Who is Pikachu, PhD? Exploring Pokemon GO Timeless Travel's new costume

The Timeless Travels season has almost come to Pokemon GO, and many players have begun looking into the event. Some players have found pictures of a special type of Pikachu, Pikachu, PhD, that may be making an appearance during the event. With this Pikachu coming to the mobile game, many players are curious as to what it could mean for future content.

After all, Timeless Travels is a successor to the frequent Seasons updates the game would have every few months. As such, players are in store for a wide variety of events in the near future. So what does this have to do with Pikachu, PhD?

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Everything to know about Pikachu, PhD in Pokemon GO

Cosplay Pikachu as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Pikachu, PhD is actually a part of a larger subset of Pikachus. In short, Pikachu, PhD is a Cosplay Pikachu, a form that was introduced and only seen in Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. There are five total forms of Cosplay Pikachu, each relating to the five different contest types that players can compete in.

Pikachu, PhD is the costume players would take for their Cosplay Pikachu if they wanted to compete in Clever Contests. Changing the Cosplay Pikachu into this form will also teach it the move Electric Terrain, a Clever-type move in contests. This was done to make Pikachu viable in Clever Contests.

New Pikachu coming out? I’ve never seen this one before, has to be new right? byu/Sorry_Account_4005 inpokemongo

This actually is not the first form of Cosplay Pikachu to make an appearance in Pokemon GO. Pikachu Libre, the form used for Tough Contests, can be encountered by players who compete in the game's competitive Battle League. With this in mind, it would be safe to assume that Pikachu, PhD may likely be encountered through a similar method.

Since artwork for Pikachu, PhD in Pokemon GO features it standing near a Pokestop, it may be tied to Pokestop Showcases in some way. Perhaps the fortunate player who scores the best in the showcase may earn an encounter with Pikachu, PhD in the near future, but this is mere speculation.

Much like Pikachu Libre, Pikachu, Phd will not be able to evolve. This sadly means we may never see Nuclear Physicist Raichu in the popular mobile game, but Pikachu, PhD will still be a valuable catch nonetheless. However, since Pikachu PhD was never available in its shiny form in the main series, it is unlikely to appear in the mobile game.

Overall, Pikachu, PhD is sure to be an interesting new addition to Pokemon GO's ever-expanding roster of catchable monsters. Since its fellow costumed variant, Pikachu Libre, can only be obtained by participating in the Battle League, it would be safe to assume that Pikachu, PhD may only be available through participation in Pokestop Showcases.

Although it cannot evolve, Pikachu PhD's potential rarity is sure to make it incredibly valuable among collectors.