Niantic announced that from December 15th, 2017 until January 15th, 2018, Groudon will be appearing in Raid Battles around the world in Pokémon GO.

Groudon Appearing in Raid Battles around the World!

Trainers, Groudon, the Ground-type Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region, is now appearing in Raid Battles around the world! Keep an eye out for Groudon at Gyms near you, and you may be one of the first to catch this Legendary Pokémon. But don’t delay—Groudon will only be available until 1:00 p.m. PST on January 15, 2018. Good luck, Trainers!

Source: https://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/legendary-groudon

The Pokémon Company International and Niantic have announced a new update for Pokémon GO that will add 50 Pokémon from the Hoenn Region as well as adding weather effects to the game.

Big Changes Are Coming to Pokémon GO!

Pokémon from the Hoenn region and new weather effects will expand your Pokémon GO adventure.

Get ready to do a lot more exploring when Pokémon GO introduces a huge update that will expand your Pokédex and change the way you play! Dozens of new Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region will soon start appearing for the first time. You'll be able to catch Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, and many others, with even more Pokémon waiting to be discovered in the next several weeks.

Pokémon from the Hoenn region aren't the only new addition to Pokémon GO. The game is also introducing a dynamic weather system that will affect how Trainers discover, catch, and interact with Pokémon! The in-game map will be updated with cool new weather visuals based on your local weather patterns. The real-world weather will also influence which Pokémon you're likely to discover. For example, Water-type Pokémon will be more plentiful during rainy weather.

Likewise, attack types will be affected by certain weather conditions. A Charizard with Fire Spin, for example, will attack with greater heat when battling on a sunny day. Now, rain or shine, you're bound to have new—and even more exciting—Pokémon GO adventures!

Source: https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/big-changes-are-coming-to-pokemon-go/

Introducing Weather and 50 Pokémon from the Hoenn Region in Pokémon GO!

Trainers, Starting later this week, Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, and several more Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region in the Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire video games will start appearing in Pokémon GO for the first time ever—with even more to be discovered over the next several weeks! We’ll also be introducing a new dynamic weather system in Pokémon GO that will change the way you and the millions of Trainers around the world discover, catch, and interact with Pokémon.

You’ll want to start paying even closer attention to your local weather patterns, Trainers. In addition to the in-game map being updated with cool new weather visuals, weather near you will impact Pokémon in a variety of ways. For example, you’ll find your odds of discovering Mudkip splashing around will greatly improve on rainy days, as certain Pokémon types will be more commonly found during various weather conditions. Additionally, attacks of certain types will be more effective during some weather conditions, so a Charizard’s Fire Spin will perform better on sunny days, for example. Rain or shine, winter or spring, your gameplay experience will remain fresh, making your time outdoors even more exciting.



There’s never been a better time to grab your umbrella or snow boots and safely venture outside with family and friends this season. As you explore your local neighborhoods, remember to share a photo of your encounters on social media with the hashtag #PokemonGO. We'd love to see all of your new adventures as they unfold.

Source: https://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/hoenn-pokemon

YouTube Video - More Pokémon, More Adventure. Now with Dynamic Weather Gameplay!

The Pokémon GO Global Catch Challenge successfully reached its goal of catching 3 billion Pokémon in a week resulting in a total of 3,364,580,633 Pokémon being caught during the 7 day period. As part of the reward for achieving that goal, the Rainbow Pokémon Ho-oh will appear in Raid Battles at Gyms around the world until December 12th, 2017.

Ho-Oh Appearing in Raid Battles around the World!

Trainers, Congratulations! We issued a challenge—and you answered the call. Collectively, you caught over 3 billion Pokémon during the Global Catch Challenge, unlocking some amazing rewards along the way. But that’s not all… As a result of all your hard work, Ho-Oh is now appearing in Raid Battles at Gyms around the world until December 12, 2017. So, gather your friends and find a Legendary Raid near you!

Good luck!

Source: https://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/legendary-hooh

Thanks to all your hard work last week, Ho-Oh will appear in Raid Battles until 12/12! #PokemonGOtravel #GlobalCatchChallenge https://t.co/YfyBGwfTux pic.twitter.com/mdGoFByyQl

— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) November 27, 2017

7 days. 4 amazing destinations. 3.36 billion Pokémon caught. 1 epic adventure shared by millions of Trainers around the world. #PokemonGOtravel #GlobalCatchChallenge pic.twitter.com/umeyUmBIDG

— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) November 27, 2017

Niantic has posted a detailed blog post on the Official Pokémon GO website detailing the upcoming changes to the Raid Battle feature.

Developer Insights: An Update on Raid Battles

Trainers, We greatly appreciate all the feedback you’ve shared with us about the Raid Battle feature over the past few months. We’ve been carefully reviewing your feedback and will be making a few changes to the feature in response. These improvements will not require you to update your app, but they will impact your gameplay. Below are a few notes detailing the changes as well as a few comments from our development team:

• EX Raid Battle changes
  • EX Raid Battles will take place most commonly at Gyms found in parks and sponsored locations.
  • Trainers with a high-level Gym Badge are more likely to be invited to EX Raid Battles taking place at that Gym.
  • Trainers who have completed a larger number of Raid Battles are more likely to be invited to EX Raid Battles.
  • EX Raid Battle start times now take into account popular Raid Battle times at that Gym.
  • Trainers invited to EX Raid Battles will receive an in-game notification if the EX Raid Battle is canceled.
  • Trainers will receive Stardust and Premium Raid Passes when an EX Raid Battle is canceled.

Developer Comments: Over the course of the EX Raid Battle field test, much of the feedback we received was focused around how Trainers are chosen to participate in EX Raid Battles. When the feature first entered field-testing, the system randomly selected a set of Trainers who were eligible for the EX Raid Battle. By taking Gym Badge level and total Raid Battles completed into account, we’re able to give Trainers who actively engage with the Gym where the EX Raid Battle is taking place and those who have invested more time into the Raid Battle feature a better chance of being invited to participate.

We also wanted to address some feedback we received about the timing and locations of EX Raid Battles. First, we’re taking popular Raid Battle times at the Gyms where the EX Raid Battle is taking place into account to help ensure many of the people who are invited will be able to participate. The reason we decided to have EX Raid Battles primarily take place at Gyms located in parks and at sponsored locations is to ensure the locations are easily accessible to Trainers in the area. Over time, we’ll explore hosting EX Raid Battles at more locations, but we want to first make sure those locations are also easily accessible.

We think each of these changes will have a positive impact on Trainers around the world. With the implementation of these features, we’ll be removing the field-test label and considering this the official launch of the EX Raid Battle feature. While the EX Raid Battle field test is coming to a close, we’ll continue to monitor your feedback and look to make more improvements, as we do with all Pokémon GO features.

• Raid Battle changes
  • Trainers will now receive Golden Razz Berries for completing Raid Battles.
  • The numbers of Potions and Revives awarded to Trainers for completing a Raid Battle will decrease slightly, but the quality of Potions will increase.
  • The likelihood of receiving Fast and Charged Technical Machines for completing a Tier 3 or higher Raid Battle has increased.
  • Trainers will now receive Stardust for participating in a Raid Battle, whether they win or lose.
  • Magikarp will make a triumphant return to Tier 1 Raid Battles.

Developer Comments: We want Trainers to walk away from Raid Battles feeling like they’ve earned some amazing rewards, even if the Raid Boss flees. To help make this more of a reality, we’ve made adjustments to the quality of items Trainers receive after defeating a Raid Boss. The addition of Stardust rewards for participating in a Raid Battle will help Trainers continue to power up the Pokémon they need to take on even more powerful Raid Bosses.

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/novdevupdate-raids

Niantic has announced the Pokémon GO Travel and the Global Catch Challenge which aims to get players to catch 3 billion Pokémon in a week from November 20th, 2017 until November 26th, 2017.

Pokémon GO Travel and the Global Catch Challenge

Trainers, Ever since Pokémon GO launched, we've loved hearing stories of Trainers venturing abroad and playing together with new friends from different countries. That's what inspired us to create Pokémon GO Travel, a new video series to see the world through the eyes of a Pokémon Trainer. To kick things off, Pokémon GO Travel is taking a diverse group of Trainers from around the world to Japan to host our first-ever Global Catch Challenge.

Join us as we discover new places, meet new people, and work together in an attempt to catch 3 billion Pokémon in just 7 days. Play along with IHasCupquake, Coisa de Nerd, and Rachel Quirico as they learn more about Japanese culture, inspire the world to play together, and update you on the amazing rewards the community unlocks along the way.

Potential rewards and bonuses include:

Stock up on Poké Balls, Trainers. The Global Catch Challenge starts now and concludes with a special celebration at the Pokémon GO Safari Zone event in Tottori, Japan, on November 26.

We can’t wait to take you along on this amazing adventure and hear what you think about the Pokémon GO Travel tour. We’ll be posting daily updates on Rachel, Tiffany, Gabi, and Leon’s adventures and are curious to see your updates, too! On a trip? Venturing to a new part of town? Share your #PokemonGOtravel story with us this week on your favorite social media channels.

YouTube Video - Announcing Pokémon GO Travel and the Global Catch Challenge

Twitter Post - @PokemonGoApp - Nov 20, 2017

Awesome work, Trainers! You’ve made amazing progress after just one day of the Global Catch Challenge! #PokemonGOtravel pic.twitter.com/KMfjU7yiJ3

— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) November 20, 2017

Twitter Post - @PokemonGoApp - Nov 21, 2017

It’s day two of our quest to catch three billion Pokémon, and the global community of Trainers has already achieved an amazing score! #PokemonGOtravel pic.twitter.com/QbPvRLW65a

— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) November 21, 2017

Twitter Post - @PokemonGoApp - Nov 22, 2017

Trainers, check out how many Pokémon we've caught. The latest results from the Global Catch Challenge are in! #PokemonGOtravel pic.twitter.com/0e9WRobVbY

— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) November 22, 2017

Source: https://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/pokemongotravel

Niantic has announced that players of Pokémon GO will be able to get tropical Alola region inspired outfits in the game to celebrate the launch of Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.

New Avatar Items Inspired by the Alola Region Available in Pokémon GO

Trainers, We’re excited to announce that new avatar items are now available. To celebrate the upcoming launch of the Pokémon™ Ultra Sun and Pokémon™ Ultra Moon games for the Nintendo 3DS™ family of systems, you’ll be able to dress your Pokémon GO avatar in brand-new outfits inspired by the tropical Alola region and worn by the main male and female characters in the games, which launch on November 17.

Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/ultrasunmoon

It has been a disappointing year for Pokémon GO fans with event issues and event cancellations. Very few new features have been added to Pokémon GO in 2017 after a hugely successful 2016 and now Niantic has announced they are working on a new game Harry Potter: Wizards Unite despite many core Pokémon franchise gameplay features such as PvP Battling and Trading still not in the game.

In July, CEO John Hanke of Niantic was interviewed by Andrew Webster of The Verge to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of Pokémon Go and it was revealed that development of Pokémon GO was already 6 months behind schedule. In September, Pokémon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara in an interview with Bloomberg Technology stated that Pokémon GO is only 10 percent complete. This has many fans of the game extremely concerned that with Niantic shifting development to a new game, it will affect the the development of Pokémon GO. Niantic has attempted to quell these concerns with a blog post stating that there are "amazing features in 2018".

Looking ahead

Trainers, Just like many of you, we're super excited about Harry Potter: Wizards Unite and are working hard with our partners at Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, and WB Games San Francisco’s development team to bring that to life. However, we–the Pokémon GO development team–want to say that we are 100% committed to creating an ever-changing and growing game that gets our players exploring, meeting each other, and deepening their connection to the Pokémon universe. We're actively expanding the Pokémon GO development team to build many more amazing features in 2018. Stay tuned for an update next week on upcoming improvements to certain features.

Our Ingress, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, and Pokémon GO development teams are all hiring. You can take a look at our postings and apply online here.

Thanks, The Pokémon GO development team

Source: https://nianticlabs.com/blog/devupdate111017/

Niantic has announced Pokémon GO Week in Korea will take place from Saturday, November 4th, 2017 until Sunday, November 12th, 2017.

Pokémon GO Week in Korea

Trainers, "Pokémon FESTA" is being hosted by Pokémon Korea and will be held in Korea from Saturday, November 4th, 2017 until Sunday, November 12th, 2017. During this event, the probability of Pokémon appearing is higher than usual in all parts of Korea (except for some areas)!

There is even more amazing news as Trainers in Seoul will be able to play Raid Battles with Freezer, Thunder, Fire and Lugia during the period of Friday, November 10th, 2017 until Sunday, November 12th, 2017. There is also a chance to catch Mr. Mime and Unknown!

Pokémon FESTA is going to be a great event. If you are a trainer in Korea, please come to Seoul and take part in this event!

Date: Saturday, November 4th, 2017 until Sunday, November 12th, 2017
Location: All of Korea (except for some areas) / Seoul / Lotte World Mall
Cost: Free

Source: http://pokemongolive.com/ko/post/pokemonfesta

Niantic has announced that the 2017 Halloween Event for Pokémon GO will start on October 20 at 12:00 P.M. PDT and run until November 2 at 1:00 P.M. PDT.

Halloween treats coming to Pokémon GO!

Gastly, Drowzee, Cubone, and other spooky Pokémon are back again this Halloween, and this time, they’re bringing some special friends! Sableye, Banette, and a few other Ghost-type Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region will be making their first-ever appearance in Pokémon GO. The rest of the Pokémon first seen in the Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire video games will gradually arrive starting as early as December! We hope Trainers enjoy this special Halloween treat. The Halloween celebration will start on October 20 at 12:00 P.M. PDT and run until November 2 at 1:00 P.M. PDT.

A special Pikachu will be out celebrating Halloween in an all-new costume, and you can, too! Dress up your avatar for the occasion by wearing Mimikyu’s Disguise Hat. You’ll also earn extra Candy while you’re out trick-or-treating with your Buddy Pokémon: Candy rewards from catching, hatching, and transferring Pokémon will be doubled, and your buddy will find Candy twice as fast during the Halloween celebration! Last but not least, you’ll have the opportunity to stock up for your upcoming adventures with special boxes from the in-game shop, featuring items such as Raid Passes and Super Incubators.

While you’re out looking for Sableye, Banette, and other spooky Pokémon, use your Pokémon GO AR camera to capture festive photos and share them on social media using #PokemonGOHalloween. As always, make sure to remain alert and aware of your surroundings while playing Pokémon GO this season.

Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/halloween2017

YouTube Video - Spooky Pokémon Sableye, Banette, and Others Arrive in Pokémon GO!

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqTTNgyJm-o

Niantic has announced a Pokémon GO AR Photo Contest. Players can upload a picture to their Instagram account and the top 10 submissions get a Pokémon GO Prize Pack.

Pokémon GO AR Photo Contest

Trainers, Starting today, we’re challenging you to snap epic Pokémon GO AR photos and post them on Instagram using the hashtag #PokemonGOcontest. If your AR photo is selected as one of the top 10 submissions, you’ll win a Pokémon GO Prize Pack containing a Pokémon GO Plus, a poster autographed by the Pokémon GO team, and wireless Bluetooth earbuds. You only have until October 25 to submit your best AR photo, so go on an adventure, take a photo, and share it with us on Instagram!

Good luck!

Source: http://pokemongolive.com/en/post/arphotocontest