Incubators, and two Premium Raid Passes, all available for 1200 PokéCoins. This event aimed to celebrate the game's first anniversary with exciting features and exclusive items.
2) Hoenn Celebration 2018
From February 9-13, 2018, Pokemon GO held the Hoenn Celebration event, which served as the initial introduction for many Pokemon from Hoenn. Several exciting features were introduced during this event to enhance the gameplay experience.
Firstly, lure modules had their duration extended to six hours, providing players more time to attract pocket monsters to PokeStops. Additionally, the chance of encountering shiny Swablu and Altaria was significantly increased, adding to the excitement of capturing rare variants.
The event's main highlight was the legendary entity Rayquaza, the ruler of the sky, which became available for capture in raid battles. To add a sense of adventure, certain Pokemon were made region-specific, further encouraging trainers to explore different areas in their pursuit of completing their Pokédex:
- Volbeat - Exclusive for Europe, Asia, and Australia
- Illumise - Exclusive for the Americas and Africa
- Tropius - Exclusive for Africa, the Levant, Malta, and southern Spain
3) Team GO Rocket Disruption 2019
From July 25-August 1, 2019, the Team GO Rocket Disruption event marked the launch of Team GO Rocket and Shadow Pokemon in Pokemon GO. It served as the initial confrontation between players and Team Rocket, setting the stage for their ongoing battle.
Throughout the event, Team Rocket grunts were stationed at various PokéStops, ready to battle with players. In addition, Pokemon affiliated with Team Rocket, including their shiny variants, appeared more frequently for capture.
The event also introduced new Pokemon to 2km and 5km egg hatches. Furthermore, notable creatures such as Gengar, Machamp, Absol, and Houndoom were made available for raid battles, alongside many others.
4) GO Battle League Season 1 Launch Celebration 2020
The GO Battle League Season 1 Launch Celebration took place in Pokemon GO from March 10-12, 2020, marking the official launch of GO Battles. This event was preceded by a mini-event known as GO Battle League Preparation, which occurred from March 13-16, 2020.
Implementing online PvP battles introduced an entirely different perspective to the game, prompting players to employ their creativity to excel in competitive matches. Notable event perks included a Bonus GO Battle League Stardust, increased spawns of fighting-type Pokemon, the appearance of creatures themed around GO Battle League in raid battles, and various other bonuses.
Additionally, raid battles during the event presented numerous opportunities to capture sought-after Pokemon such as Charizard, Swampert, Giratina, Registeel, Cresselia, and many more.
5) Halloween 2020
The Halloween event in 2020 marked the fifth installment of the spooky celebration in Pokemon GO. Taking place from October 23 - November 3, it brought forth an increased spawn of ghost-type Pokemon, including shiny variants. Notably, Gengar, Sableye, and Pikachu received special skins that exuded an eerie and distinctive appearance, setting them apart from their usual forms.
Added to the excitement, the event introduced the chance to hatch Kanto starters with unique Halloween-themed skins from 5km eggs. Additionally, trainers were treated to a special 5-star raid featuring the formidable Darkrai and the haunting Mega Gengar.
6) Mega September 2020
Mega September was an exciting event series that revolved around the highly anticipated introduction of Mega Evolutions. Released just five days before September 2020, it generated immense hype worldwide. Two days shy of consuming the entire month of September, the event consisted of three distinct parts.
The first part, the Mega Raid Challenge, brought forth the powerful Mega Pidgeot for trainers to encounter and battle. The second part, the Mega Battle Challenge, introduced the menacing Mega Houndoom. Lastly, the Mega Buddy Challenge offered a massive 12-hour raid extravaganza featuring different Mega Evolutions. This allows trainers to participate in various raids, encountering and capturing awe-inspiring Mega Pokemon.
Furthermore, these events presented additional opportunities to capture rare Pokemon. Trainers encountered and caught Cranidos, Alolan Exeggutor, Aerodactyl, and Dragonite through various means.
7) Pokemon GO Fest 2021
Among all the exciting events in Pokemon GO, the Pokemon GO Fest of 2021 stood out as the most rewarding and beloved. Taking place on July 17 and 18, this highly anticipated event captured trainers' attention around the world.
A notable feature of this event was the extended lure module duration, lasting three hours. It also introduced new avatar items and stickers, giving trainers the opportunity to customize their in-game appearance. Furthermore, the spawns during the event were organized according to different habitats, such as jungle, desert mountain, ocean beach, and cave.
As a special highlight, the mythical melodic creature Meloetta was released. The event also thrilled trainers with various Pokemon wearing Meloetta hats and special Pikachu skins representing musicians from pop and rock, including their shiny variants.
Overall, the Pokemon GO Fest of 2021 delivered an exceptional experience, offering rewarding gameplay, exclusive features, and the thrill of encountering new and special Pokemon.
