Niantic has announced that to celebrate the release of The Isle of Armor, players of Pokémon GO can get Isle of Armor–themed avatar items. Galarian Farfetch’d are appearing in the wild as well in Pokémon GO.

Galarian Farfetch’d and new avatar items arrive in celebration of The Isle of Armor!

Trainers, In celebration of the release of The Isle of Armor (part one of the Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass for Nintendo Switch), Galarian Farfetch’d is making its debut! Plus, you can pick up avatar items themed around Galarian Farfetch’d and the Isle of Armor.

Galarian Farfetch’d arrives in Pokémon GO
Galarian Farfetch’d is appearing in the wild! This is your chance to catch this Wild Duck Pokémon, which fights bravely using its thick, tough leek!

Date + Time
Wednesday, June 17, 2020, at 6:00 a.m. to Thursday, June 18, 2020, at 6:00 a.m. PDT (GMT −7)

In addition, avatar items inspired by Galarian Farfetch’d are available in the Style Shop, so you can match Galarian Farfetch’d on your adventures!


Isle of Armor–themed avatar items available!
To honor the Isle of Armor, avatar items themed after the training clothing you can wear on the Isle of Armor are now available! You can get them at no cost, so check out the Style Shop!

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/pokemonpresents2020/

The Pokémon Company has announced that on June 17th, 2020 at 6 a.m. PDT / 9 a.m. EST, they will broadcast a video on YouTube called Pokémon Presents. It will include news about upcoming Pokémon related products. High resolution screenshots and artwork from the press release have been added to an Imageboard thread.


Source: https://twitter.com/pokemon/status/1272877200505782273

Highlights

• Pokémon Smile, out now on mobile
• Pokémon Cafe Mix, out soon on Switch and mobile
• New Pokémon Snap, TBA on Switch
• New "big title" to be revealed on June 24th, 2020
• Mega Evolution in GO in 2020
• Isle of Armor and Home updates available now
• Max Raid Zeraora. It can't be caught but if 1 million players defeat it they all get a shiny one
• Galarian Farfetch'd are now popping up in GO
• Pokémon GO Fest 2020 will be digital

POKÉMON ANNOUNCES NEW GAMES, MOBILE APPS, AND MORE

​​​​​​​New Game Reveals Coincide with Launch of The Isle of Armor Downloadable Content for Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield

Bellevue, WA—June 17, 2020—Today, Tsunekazu Ishihara, president and CEO of The Pokémon Company, unveiled a broad range of new video games, apps, and more during a Pokémon Presents video presentation. These experiences will enable players everywhere to interact with Pokémon in a variety of new ways. The Isle of Armor, the first set of content in the Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass and the Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass, also launches today worldwide. This downloadable content for the blockbuster Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield video games is available for purchase in Nintendo eShop and allows Trainers to continue their adventures in the Galar region.

Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield Expansion Passes: The Isle of Armor The first new adventure unlocked by the Expansion Passes takes place on the Isle of Armor, an island of the Galar region. Many Pokémon make this island their home, living freely amid the lush nature. The island is also home to a dojo for Pokémon battles, where players and their Pokémon will train hard to become even stronger under Mustard, the dojo’s master.

In celebration of the launch of The Isle of Armor, a special Max Raid Battle featuring the Mythical Pokémon Zeraora will be available in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield. If one million players around the world win this Max Raid Battle from June 17 through June 28, Trainers can receive a special Shiny Zeraora. The celebration continues in Pokémon GO, where Galarian Farfetch’d will make an appearance and players will receive special avatar items based on the clothing they can wear during their adventures on the Isle of Armor.

For more information about the Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass and the Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass, please visit Pokemon.com/SwordShieldEX.

New Pokémon Snap

The New Pokémon Snap game for the Nintendo Switch system is based on its namesake, which was first released for the Nintendo 64 console in 1999. This game will take Trainers on an adventure to unknown islands overflowing with natural sights such as jungles and beaches, where they can research various Pokémon in their natural habitats. They will take photos to make their very own in-game Pokémon Photodex, all while discovering new, never-before-seen Pokémon expressions and behaviors.

For more information about New Pokémon Snap, please visit Pokemon.com/NewPokemonSnap.

Pokémon Café Mix

Pokémon Café Mix is a free-to-start game for Nintendo Switch systems and mobile devices. Starting today, Trainers can preload Pokémon Café Mix in Nintendo eShop, preorder the app in the App Store, or preregister the app on Google Play.

Pokémon Café Mix is a unique puzzle game where players can link Pokémon icons together by swirling them around. To link icons, players will need to grab a Pokémon icon and drag it next to another icon of the same Pokémon species. Icons will be cleared after they are linked together.

The player will be the owner of a café that Pokémon visit, where they will work alongside Pokémon to prepare drinks and dishes for Pokémon customers by completing puzzles. Pokémon on the café’s staff have special Café Skills that can be used to help complete puzzles. Once a puzzle is completed, the player can serve an order to a customer. The player can increase their friendship levels with Pokémon by serving them delicious drinks and dishes. As more puzzles are completed, the café can be upgraded by getting new tools or having new areas added. New Pokémon may come visit, lured in by the different upgrades.

For more information about Pokémon Café Mix, please visit Pokemon.com/cafemix.

Pokémon GO

In collaboration with Niantic, The Pokémon Company announced that Mega-Evolved Pokémon will appear in the real world in Pokémon GO. Fans can look forward to experiencing a new take on Mega Evolution that takes advantage of Pokémon GO’s unique gameplay.

Pokémon Smile

With Pokémon Smile, Pokémon continues to expand its app offerings for younger children by incorporating the world of Pokémon into the everyday task of brushing your teeth. The app is a unique new mobile experience for the Pokémon brand that makes brushing your teeth a fun activity and encourages kids to develop good brushing habits. Pokémon Smile is available for download beginning today at no cost in the App Store and on Google Play.

Pokémon Smile uses a mobile device’s camera to observe the player’s toothbrushing activity. If the player skillfully brushes their teeth, they can defeat cavity-causing bacteria depicted in the game and then catch Pokémon. The game will guide the user through the toothbrushing process, so each playthrough can help them brush all areas in their mouth.

Parents can receive notifications from Pokémon Smile at up to three set times per day that remind them it’s time for kids to brush their teeth. They can also set the duration of each toothbrushing session to be between one and three minutes, based on the varying needs of children of different ages. The app is filled with elements to encourage the player to continue playing the game with the intent of slowly building a habit of brushing their teeth. Players will want to keep coming back to catch over one hundred species of Pokémon in Pokémon Smile and fill out their in-app Pokédex. They can also collect fun in-app decorative headwear to display on themselves virtually as they brush their teeth.

For more information about Pokémon Smile, please visit Pokemon.com/Smile.

YouTube Clip - Get ready to tune in to Pokémon Presents!

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEVctuQTeaI

Niantic has announced the full details for the Solstice-themed event and Bug Out! event taking place from Friday, June 19th, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. until Wednesday, June 24th, 2020, at 10:00 p.m. local time.

Solstice-themed event and Bug Out! event details

As previously announced, the solstice-themed event and Bug Out! event will be returning this year. Read on for more details!

Shiny Clefairy arrives and Lunatone and Solrock will be changing regions during the solstice-themed event
To celebrate the days getting longer in the northern hemisphere and the nights doing the same in the southern hemisphere, Pokémon GO’s solstice-themed event will be coming back! Get ready for Shiny Clefairy and more.

Date + Time
Friday, June 19, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. to Wednesday, June 24, 2020, at 10:00 p.m. local time

Features

• Pokémon associated with the sun and moon—including Clefairy, Sunkern, and more—will be appearing more frequently in the wild, hatching from 5 km Eggs, appearing after completing event-exclusive Field Research tasks, and appearing in raids. If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny Clefairy! Previously, you could get a Shiny Clefairy only by hatching a Shiny Cleffa and evolving it, so this will be the first time you’ll have a chance to encounter Shiny Clefairy in the wild.
• Throughout the event, Lunatone and Solrock will both be appearing in three-star raids and hatching from 5 km Eggs, regardless of your location.
• Lunatone and Solrock will be appearing in the wild in different regions. See the schedule below for details on when Lunatone or Solrock will be appearing in the wild near you.
  • From Friday, June 19, at 8:00 a.m. to Saturday, June 20, at 11:59 p.m. local time, Lunatone will appear more frequently in the wild in the eastern hemisphere and Solrock in the western hemisphere.
  • From Sunday, June 21, at 12:00 a.m. to Monday, June 22, at 11:59 p.m. local time, Lunatone and Solrock will be appearing more frequently in the wild everywhere.
  • From Tuesday, June 23, at 12:00 a.m. to Wednesday, June 24, at 10:00 p.m. local time, Lunatone and Solrock will be swapping hemispheres. Lunatone will be appearing more frequently in the wild in the western hemisphere and Solrock in the eastern hemisphere.
• Once the event is over, Lunatone will stay in the western hemisphere and Solrock will stay in the eastern hemisphere.

Bonus

• 2× Catch Stardust

Shiny Dwebble makes its debut and more during the Bug Out! event

Get your Incense ready—the Bug Out! event is coming later this month! This will be the perfect opportunity for you to work on your Bug Catcher medal, and you might even catch a Shiny Dwebble!

Date + Time
Friday, June 26, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. to Wednesday, July 1, 2020, at 10:00 p.m. local time

Features

• Bug-type Pokémon—including Scyther, Venipede, and Dwebble—will be appearing more frequently in the wild, hatching from 5 km Eggs, appearing in event-exclusive Field Research tasks, and appearing in raids. If you’re lucky, you might encounter Shiny Dwebble!
• More Bug-type Pokémon will be attracted to Incense. Certain Bug-type Pokémon will be appearing more often than others depending on the day you use your Incense!
  • From Friday, June 26, at 8:00 a.m. to Saturday, June 27, at 11:59 p.m. local time, Nincada will be attracted more often to Incense.
  • From Sunday, June 28, at 12:00 a.m. to Monday, June 29, at 11:59 p.m. local time, Wurmple will be attracted more often to Incense.
  • From Tuesday, June 30, at 12:00 a.m. to Wednesday, July 1, at 10:00 p.m. local time, Scyther will be attracted more often to Incense.

Bonus

• 2× Catch XP

Pinsir Raid Day
On Sunday, June 28, 2020, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. local time, three-star raids featuring Pinsir will be occurring more frequently! Be sure to have your Remote Raid Passes stocked—you can buy them in the shop. There will also be a 1 PokéCoin bundle available featuring three Remote Raid Passes!

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/bugout-solstice-2020/

Niantic has announced more details about that Pokémon GO Fest 2020 which takes place from Saturday, July 25th, 2020 until Sunday July 26th, 2020.

Pokémon GO Fest 2020 brings summer adventure to you!

Trainers, Since announcing the dates for Pokémon GO Fest 2020 a couple weeks back, we’ve been so excited to share more details of our first-ever virtual event experience! In the process of developing this new format, we asked ourselves this: What makes Pokémon GO Fest...Pokémon GO Fest? What do Trainers—all of you around the world and us here at Niantic alike—enjoy the most about Pokémon GO live events and, by extension, the game itself? If we had to summarize the answer to these questions in just a few words, we’d have to say community, celebration, and challenge!

Pokémon GO Fest 2020 comes to you
Pokémon GO Fest 2020 will take place over two days. Each day will provide a unique experience as well as a different Special Research story to enjoy. Trainers will be able to participate in both days of the event with one ticket.

• Pokémon GO Fest 2020 Day 1: On Saturday, July 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time, Trainers will enjoy the following.
  • Trainers can access a Special Research story that they can get only on Day 1.
  • Five rotating habitats—themed around fire, water, grass, battle, and friendship—will feature special Pokémon that go along with that habitat’s theme. These habitats will rotate every hour, so each habitat will be featured twice during Day 1.
  • Trainers will be able to work together in the Global Challenge Arena! This GO Fest–exclusive feature will be available only to ticket holders. In the Global Challenge Arena, Trainers will have a chance to join forces in order to complete a collaborative challenge each hour. If Trainers complete a challenge, they will earn a bonus for the remainder of the hour. You can check the Global Challenge Arena screen to keep track of global progress!
  • Trainers will be able to encounter over 75 species of Pokémon in the wild, in raids, and by completing Special Research tasks.
• Pokémon GO Fest 2020 Day 2: On Sunday, July 26, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time, Trainers will enjoy...something very different! We want the Day 2 experience to be a surprise, so ticket holders will learn what we have in store that very day. There’ll also be another Special Research story for Trainers to enjoy.

And that’s not all! Regardless of whether they have a ticket, Trainers in the US can order a commemorative Pokémon GO Fest 2020 T-shirt, available online from Pokémon Center. Visit PokemonCenter.com now to purchase a T-shirt (while supplies last).

There will also be free downloadable and printable paper crafts and decorations to help bring the Pokémon GO Fest experience to life for every Trainer in your household to enjoy. These will be available to download only for a limited time.

We’re working on a Pokémon GO Fest microsite, which will bring some of our favorite event activities to Trainers around the world. Just like the team lounges at an in-person Pokémon GO Fest, this site will give players a chance to take a break from catching Pokémon and interact with other Trainers, participate in fun giveaways, and get event updates. Stay tuned for more details!

How to purchase a ticket
Tickets to Pokémon GO Fest 2020 are now available in the in-app shop! Tickets are USD $14.99 plus any applicable taxes and fees (or the equivalent in your local currency). Tickets cannot be purchased with PokéCoins.

1. In the shop, tap the Pokémon GO Fest 2020. Tap the Buy button.
2. You’ll then see a pop-up indicating that you’ve received a ticket for Pokémon GO Fest 2020.
3. After you tap OK, you can find the ticket in your Item Bag.
4. A few days before the event, you’ll receive a medal. When you open the app during Day 1, you’ll receive access to the Pokémon GO Fest 2020 experience, including the first Special Research story! Make sure to open the app during Day 2 to receive the second Special Research story.
5. After you’ve obtained the Special Research lines, you can complete them at any time. Tickets to this event are nonrefundable (subject to applicable law and the exceptions set forth in the Terms of Service).

The lead-up to Pokémon GO Fest 2020 will bring weekly challenges
Trainers will enjoy an exciting summer of Pokémon GO events leading up to Pokémon GO Fest 2020! All Trainers globally, regardless whether they have a Pokémon GO Fest 2020 ticket, will be able to enjoy three weeks of weekly challenges in the form of Pokémon GO Fest 2020 Timed Research lines. By completing these Timed Research lines, Trainers will unlock additional Pokémon appearances during Pokémon GO Fest 2020. Stay tuned for more details in a future announcement!

We’ll be donating Niantic proceeds from GO Fest ticket sales, committing a minimum of $5 million. Half of the proceeds donated will be used to fund new projects from Black gaming and AR creators that can live on the Niantic platform, with the goal of increasing content that represents a more diverse view of the world. The other half will go to US nonprofit organizations that are helping local communities rebuild.

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/pokemongofest2020-details/

Niantic has announced that they have disabled GO Battle League until further notice, as they’re investigating a serious exploit.

Note to Trainers Regarding GO Battle League Exploit

Trainers, we want to comment on the various “exploit” posts from the past two days and the underlying situation.

As a team, we believe there is a “contract of trust” in GO Battle League: you should always feel your knowledge and skill determine the outcome of your battles. Cheating directly attacks this trust contract, and we have zero tolerance for it.

Because of this zero tolerance policy and the current situation, we’ve disabled GO Battle League.

We’re equally serious about our policy of never commenting on the details of investigations into individual accounts. Here’s what we can share.

When a possible exploit is identified, we follow this process:

1. Analyze the issue - Data analysis is the most important work we do during this process. Rash action (i.e. no analysis) can solve the immediate issue; however, it leaves the door open for the exploit to return in the future.
2. Determine severity - Based on our analyses, we determine (a) the level of technical knowledge needed to abuse the exploit and (b) how badly the exploit harms the integrity of GO Battle League.
3. Mitigate accordingly

Based on the above outlined steps, the disabling of GO Battle League means we’ve arrived at the “mitigation” step of our process for the current situation. There is plenty of work happening behind the scenes, and we’ll re-enable GO Battle League once we’re confident the “trust contract” will be honored.

Source: https://niantic.helpshift.com/a/pokemon-go/?p=web&s=release-notes-known-issues&f=note-to-trainers-regarding-go-battle-league-exploit and https://twitter.com/NianticHelp/status/1271594784461778944

Niantic have announced the details for the June 2020 Pokémon GO Community Day which takes place on June 20th, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time. The featured Pokémon for this day is Weedle. Weedle will appear in the wild more frequently for six hours that day. The 3x Catch Stardust and 3-hour incense bonuses will also be available that day. If you evolve a Kakuna during the event or up to two hours afterwards, you will to get a Beedrill that knows Drill Run.

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/events/community-day/

The featured Pokémon for June Community Day is Weedle!

Trainers, Thank you for all your efforts campaigning and voting for the Pokémon you want featured for June and July Community Day events. We are pleased to announce that Weedle, the Hairy Bug Pokémon, will be the featured Pokémon in June and that the Gas Pokémon Gastly will be featured in July! Read on for more details about June Community Day, and stay tuned for more info on July Community Day.

Date + Time
Saturday, June 20, 2020, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time

Features

• Weedle will be appearing more frequently in the wild. If you’re lucky, you may encounter a Shiny Weedle.
• Evolve Kakuna (the evolved form of Weedle) during the event or up to two hours afterward to get a Beedrill that knows Drill Run.
• Take a few snapshots during Community Day for a surprise!
• There’ll be a special one-time-purchase June Community Day bundle, featuring an Elite Charged TM, 30 Ultra Balls, 3 Star Pieces, and 3 Incense.

Bonuses

• 3× Catch Stardust
• Incense activated during the event will last for three hours.
• Buddy Pokémon with a Buddy Level of Great Buddy or higher will bring you helpful items, such as Poké Balls, throughout the event.

There will not be a livestream during June Community Day. We’d like to thank all of the Trainers who tuned in to our first-ever Community Day livestream. We made a ton of memories, had a lot of fun, and caught a lot of Seedot—and we hope you did, too! With all of that said...who’s ready for Weedle Community Day? Let’s GO, Hairy Bug Pokémon fans!

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/communityday-jun2020/

Niantic has announced that they are expanding Niantic Wayfarer Access and In-Game Rewards for Pokémon GO and Ingress players. Pokémon GO Trainers Level 38 or higher can use Niantic Wayfarer.

Expanding Niantic Wayfarer Access and In-Game Rewards

Niantic Wayfarer empowers eligible Pokémon GO and Ingress players to review and ultimately decide on which interesting points-of-interest get added to our platform. Since the global launch in November 2019, the Wayfarer community has helped add nearly 1.9 million (and counting!) Wayspots across the globe. We’re incredibly motivated by the community’s dedication and we’re excited to open up the opportunity to more players to explore the real world through Wayfarer.

The ability to review Wayspots in Wayfarer is limited to those who meet strict eligibility requirements. This includes a level requirement in Pokémon GO or Ingress, and passing a tutorial quiz. This has been an important strategy to carefully pace the influx of Wayspots across our platform while maintaining quality reviews.

Based on the success and quality of the reviews those Wayfinders have been submitting, we are pleased to announce we will be lowering the level requirements for reviewing even further, allowing Pokémon GO Trainers Level 38 and Ingress Agents level 10 to join! PokéStop and Portal nomination levels will remain the same.

We’re also adding and updating in-game rewards! In Ingress, we’re temporarily doubling the credit value for Wayfarer Agreements towards the Recon medal. Starting today in Pokémon GO, we’ll be launching a new Wayfarer Medal for eligible Wayfarers. Wayfarer will credit eligible Pokémon GO players for the number of Agreements earned while their Wayfinder profile rating was in good standing (green). And yes, Agreement points will be rewarded retroactively for all the hard work players have been putting in!

We’re excited to welcome all new Wayfinders and look forward to continuing this Wayfinding journey with you!

YouTube Clip - Reviewing in Niantic Wayfarer

Source: https://nianticlabs.com/en/blog/wayfarer-expansion/

Niantic has announced that starting on Monday, June 8th, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. local time, certain Pokémon’s Alolan and Galarian forms will hatch from 7 km Eggs.

Certain Pokémon’s Alolan and Galarian forms will soon hatch from 7 km Eggs

Trainers, It appears something strange will be happening to the Eggs you can receive from Gifts—certain Pokémon’s Alolan and Galarian forms will be hatching from all 7 km Eggs! We aren’t sure how long this phenomenon will last, but we can assure you that Professor Willow is on the case.

When the Throwback Challenge event ends on Monday, June 8, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. local time, the following will be the only Pokémon hatching from 7 km Eggs until further notice.

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/7kmeggs-alolan-galarian-forms/

Niantic has announced that Latias and Latios will zip back for another Special Raid Weekend event in Pokémon GO from Friday, June 12, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. to Monday, June 15, 2020, at 10:00 p.m. local time.

Latias and Latios zip back for another Special Raid Weekend event!

Trainers, The Legendary Pokémon Latias and Latios are coming back to Raid Battles for a Special Raid Weekend event! These Eon Pokémon haven’t been seen in the skies since January of this year, so be sure to catch them during this weekend before they fly off again!

Date + Time
Friday, June 12, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. to Monday, June 15, 2020, at 10:00 p.m. local time

Features

• The Legendary Pokémon Latias and Latios will be in five-star raids.

Latias and Latios are both Dragon and Psychic type, so it’ll be best to bring along other Dragon-type Pokémon, such as Rayquaza and Dialga. They are also weak to Ice-, Bug-, Ghost-, Dark-, and Fairy-type attacks, so some recommended Pokémon to round out your Raid Battle teams are Tyranitar, Togekiss, and Mamoswine.

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/weekendraid2020-latias-latios-2/

Niantic has announced that adding stickers to Gifts is coming soon to Pokémon GO as well as inviting friends to raids later in June 2020.

Feature updates: Adding stickers to Gifts coming soon; inviting friends to raids coming later this month!

Trainers, More exciting changes will be coming to Pokémon GO in the coming months, and we wanted to share an early update on a couple features you can expect this summer. One is a feature that was previously announced: the ability to invite friends to remotely join you in Raid Battles! The other is a new update that’ll allow you to personalize the Gifts you send to your friends with in-game stickers!

Make your friends smile with a Gift sticker
Sending Gifts to friends just got more personalized! Want to show a friend how much you appreciate them? Soon you’ll be able to add a special sticker to the Gifts you send!

When the feature is rolled out, you’ll get a set of stickers for free! Right before you send a Gift to a friend, tap ADD STICKER and pick a sticker to attach. At launch, there will be five stickers available. You can use a sticker only once, so be sure to stock up on more by opening Gifts. In the future, you’ll be able to purchase some designs from the shop.

Invite friends to raids regardless of their location
As we continue to make changes to Pokémon GO that further adapt gameplay to individual settings, we’re excited to announce that the ability to invite friends to raids will be rolling out soon!

When this feature is available, you’ll see a + button in both public and private raid lobbies that you’ve joined in person. After tapping the + button, you’ll be able to invite up to five friends to join you. Your friends will be able to see raid invitations on their Nearby screen or in push notifications. These invitations will allow them to enter the raid lobby. Your friends will use a pass only once the battle starts, not when they join the lobby.

While the feature will be released after the highly anticipated Legendary Pokémon Reshiram has already left raids, fret not! The Vast White Pokémon will be back in raids in the future, so you’ll have another chance to face off against it and test your resolve for truth.

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/raid-gift-update-2020/