Datamine suggests Bulbasaur might be the first Dynamax in Pokemon GO

Pokemon GO has been heavily hinting at the arrival of Dynamax/Gigantamax transformations from Pokemon Sword and Shield as of late. From staff interviews to a Dynamax Wartortle appearing in the eighth Anniversary art, news around Dynamax Pokemon has swirled. Now, the dedicated trainers at The Pokemod Group have datamined that Bulbasaur has received a classification update.

NOTE: This article is based on leaks and reflects the writer's opinion in most cases. Readers are advised to take them with a pinch of salt until officially confirmed.

According to The Pokemod Group, Bulbasaur has received an update that has allowed it to be configured for "Bread" and "Bread Tier," which was previously uncovered by dataminers as the coded classification for Dynamax transformations and likely tiers of Dynamax raids. This change doesn't confirm anything, but it does lead trainers to ask a few questions about Pokemon GO's future.

Trainers still have questions after The Pokemod Group's Pokemon GO datamine (Image via X)

Will Bulbasaur be the first obtainable creature in GO with a Dynamax transformation, or will it arrive alongside its fellow starter Pokemon Charmander and Squirtle? Will their evolutions Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise have access to their Gigantamax transformations? When will any of these new gameplay mechanics make their way to Pokemon GO?

It might be quite some time before trainers get concrete answers from Niantic, but there's quite a bit of smoke surrounding Dynamax transformations in GO. Moreover, the rumblings, rumors, and dives into the game's files are causing speculation to reach a fever pitch. Niantic may have its secrets, but the community has gotten pretty good at sniffing them out over the past eight years.

---

How would Dynamax/Gigantamax work in Pokemon GO?

Dynamax Wartortle as seen in Pokemon GO's 8th Anniversary key art (Image via Niantic)

In Pokemon Sword and Shield, Dynamax and Gigantamax transformations are quite interesting as far as core series battle gimmicks go. When activated, the Dynamax transformation causes a Pokemon to grow to tremendous size while increasing its maximum and current HP according to its Dynamax Level. Dynamax Pokemon can also gain access to powerful moves known as Max Moves.

The Pokemon will revert to its ordinary state after three battle turns or being switched out in the core series. Moreover, Dynamax transformations can only occur in areas referred to as Power Spots, such as battle arenas in the Galar region. There is also the Gigantamax phenomenon, allowing a small collection of Pokemon to become massive and gain access to G-Max Moves.

32 species of Pokemon are capable of Gigantamax transformation in the core series and are thus referred to as possessing the "Gigantamax Factor." After the transformation, much like Dynamax, Gigantamax Pokemon grows massive in size and gains a boost to their current and maximum HP. Unlike Dynamax though, Gigantamax transformations change a Pokemon's appearance substantially.

But how will any of this work in Pokemon GO? There seem to be some hints buried in the game data. In addition to the "Bread" and "Bread Raid" data categories that suggest Dynamax transformations are on their way, recent mined data reports also point to "stations." These "stations" are classified as points of interest in a similar sense to gyms and Pokestops.

Pokemon GO's "stations" may be pivotal in implementing Dynamax/Gigantamax transformations (Image via @Thepokemodgroup/X)

While "stations" aren't exactly Power Spots from Pokemon Sword and Shield, perhaps these locations will be integral to how Dynamax and/or Gigantamax operate in Pokemon GO. The Pokemod Group has also shared data surrounding Pokemon "returning" from stations, perhaps suggesting that they can be left at stations in a similar sense to gyms, maybe to charge their transformation energy.

The datamining by the GO community may raise more questions than answers, but changes are certainly being made behind the scenes. While this doesn't necessarily mean that anything will come of it, there are too many mentions of "Bread", "Bread Moves", "stations", and "Bread Raids" to not suggest something big is being planned by Niantic.