5 Pokemon GO highlights from January 2023

With 2023 showing some major promise for the future of Pokemon GO, many trainers are looking forward to what Niantic will bring next to its title. With some of the most anticipated events on the horizon, many players may forget to look back on what has happened in the game in recent times.

Many were skeptical about Niantic's plans for the game's future following its anti-consumer practices in 2022. However, to the surprise of many, the company seems to be heading in a direction that will make its players the priority. This has been shown through the abundance of new events as well as other features and upcoming events.

So what exactly has Niantic done to get its playerbase hyped on Pokemon GO once again? What do these changes mean for the future of the popular mobile title? Thankfully, this month and the near future has tons of stuff for dedicated and casual players alike to get excited about.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's views.

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Pokemon GO's best of January 2023

1) Kecleon's Debut

Kecleon is a creature Niantic was very adamant about getting right. When asked about it, the developer conveyed they wanted to give the creature the treatment it received in its debut generation by making it a special encounter that players would be excited for. Thankfully, they implemented Hoenn's chameleon Pokemon perfectly.

In Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, the games where it debuted, Kecleon could be encountered through a special interaction at various points around a certain route. Thanks to an item that the trainers received, they could use it to detect the camoflaged Kecleon and have the chance to add it to their collection.

The creature got a very similar introduction in Pokemon GO. Players can find Kecleon invisible and attached to various Pokestops around the map. After spinning the Pokestop that the wild creature calls home, trainers will be given the opportunity to encounter and catch it. This unique implementation has made this one of the most memorable introductions of any critter.

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2) Lunar New Year

Official artwork for Pokemon GO's Lunar New Year event (Image via Niantic)

While an online video game such as Pokemon GO celebrating the Chinese New Year is something most typically do around the holiday, Niantic made it an occasion to remember thanks to some of the increased spawn rates. While the celebration was brought to introduce the Year of the Rabbit, a different Pokemon was more desirable than the developer anticipated.

Both forms of Darumaka and their evolutions are some of the most powerful creatures in all of Pokemon GO. As such, giving so many trainers the chance to add both variants to their collection is sure to generate a higher player count among the competitive community.

Giving them the chance to get their hands on these absolute powerhouses so easily makes for one of the best events we've had so far this year.

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3) Larvitar Community Day Classic

Official artwork for Larvitar's Community Day Classic event in Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

Giving players the chance to get their hands on one of the rarest categories of creatures was always going to generate some hype. However, no one anticipated just how excited everyone would be for the next Community Day Classic event featuring Johto's Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon family, Larvitar, Pupitar, and Tyranitar.

Giving newer players a chance to collect their fill of these creatures while also being able to find their shiny variants was an occurrence many wouldn't miss for the world. As such, this event really brought the playerbase closer together to show off all their new Shiny Pokemon as well as their new Tyranitars with maxed out IVs.

After such an event, it will be hard for Niantic to top this with Pokemon GO's next Community Day Classic.

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4) XXL and XXS Pokemon in Pokemon GO

Collectors are always looking for ways to flesh out their collections in Pokemon GO. Thankfully, Niantic has finally released a new batch of critters for players who feel that catching them all just won't cut it. Starting with only a select few creatures, trainers can now find XXL and XXS versions of wild Pokemon on live servers.

Though it may sound like a waste of Niantic's time to the more casual playerbase, offering not one, but two new forms of creatures to catch is a huge deal for collectors. Giving them new forms of beloved creatures adds potential hours to gameplay for those who are looking to fill out those pages on their Pokedex.

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5) Crackling Voltage

Official artwork for Pokemon GO's Crackling Voltage event (Image via Niantic)

The final highlight of the month goes to the ongoing Crackling Voltage event. What could be better than giving trainers one new Shiny Pokemon to pursue to add to their collection? Giving them two, of course. The Crackling Voltage event has finally added the shiny forms of Tapu Koko and Helioptile into the game.

Not only can players just hunt new Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon GO during this event, some rare creatures have also received a boost in their likelihood to make an appearance. Lucky trainers may be able to find Beldum in the wild. This creature evolves into the ever-present Metagross that competitive battlers and raiders should be more than familiar with by now.

Overall, the Crackling Votage event has surely turned out to be very much worth every trainer's time, unlike some from the year prior. Hopefully, Niantic keeps this pace up for the game's future.