Gigantamax versions of Pikachu, Eevee and Meowth will be appearing in Max Raid Battles in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield throughout May 2020.

Gigantamax versions of Pikachu, Eevee, and Meowth arrive in Max Raid Battles

Head to the Wild Area to face these powerful Pokémon in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield.

Gigantamax versions of three beloved Pokémon will be appearing in Max Raid Battles in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield. Gigantamax Pikachu, Gigantamax Eevee, and Gigantamax Meowth will take turns appearing in the Wild Area over the next three weeks, giving players plenty of chances to track down these popular Pokémon and add them to their team.

Look for these Gigantamax Pokémon appearing in Pokémon Dens during the following dates:

• Gigantamax Pikachu: May 11, 2020 – May 18, 2020
• Gigantamax Eevee: May 18, 2020 – May 25, 2020
• Gigantamax Meowth: May 25, 2020 – June 2, 2020

Note: The periods above will not overlap. When one Pokémon's period ends, the next Pokémon's period will begin.

To challenge these Pokémon in a Max Raid Battle, you'll need to connect your Nintendo Switch system to the internet. Then, whenever you see a pillar of light shining from a Pokémon Den in the Wild Area, you can walk up to the Pokémon Den and interact with it to start a Max Raid Battle with a Dynamax Pokémon. Usually, there'll be an extremely small possibility a Gigantamax Pokémon will appear instead of a Dynamax Pokémon, but during an event, certain Gigantamax Pokémon are more likely to appear.

Both Gigantamax Pikachu and Gigantamax Eevee each were previously only available as a bonus to players who had a save file of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! (respectively) on their Nintendo Switch system. Likewise, Gigantamax Meowth was only available via a Mystery Gift for players who began their Galar adventure shortly after the launch of Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield. Now, everyone will have the opportunity to encounter these incredible Pokémon.

Source: https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/gigantamax-versions-of-pikachu-eevee-and-meowth-arrive-in-max-raid-battles/

Nintendo released its Consolidated Results for the Years Ended March 31, 2019 and 2020 on May 7th, 2020 and it revealed that Pokémon Sword and Shield have now sold a combined 17.37 million units.

Nintendo's Consolidated Results for the Years Ended March 31, 2019 and 2020

For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, Nintendo Switch Lite launched in September as a compact, lightweight, and easy-to-carry dedicated handheld system, and Nintendo Switch performed very well without losing momentum, resulting in significant sales growth for the entire Nintendo Switch family. Looking at software, Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield became big hits, posting sales of 17.37 million units, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, released in March, sold 11.77 million units, which is now the best start ever for a Nintendo Switch title.

In addition, we plan to distribute The Isle of Armor for Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass and Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass by the end of June as the first-ever add-on content for the Pokémon series, and to follow that up with The Crown Tundrain the fall.

Pokémon Sales as of March 31, 2020:

Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield: 17.37 million
Pokémon X and Y: 16.45 million
Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire: 14.27 million
Pokémon Sun and Moon: 16.18 million
Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon: 8.77 million
Pokémon Let's Go, Pikachu! & Let's Go, Eevee: 11.97 million

Source: https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/index.html

DeNA has announced that there are New Halls in the Battle Villa, that a Wallace Spotlight Scout is being held, that there are new Log-In Bonus Details and the Legendary Event: Pure Hearts and Rainbow Wings is under way!

New Halls in the Battle Villa!

The Battle Villa has been updated with five new halls! Can you make it to the final hall? Now is your chance to take on the challenge!

Date/Time

April 29, 2020 at 11:00 p.m. - May 14, 2020 at 10:59 p.m.

Update Details

• Added Halls 26–30.
• The battle content and each type of reward content have been updated.

What is the Battle Villa?

The Battle Villa allows you to create a roster of up to nine sync pairs to see how far you can go during the challenge period.

You can use your strongest sync pairs along with some helpful Battle Villa-exclusive items to put your skills to the test!

Claim Period for Final Milestone Rewards

May 14, 2020 at 11:00 p.m. - July 14, 2020 at 10:59 p.m.

Important

• To participate in the Battle Villa, you must have completed Main Story Chapter 7: Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way (Normal) in single-player.
• To learn more details about the Battle Villa, tap the Information button on the top right of the main Battle Villa screen.
• You must go to the Battle Villa (single-player) hall list screen to claim your final milestone rewards once the challenge period has ended.
• The time period and featured content are subject to change without notice.

Source: https://pokemonmasters-game.com/en-US/announcements/Event_2040_1W_2

Wallace Spotlight Scout

Increased chance to scout newly released Wallace & Milotic! Limited-time Spotlight Scout now under way! Wallace Spotlight Scout under way! Featuring 5★ Wallace & Milotic! Featured sync pairs have a higher chance of appearing than non-featured 5★ sync pairs. The sync grids of 5★ Wallace & Milotic will be expanded upon their release.

About Wallace & Milotic

This charismatic Gym Leader from Hoenn uses a variety of moves to adapt to all sorts of opponents!

Date/Time

April 29, 2020 at 11:00 p.m. - May 13, 2020 at 10:59 p.m.

Important

• The sync pairs featured in this sync pair scout may also appear in future sync pair scouts.
• Sync pairs other than the ones mentioned above may appear.
• Please note that you cannot have two or more sync pairs that include Trainers with the same name in your team. Example: Brock & Onix and Sygna Suit Brock & Tyranitar
• To unlock the sync grid, you must have completed Main Story Chapter 11: Alola’s Rising Star: Part 2 (Normal) in single-player.
• To check the available sync pairs and their respective offering rates, go to the Offering Rate section on the Sync Pair Scout screen.
• Please read the Notes section under Offering Rate on the Sync Pair Scout screen before using the feature.
• The time period and featured content are subject to change without notice.

Source: https://pokemonmasters-game.com/en-US/announcements/Scout_2040_1W_1

Legendary Event Log-In Bonus Under Way!

A log-in bonus is currently under way to mark the start of Legendary Event: Pure Hearts and Rainbow Wings, featuring Silver & Ho-Oh.

Log-In Bonus Details

• Day 1: Reward Boost Ticket ×3
• Day 2: Gems ×300
• Day 3: Gems ×300
• Day 4: Gems ×300
• Day 5: Gems ×300
• Day 6: Gems ×300
• Day 7: Gems ×300
• Day 8: Gems ×300
• Day 9: Gems ×300
• Day 10: Gems ×300
• Day 11: Gems ×300
• Day 12: Gems ×300
• Day 13: Gems ×300
• Day 14: Gems ×300

Date/Time

April 29, 2020 at 11:00 p.m. - May 13, 2020 at 10:59 p.m.

Important

• Log-in bonuses are sent to your Present Box.
• Log-in bonuses can only be claimed during the specified time period.
• Log-in bonuses sent to the Present Box can only be claimed for a limited period of time.
• Log-in bonuses can only be claimed once per day.
• Up to 14 log-in bonuses can be claimed.
• Log-in bonuses are reset each day at 11:00 p.m.
• If you are already logged in, you will need to return to the Pokémon Center and claim them from your Present Box.
• The time period and featured content are subject to change without notice.

Source: https://pokemonmasters-game.com/en-US/announcements/Campaign_2040_1W_1

Legendary Event: Pure Hearts and Rainbow Wings under way!

You can team up with Silver & Ho-Oh in this event. Legendary Events are getting revamped, starting with this one!

Event Details

You can collect Prize Coins by completing battles in Single-Player, then try making pulls from the Prize Box!

If you pull from the Prize Box and get the grand prize, you can move on to the next Prize Box pool.

You can progress through the event areas and make pulls from the Prize Box to obtain area info that will allow you to team up with Silver & Ho-Oh!

Silver & Ho-Oh can be powered up with exclusive items available through the Prize Box! Also, Reward Boosts can be used in the areas listed below! Battle Rewards are tripled when a Reward Boost is used.

• Ho-Oh’s Challenge: Part 1
• Ho-Oh’s Challenge: Part 2
• Ho-Oh’s Challenge: Part 3
• Ho-Oh’s Challenge: Part 4
• Ho-Oh’s Challenge: Part 5

Note: Reward Boosts are replenished by one every four hours, to a maximum of three. The count will not exceed three regardless of how much time has elapsed.

Event Missions

You can take on special missions during the event period. Check the Missions screen to learn more!

Date/Time

April 29, 2020 at 11:00 p.m. - May 13, 2020 at 10:59 p.m.

Important

• To participate, you must have completed Main Story Chapter 1: The More the Merrier (Normal) in single-player.
• The sync pairs that appear as opponents in battle have different capabilities than those you can actually obtain.
• When the event ends, leftover Prize Coins will be converted into coins (10 coins per Prize Coins) and sent to your Present Box.
• This Legendary Event Pure Hearts and Rainbow Wings may be held again in the future. Your progress in the current event will not be carried over when the event is held next.
• All mission completion rewards must be claimed within three days of the mission period ending.
• The content is subject to change without notice.

Source: https://pokemonmasters-game.com/en-US/announcements/Event_2040_1W_1

Niantic have announced the details for the May 2020 Research Breakthrough encounter and Pokémon Spotlight Hours for Pokémon GO.

May’s Research Breakthrough encounter and Pokémon Spotlight Hours

Trainers, Here’s an update on what you can look forward to this month.

Team GO Rocket Special Research update
It seems that Team GO Rocket has been quiet lately, so from May until the end of September, there’ll be no new Team GO Rocket Special Research available. Professor Willow and the team find this very odd and will continue to investigate to see if they can find any leads. We hope this means this is the last we’ll see of Team GO Rocket, but knowing the capabilities of these villains, we highly doubt that’s the case! Stay tuned for any updates. We really don’t expect Team GO Rocket to be quiet all summer...

May Research Breakthrough encounter: Shinx with bonus Shinx Candies!
From Friday, May 1, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Monday, June 1, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7), the Flash Pokémon, Shinx, will be available as a Research Breakthrough encounter, and it’ll come with bonus Shinx Candies!

Upcoming Pokémon Spotlight Hours
In the next few weeks, Pokémon Spotlight Hour will take place every Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. local time and will continue to spotlight both a Pokémon and a special bonus! For each Pokémon Spotlight Hour, you can expect a different Pokémon and bonus.

• Tuesday, May 5, 2020: Shellder will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Stardust for catching Pokémon.
• Tuesday, May 12, 2020: Sunkern will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the XP for catching Pokémon.
• Tuesday, May 19, 2020: Poochyena will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Candy for catching Pokémon.
• Tuesday, May 26, 2020: Bronzor will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Candy for transferring Pokémon.

Please be aware of your surroundings when playing Pokémon GO. Upcoming events are subject to change.

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/may2020/

Niantic has announced the details of the Pokémon GO Battle League Season 2 which was to being on Friday, May 1st, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT but has been delayed until Monday, May 11th, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT due to a technical issue.


UPDATE: Trainers, we've identified a technical issue that needs to be addressed before we transition to Season 2 of GO Battle League. Due to this, we are delaying the start of Season 2 until Monday, May 11, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7). Trainers will also be able to claim their end-of-season rewards then.

GO Battle League Season 2 begins Friday, May 1, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7)

Trainers, As April comes to a close, so does Season 1 of the GO Battle League. A lot has happened these past few weeks!

GO Battle League Season 1 recap
We kicked off the season with a celebration event that helped Trainers prepare for the GO Battle League, where they had the opportunity to catch powerful Pokémon—like Skarmory, Registeel, and Altered Forme Giratina—to add to their battle parties. As Season 1 continued, Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, such as Lugia and Darkrai, became available as GO Battle League reward encounters for the first time.

On Friday, April 10, 2020, the GO Battle League leaderboard was released, showing the top 500 Trainers in the GO Battle League. In celebration of the leaderboard launch, the GO Battle Day event debuted, this time featuring Marill. Trainers earned reward encounters with Marill in the GO Battle League, enjoyed event bonuses, and gained access to 20 sets of GO Battle League battles for a total of 100 battles on the event day.

The Pokémon GO team congratulates everyone who appeared on the leaderboard this season—what a truly remarkable achievement! Good luck to everyone aiming for the leaderboard in Season 2.

Season 1 rewards, Season 2 timeline, and what’s staying the same
When Season 2 begins on Friday, May 1, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7), be sure to check out the Battle screen to receive your end-of-season rewards, including an Elite Charged TM if you reached rank 7 or higher! Season 2 will rotate through leagues, as noted in the schedule below. Season 3 is planned to begin in early July. Please note that all these dates are tentative. Stay tuned—we’ll update you if anything changes.

• The Great League will run from Friday, May 1, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Monday, May 25, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7).
• The Ultra League will run from Monday, May 25, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Monday, June 15, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7).
• The Master League will run from Monday, June 15, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Monday, June 29, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7).
• Additionally, the first-ever GO Battle League Cup—the Premier Cup—will run concurrently with the Master League! Like the Master League, the Premier Cup won’t have a limit on Combat Power. However, Legendary and Mythical Pokémon won’t be eligible to participate. Otherwise, everything else about the format will stay the same, including the way ranks and ratings are determined. We hope the Premier Cup will add a fun flavor to Season 2!
• All three leagues and the Premier Cup will be available from Monday, June 29, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Monday, July 6, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7).
• Season 3 will begin Monday, July 6, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7).

For Season 2, the following will be the same as during Season 1.

• The walking and PokéCoin requirements to unlock sets of battles in the GO Battle League will still be removed. If you’re currently in the middle of walking to earn a set, this will take effect starting with your next set.
• The avatar items inspired by Pikachu Libre will continue to be rank 7 rewards.
• Metagross and Pikachu Libre will continue to be guaranteed reward encounters when you reach rank 1 and rank 10 respectively.
• The avatar items inspired by Steven Stone, a Pokémon League Champion of the Hoenn region, will continue to be rank 10 rewards.

What’s new, Season 2?
There’ll be a few changes coming to the GO Battle League and Trainer Battles for Season 2.

• The GO Battle League reward system has been changed slightly. You can now earn a Pokémon reward encounter after your third win on the basic rewards track or after your first win on the premium rewards track.
• The ranking system has been adjusted. More wins are now required to get to ranks 4, 5, 6, and 7.
• Some of your guaranteed reward encounters will be different for Season 2. You’ll encounter these Pokémon at each listed rank:
• Stunfisk starting at rank 4
• Rufflet starting at rank 8
• Scraggy starting at rank 9.
• If you reach rank 10, you’ll earn a new avatar pose!
• Trainers who finish Season 2 at rank 7 or higher will receive an Elite Fast TM rather than an Elite Charged TM. Other than that, end-of-season rewards will stay the same as in Season 1.

Updates to Trainer Battles
We’re excited to announce some additional updates to Trainer Battles.

• Trainers will be able to initiate Trainer Battles via QR Code from anywhere, regardless of the Trainers’ Friendship level or distance.
• For Trainer Battles with friends, the Friendship level requirement will remain lowered so you can send battle invites to Good Friends and Great Friends. Originally, you could send battle invites only to Ultra Friends and Best Friends.

The following existing attacks have been updated in Trainer Battles.

• Drill Run: Its energy requirement has been reduced.
• Moonblast: Its energy requirement and damage have both been reduced, and it now has a chance to lower the opponent’s Attack stat.
• Wild Charge: Its energy requirement has been reduced, its damage has been increased, and it will sharply lower the user’s Defense stat.

Along with these updates to existing attacks, the following Pokémon will be able to learn an attack it couldn’t before.

• Palkia and Aqua Tail: Aqua Tail gives Palkia a powerful Water-type Charged Attack that charges quickly, helping Palkia stand out from the other Legendary Dragon types in the Master League and making Protect Shield decisions tougher for opponents.

Please be aware of your surroundings when playing Pokémon GO. Upcoming events are subject to change.

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/post/gobattleleague-season2

Niantic has announced a Throwback Challenge to celebrate Pokémon nostalgia throughout May 2020.

Throwback Challenge: Celebrate our Pokémon journeys together!

Trainers, Do you ever stop and think about how quickly time flies? It feels like it was just yesterday that some of us were faced with the choice between Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle right before starting our journey through the Kanto region. Now, over 20 years later, some of us are still exploring the world of Pokémon in the Galar region. Whether your journey with Pokémon began in 1996 with Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue or in 2016 with Pokémon GO, let’s celebrate our collective Pokémon journeys together throughout the month of May!

From Friday, May 1, 2020, to Friday, May 29, 2020, you’ll unlock Throwback Challenge Timed Research lines. These Timed Research lines will appear in the Today View and will feature a sequence of limited-time tasks that you’ll have access to until a certain date. Each research line will have eight sets of three tasks.


Each week will feature different tasks themed around different regions of the Pokémon world, inspired by the adventures that some might remember from previous Pokémon games. Different Pokémon originally discovered in each region will also be appearing more frequently in the wild to help you complete these tasks. The featured regions will be Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. If you complete all four of these Timed Research sets, you’ll unlock the Throwback Challenge Champion 2020 Special Research, in which you can earn Rare Candies, reward encounters with Genesect, Galarian Meowth and Galarian Stunfisk, Professor Willow’s glasses as an exclusive avatar item, and more. You’ll be able to complete all these tasks in an individual setting. See the schedule below for when each region will be featured.

• Throwback Challenge 2020: Kanto Timed Research: Friday, May 1, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Friday, May 8, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. local time
• Throwback Challenge 2020: Johto Timed Research: Friday, May 8, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Friday, May 15, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. local time
• Throwback Challenge 2020: Hoenn Timed Research: Friday, May 15, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Friday, May 22, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. local time
• Throwback Challenge 2020: Sinnoh Timed Research: Friday, May 22, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Friday, May 29, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. local time
• Throwback Challenge Champion 2020 Special Research unlock and event- Wednesday, June 3, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Monday, June 8, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. local time

Throwback Challenge 2020: Kanto
From Friday, May 1, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Friday, May 8, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. local time, you’ll have access to the Throwback Challenge 2020: Kanto Timed Research.

Let’s look back at the adventures in Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue together! From catching a Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle in memory of one of the most iconic choices Trainers had to make, to taking a snapshot of a Ghost-type Pokémon to celebrate the Ghost-type Pokémon in Lavender Town, there’s much to reminisce about from past adventures through Kanto! Complete all eight sets of tasks in the Kanto Timed Research to earn 10 Rare Candies and a reward encounter with a Mewtwo that knows Psystrike.

While the Throwback Challenge 2020: Kanto Timed Research is available, you can look forward to the following features and bonuses.

• Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region, such as Venonat and Chansey, will be appearing more frequently in the wild.
• Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region will also be available to battle in raids.
• The following Pokémon will be hatching from 7 km Eggs: Venonat, Machop, Onix, Lickitung, Tangela, Scyther, Pinsir, Lapras, and Eevee.
• In honor of Charizard being chosen in the Pokémon of the Year vote as the number-one Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region, Pikachu wearing Charizard hats will be appearing in the wild!
• If you’re lucky, you might find a Shiny Venonat!
• Event-exclusive Field Research tasks will reward encounters with Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region.
• 2× Catch XP, 2× Raid XP, and 2× Hatch XP bonuses will be active.

Throwback Challenge 2020: Johto
From Friday, May 8, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Friday, May 15, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. local time, you’ll have access to the Throwback Challenge 2020: Johto Timed Research.

Remember the adventures in Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver with us! Make Curveball Throws as a subtle callback to visiting the Whirl Islands, and catch a Water-type Pokémon in memory of the fateful encounter with the Shiny Gyarados at the Lake of Rage! Complete all eight sets of tasks in the Johto Timed Research to earn 10 Rare Candies and a reward encounter with a Ho-Oh that knows the event-exclusive attack Earthquake.

While the Throwback Challenge 2020: Johto Timed Research is available, you can look forward to the following features.

• Pokémon originally discovered in the Johto region, such as Dunsparce and Skarmory, will be appearing more frequently in the wild.
• Pokémon originally discovered in the Johto region will also be available to battle in raids.
• The following Pokémon will be hatching from 7 km Eggs: Chinchou, Yanma, Girafarig, Pineco, Dunsparce, Gligar, Shuckle, Skarmory, and Phanpy.
• In honor of Umbreon being chosen in the Pokémon of the Year vote as the number-one Pokémon originally discovered in the Johto region, Pikachu wearing Umbreon hats will be appearing in the wild!
• If you’re lucky, you might find a Shiny Dunsparce!
• Event-exclusive Field Research tasks will reward encounters with Pokémon originally discovered in the Johto region.
• 2× Catch Stardust and 2× Raid Stardust bonuses will be active.

Throwback Challenge 2020: Hoenn
From Friday, May 15, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Friday, May 22, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. local time, you’ll have access to the Throwback Challenge 2020: Hoenn Timed Research.

The events of Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire were epic! Catching a Fire-type Pokémon will be like taking a nice, warm soak in the hot springs of Lavaridge Town, while catching a Normal-type Pokémon might remind you of battling against your dad at the Petalburg Gym! Complete all eight sets of tasks in the Hoenn Timed Research to earn 10 Rare Candies and a reward encounter with a Groudon that knows the event-exclusive attack Fire Punch.

While the Throwback Challenge 2020: Hoenn Timed Research is available, you can look forward to the following features.

• Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region—such as Skitty, Zangoose, and Seviper—will be appearing more frequently in the wild.
• Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region will also be available to battle in raids.
• The following Pokémon will be hatching from 7 km Eggs: Lotad, Slakoth, Nincada, Skitty, Sableye, Mawile, Trapinch, Feebas, and Clamperl.
• In honor of Rayquaza being chosen in the Pokémon of the Year vote as the number-one Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region, Pikachu wearing Rayquaza hats will be appearing in the wild!
• If you’re lucky, you might find a Shiny Skitty!
• Event-exclusive Field Research tasks will reward encounters with Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region.
• The distance needed to hatch an Egg once it’s been placed in an Incubator and the distance needed to earn Buddy Candy will be halved.

Throwback Challenge 2020: Sinnoh
From Friday, May 22, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Friday, May 29, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. local time, you’ll have access to the Throwback Challenge 2020: Sinnoh Timed Research.

It’s time to revisit the adventures we had in the Sinnoh region from Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl together! Power up a Pokémon as an homage to the Trainers’ School in Jubilife City, and take a snapshot with a Steel-type Pokémon you caught in remembrance of exploring the mines on Iron Island! Complete all eight sets of tasks in the Sinnoh Timed Research to earn 10 Rare Candies and a reward encounter with a Cresselia that knows the event-exclusive attack Grass Knot.

While the Throwback Challenge 2020: Sinnoh Timed Research is available, you can look forward to the following features.

• Pokémon originally discovered in the Sinnoh region, such as Cherubi and Glameow, will be appearing more frequently in the wild.
• Pokémon originally discovered in the Sinnoh region will also be available to battle in raids.
• The following Pokémon will be hatching from 7 km Eggs: Cranidos, Shieldon, Glameow, Chingling, Bonsly, Happiny, Gible, Munchlax, Riolu, and Mantyke.
• In honor of Lucario being chosen in the Pokémon of the Year vote as the number-one Pokémon originally discovered in the Sinnoh region, Pikachu wearing Lucario hats will be appearing in the wild!
• If you’re lucky, you might find a Shiny Glameow!
• Event-exclusive Field Research tasks will reward encounters with Pokémon originally discovered in the Sinnoh region.
• One-hour Star Piece duration, one-hour Incense duration, and one-hour Lucky Egg duration bonuses will be active.

Throwback Challenge Champion 2020
Complete all four Timed Research lines, and you’ll earn access to the Throwback Challenge Champion 2020 Special Research! Join Professor Willow as you rediscover Pokémon originally found in the Unova region and meet Pokémon originally discovered in the Galar region as they make their Pokémon GO debut. Complete all four sets of tasks in this Special Research to earn five Rare Candies; reward encounters with Galarian Meowth, Galarian Stunfisk, and Genesect; and Professor Willow’s glasses as an exclusive avatar item! Unlike the previous sets of Timed Research, this Special Research isn’t time-limited and can be unlocked and completed at any time.

From Wednesday, June 3, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Monday, June 8, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. local time, all Trainers can look forward to the following features, even if they don’t have access to the Throwback Challenge Champion 2020 Special Research.

• Galarian Stunfisk will be making its Pokémon GO debut! Find it in the wild, in raids, and as a Throwback Challenge Champion 2020 Special Research reward encounter.
• The following Pokémon will also be making their Pokémon GO debut and hatching from 7 km Eggs along with their usual forms: Galarian Meowth, Galarian Zigzagoon, Galarian Darumaka, and Galarian Stunfisk. You’ll also be able to evolve Galarian Meowth, Galarian Zigzagoon, and Galarian Darumaka into their Galarian evolved forms!
• Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region will be appearing more frequently in the wild.

Let’s celebrate our Pokémon journeys together!
Please be aware of your surroundings and follow guidelines from local health authorities when playing Pokémon GO. Upcoming events are subject to change.

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/throwbackchallenge2020/

Pokémon Masters Update 1.9.0 is now out and new features have been added to the game including: a new Egg feature, new single-player features and a Daily Scout. Our Pokémon Masters patches page has been updated with the details of this update.

Pokémon Masters - Update 1.9.0

A new version of the app has been released today. Please update your app to the latest version. Note: Changes will be reflected after updating to Ver. 1.9.0 or higher. The exact time the update becomes available may differ for each player. Please try again later if the update is not applied.

Update Details

• Added a new Egg feature. Note: Check out the separate notice for more information.
• Added new single-player features. Note: Check out the separate notice for more information.
• Added a Daily Scout that can be used once a day at no cost. Note: Check out the separate notice for more information.
• Made a change so that the icons of duplicate sync pairs obtained via sync pair scout can be viewed on the Results screen.
• Made a change so that battle rewards are displayed on the Area Details screen.
• Reward Boost Tickets have been added. Reward Boost Tickets can be used in certain areas to increase the amount of completion rewards and battle rewards obtained. Note: Check out the upcoming notice for more information about which areas they can be used in.
• Made a change so that the Optimize feature can be directly selected from the battle preparation screen of areas with three-player teams.
• Made a change so that an optimized team based on the area's recommended types can be formed automatically on the battle preparation screen as well as the Edit Team screen.
• The Level Up Sync Moves option, which increases the damage and effectiveness of sync moves and increases the attack power of moves, has now been renamed to Level Up Moves to better represent the aforementioned features.
• The Increase Potential section of the Team menu has been changed to Potential & Move Level. This screen can now be used to increase a sync pair’s number of ★s as well as level up their moves.
• You can level up a sync pair’s moves by going to the Team menu and selecting Potential & Move Level, and then pressing the Level Up Moves button.
  
  When you acquire a sync pair that you have already teamed up with through methods such as the sync pair scout, their move level can be raised to a maximum of 5.
  
  Note: Once a move reaches its level 5 max, you’ll receive a ★ power-up with the same number of ★s as the duplicate sync pair instead.
  
  To coincide with this change, Move Candy, which are items used to level up moves, have been added.
• Made a change so that the role and weakness type names are displayed when the corresponding icons are tapped on the sync pair details screen.
• Adjusted Battle Villa co-op battle rewards and applied a restriction to the number of plays available per day.
• The sync orb chance feature has ended.
• Made other minor changes for consistency and text fixes.
• Other minor bug fixes and improvements have been implemented.

Source: https://pokemonmasters-game.com/en-US/announcements/Update_2040_1W_1

New Single-Player Features Added!

Note: Changes will be reflected after updating to Ver. 1.9.0 or higher. The exact time the update becomes available may differ for each player. Please try again later if the update is not applied.

New Tactics Feature

You can now change the order that your opponents will target your team members in single-player battles by changing your tactics in the Edit Team menu! By mastering the use of tactics, you can have your more resilient sync pairs targeted first to protect your other sync pairs, opening up a wide range of different strategies.

Source: https://pokemonmasters-game.com/en-US/announcements/Update_2040_1W_3

New Egg Feature!

A new Egg feature has been added! Note: Changes will be reflected after updating to Ver. 1.9.0 or higher. The exact time the update becomes available may differ for each player. Please try again later if the update is not applied.

Eggs

Pokémon hatch from Eggs. Eggs hatch after you have completed a certain number of areas. You can give nicknames to the Pokémon you hatch from Eggs as well as form a sync pair together and take them into battle. Three types of Eggs will appear in this update. There are plans to add various other Pokémon Eggs in the future, so keep an eye out for them!

Affinity

Raising the affinity of Pokémon hatched from Eggs makes them more powerful. Affinity can be raised by giving Berry Tarts.

Important

• The 1★ Berry Tart and 2★Berry Tart will be obtainable outside of the Exchange Items General category in a future update.
• A 3★ Berry Tart, which is required to raise the affinity of a Pokémon beyond level 3, will added in a future update.
• The content is subject to change without notice.

Source: https://pokemonmasters-game.com/en-US/announcements/Update_2040_1W_2

Daily Scout Available Now!

A new Daily Scout feature has been added! You can perform a daily scout once per day at no cost to obtain various items and sync pairs.

Date/Time

April 26, 2020 at 11:00 p.m. - May 31, 2020 at 10:59 p.m.

Important

• Items obtained via the daily scout go directly into your Bag.
• The daily scout can be used once a day.
• The daily scout is reset every day at 11:00 p.m.
• The lineup of sync pairs obtainable through the daily scout will be refreshed periodically.
• The time period and featured content are subject to change without notice.

Source: https://pokemonmasters-game.com/en-US/announcements/Update_2040_1W_4

The Pokémon Company International and Netflix announced that upcoming seasons of the iconic Pokémon animated series will premiere exclusively on Netflix in the U.S. The partnership kicks off with the launch of the first 12 episodes of the new 23rd season of the series on June 12, 2020. Additional new episodes of “Pokémon Journeys: The Series” will be added quarterly on Netflix for the duration of the season. High resolution images from the press release have been added to an Imageboard thread.

THE POKÉMON COMPANY INTERNATIONAL AND NETFLIX TEAM UP FOR U.S. PREMIERE OF “POKÉMON JOURNEYS: THE SERIES”

Newest Season of Pokémon Animated Series to Debut June 12, 2020, Exclusively on Netflix

International Trailer, Season Details Unveiled Today


“With their tremendous reach and ability for fans to enjoy content anytime and anywhere, Netflix is the ideal partner to premiere new episodes of the beloved animated Pokémon series in the U.S.,” said Emily Arons, senior vice president of international business at The Pokémon Company International. “We can’t wait for Pokémon fans of all ages to continue discovering the spirit of adventure and friendship in ‘Pokémon Journeys: The Series,’ our newest season coming to Netflix this June.”

In celebration of this announcement, The Pokémon Company International and Netflix also unveiled the first international trailer and details for “Pokémon Journeys: The Series” today. Fans can look forward to an all-new narrative following Ash and his partner Pikachu as they embark on adventures across multiple regions in the Pokémon world, meeting new characters and discovering more Pokémon along the way.

“Pokémon Journeys: The Series” Synopsis:
Pokémon Trainer Ash Ketchum has a new plan: see the world! But first, he and his partner Pikachu are headed to the opening of the Cerise Laboratory, a research facility dedicated to uncovering the mysteries of Pokémon in every region. Ash meets Goh, another boy with boundless curiosity about Pokémon, and both are overjoyed when Professor Cerise asks them to become official research fellows. With Ash as determined as ever to become a Pokémon Master, and Goh aiming to catch one of every Pokémon (including the Mythical Mew), our heroes are in for adventure and excitement as they explore the wide world of Pokémon!

“Pokémon Journeys: The Series” will also feature a new theme song written and performed by the band Walk off the Earth. Fans can view a new trailer for the upcoming season and hear part of the new theme song on the official Pokémon YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/iF4o64-LO0Q.

Prior to June 12, fans can enjoy a wide selection of past Pokémon seasons already on Netflix, in addition to the most recent animated Pokémon movie, “Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution,” which debuted globally on Netflix this past February.

Air Dates and Channels:

• Canada - May 9th, 2020 - Teletoon
• USA - June 12th, 2020 - Netflix
• UK - May 25th, 2020 - Sneak Preview - (September 1st, 2020 Series) - POP is available on Freeview 206, Sky 616, Virgin 736 and Freesat 603.
• France - June 2020 - Canal J (M6 Group) and Gulli
• Germany - July 5th, 2020 - Super RTL and Toggo.de
• Netherlands - June 28th, 2020 - Every Sunday at 8:00am - RTL7
• Italy - TBA - K2
• Latin America - TBA - Cartoon Network LA

YouTube Clip - Pokémon Journeys: The Series | Official Trailer

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF4o64-LO0Q

The Pokémon Company, UNIQLO and Daniel Arsham have announced that a new line of apparel that "Imagines Unearthing Pokémon A Thousand Years Into The Future" will launch on April 24th, 2020. High resolution pictures of the t-shirts have been added to an Imageboard thread.

UNIQLO Launching Daniel Arsham x Pokémon UT Collection on April 24

​​​​​​​New Line Imagines Unearthing Pokémon A Thousand Years Into The Future

April 20, 2020, New York, NY - UNIQLO, the Japanese global apparel retailer, today announces that it will launch the Daniel Arsham x Pokémon UT Collection on Friday, April 24. UT (UNIQLO T-Shirts) offers an array of authentic pop culture and art graphics from around the world that allow the wearers to express their individuality. Launching as part of the art collaboration project between Pokémon and Daniel Arsham, UT designs will feature Arsham’s drawings of iconic Pokémon and their respective sculptures. The artist’s take on Pokémon presents a unique interpretation of the beloved global entertainment franchise.

Commenting on this collaboration collection, Arsham said, “With many of my projects, I try to make work that’s not just for art people and I think UNIQLO has a similar egalitarian culture. The reason I feature iconic characters in my work is that they are very recognizable, and, on the surface, they make it easy to enter my work. Pokémon has been a monumental presence ever since I was a child and I’m excited about the opportunity to present my work to a much wider audience.”

Blending fact and fiction
Since his partnership with Kim Jones at Dior, Arsham has become a spectacularly popular presence in art, fashion, street culture, and other areas. He employs a creative concept that he terms “Fictional Archeology” to imagine how familiar objects will look 1,000 years from today. For the art project with Pokémon, Arsham will present a sculptural collection titled “Relics of Kanto Through Time”, imagining Pokémon unearthed a thousand years into the future. This unique interpretation is reflected in the UT Collection as well.

Glorious prints of delicate sketches
The collection offers seven design variations for men, women, and kids. The monotone graphics feature crystallized sketches of such emblematic Pokémon as Pikachu, Mewtwo and Jigglypuff. The delicate lines of Arsham’s sketches are well translated on to the t-shirts as ‘wearable art’. The collaboration collection stemmed from his desire to share favorite examples of his work with as many people as possible.

Collection overview

Launch date: Friday, April 24th, 2020
Lineup:
Men’s T-shirts - 5 designs - $14.90
Women’s T-shirts - 2 designs - $14.90
Kids’ T-shirts - 3 designs - $9.90

Availability: UNIQLO.com online store. Please check back for retail stores. Website: https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/ut-graphic-tees/pokemon

About Daniel Arsham

Daniel was born in 1980 in Ohio. The American artist straddles the line between art, architecture, and performance. Raised in Miami, he attended the Cooper Union in New York City. His work has been shown at MOMA PS1, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Athens Bienniale, the New Museum, Mills College Art Museum, Carré d'Art - musée d'art contemporain de Nîmes, and the How Art Museum. For more information, visit www.danielarsham.com.

About Pokémon

The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing and marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com.

About UNIQLO LifeWear

Apparel that comes from the Japanese values of simplicity, quality and longevity. Designed to be of the time and for the time, LifeWear is made with such modern elegance that it becomes the building blocks of each individual’s style. A perfect shirt that is always being made more perfect. The simplest design hiding the most thoughtful and modern details. The best in fit and fabric made to be affordable and accessible to all. LifeWear is clothing that is constantly being innovated, bringing more warmth, more lightness, better design, and better comfort to people’s lives.

About UNIQLO and Fast Retailing

UNIQLO is a brand of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., a leading Japanese retail holding company with global headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. UNIQLO is the largest of eight brands in the Fast Retailing Group, the others being GU, Theory, Helmut Lang, PLST (Plus T), Comptoir des Cotonniers, Princesse tam.tam and J Brand. With global sales of approximately 2.2905 trillion yen for the 2019 fiscal year ending August 31, 2019 (US $21.53 billion, calculated in yen using the end of August 2019 rate of $1 = 106.4 yen), Fast Retailing is one of the world’s largest apparel retail companies, and UNIQLO is Japan’s leading specialty retailer.

UNIQLO continues to open large-scale stores in some of the world's most important cities and locations, as part of its ongoing efforts to solidify its status as a global brand. Today the company has more than 2,200 stores in 25 markets including Japan. In alphabetical order, the other markets are Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, U.K. U.S. and Vietnam. In addition, UNIQLO established a social business in Bangladesh together with the Grameen Bank in 2010, and today there are several Grameen-UNIQLO stores in Dhaka.

With a corporate statement committed to changing clothes, changing conventional wisdom and change the world, Fast Retailing is dedicated to creating great clothing with new and unique value to enrich the lives of people everywhere. For more information about UNIQLO and Fast Retailing, please visit www.uniqlo.com and www.fastretailing.com.

Daniel Arsham x Pokémon UT Collection - Pikachu Video

Niantic has announced that a Buddy Up event for Pokémon GO will take place from Tuesday, April 21st, 2020 until Monday, April 27th, 2020.

Bond with your Buddy Pokémon during the Buddy Up event!

Trainers, Time to buddy up and enjoy an event together with your Pokémon GO buddy! Spend time with your Buddy Pokémon with special bonuses, like decreased walking distance for earning Buddy Candy and hearts with your buddy. If you’re a dedicated Trainer, you may even get more items and Souvenirs from your buddy! Looking for a Pokémon to make your pal during this event? Alolan Meowth, Chansey, Eevee, Feebas, Lillipup, and Joltik make great buddies and will appear more often in the wild. Woobat will also be making a special appearance!

Volbeat and Illumise, the Firefly Pokémon, will be joining the fun and will be available in all regions during this event. If you’re lucky, you may encounter a Shiny Volbeat or a Shiny Illumise! Don’t miss your chance to find both before they return to being exclusive to their usual regions. Volbeat is usually found only in Europe, Asia, and Oceania, while Illumise is usually found only in the Americas and Africa.

Date + Time
Tuesday, April 21, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. to Monday, April 27, 2020, at 10:00 p.m. local time

Features

• Volbeat and Illumise, normally found only in specific regions, will be appearing everywhere in the wild, in Eggs, and as reward encounters from Field Research tasks! If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny Volbeat or a Shiny Illumise!
• For the first time, you’ll be able to encounter Woobat in the wild and after completing certain Field Research tasks. Woobat will be available in the wild and in 2 km Eggs after Buddy Up is over.
• The following Pokémon will be appearing more frequently in the wild: Alolan Meowth, Chansey, Eevee, Feebas, Lillipup, and Joltik.
• The following Pokémon will be hatching from 5 km Eggs and at a higher rate: Alolan Meowth, Eevee, Feebas, Lillipup, and Joltik.
• Enjoy event-exclusive Field Research tasks that reward Stardust and encounters with Alolan Meowth, Volbeat, Illumise, and Woobat.

Bonuses

• Buddy Pokémon will be bringing you more surprises more often! Look out for more items and Souvenirs. Your buddy might even bring you a new kind of gift!
• The distance to earn Buddy Candy and hearts with your buddy will be halved.
• It’ll be easier for your buddy to get excited!
• Feed your buddy Berries and Poffins, and it’ll join you on the map for twice as long.
• Earn twice the XP for evolving Pokémon, your buddy or otherwise!

Please be aware of your surroundings when playing Pokémon GO. Upcoming events are subject to change.

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/buddyup-april2020/

Buddy Souvenirs

Source: https://twitter.com/PokemonGoApp/status/1252688588493512709