The Pokémon Company International and Netflix announced today that the Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution movie will premiere on Netflix around the world outside of Japan and Korea on Pokémon Day, February 27, 2020. Images from the press release have been added to an Imageboard thread.

POKÉMON AND NETFLIX TEAM UP FOR GLOBAL RELEASE OF ‘POKÉMON: MEWTWO STRIKES BACK—EVOLUTION’

Newest CGI Animated Pokémon Movie to Debut Exclusively on Netflix on Pokémon Day, February 27, 2020

BELLEVUE, Wash., and LOS ANGELES—January 21, 2020—The Pokémon Company International and Netflix announced today that the newest animated movie based on the beloved Pokémon franchise will premiere on Netflix around the world outside of Japan and Korea. “Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution” welcomes a new CGI style to animated Pokémon movies and is inspired by one of the most popular stories in the long-running franchise. The movie was a major hit in Japan, where it premiered as one of the top-grossing films during its opening weekend last year.

“The ubiquitous reach and expert team at Netflix make them the perfect partner to bring this special animated movie to kids and fans around the world,” said Emily Arons, senior vice president of international business at The Pokémon Company International. “Netflix is the ideal platform to help us execute a global simultaneous launch of an animated Pokémon movie on Pokémon Day, a special moment dedicated to celebrating the worldwide Pokémon fan community.”

“Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution” synopsis: When researchers discover and exploit a fossil of the Mythical Pokémon Mew, they unleash a creation that goes against the very laws of nature: Mewtwo, a Legendary Pokémon intended for use as a tool of destruction. But as Mewtwo becomes aware of its own dubious origin, it begins to resent its human creators and seeks revenge—and Ash, Pikachu, and their friends find themselves at the center of its rampage! With the future of the Pokémon world at stake, will our heroes be able to overcome Mewtwo’s challenge…and will Mewtwo be able to find a new meaning for its life?

To celebrate the announcement, The Pokémon Company International released the first official international trailer for the movie today, which can be viewed here on the official Pokémon YouTube channel.

Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution | Official Trailer | Netflix

To celebrate New Years 2020, from Thursday, January 2nd, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Thursday, January 16th, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PST in Pokémon GO, Niantic has announced that the Adventure Sync Hatchathon is back and you can be rewarded with extra Stardust, Rare Candies, and a Unova Stone if you walk a certain distance. You can find Pokémon like Wurmple wearing party hats by hatching Eggs and encountering Pokémon in the wild.

Party with Wurmple during the Adventure Sync Hatchathon!

Trainers, Ready those Incubators! The Adventure Sync Hatchathon is back, and it’s the perfect time to get a leg up on your New Year’s resolutions. During the Adventure Sync Hatchathon, you can be rewarded with extra Stardust, Rare Candies, and a Unova Stone if you walk a certain distance. You can find Pokémon wearing party hats by hatching Eggs and encountering Pokémon in the wild, too.

Date + Time
From Thursday, January 2, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Thursday, January 16, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PST (GMT −8)

Features

• You might be able to hatch a Pichu or Wurmple wearing a party hat from a 2 km Egg.
• You’ll have the chance to hatch Pichu wearing party hats from 7 km Eggs.
• In two-star raids, you’ll have the chance to challenge Raticate and Wobbuffet wearing party hats.
• In the wild, Pikachu wearing party hats will be available to catch.
• If you’re lucky, you might encounter Shiny Raticate, Pikachu, Pichu, Wobbuffet, and Wurmple—all of them wearing party hats!

Bonuses

• 2× Hatch Candy
• 2× Hatch Stardust
• Adventure Sync reward for walking 50 km: 50,000 Stardust, 15 Rare Candies, and a guaranteed Unova Stone

Avatar Items

• Celebrate 2020 with the 2020 Specs! Now available in the Style Shop.

Be sure to share your GO Snapshot photos of Wurmple wearing a party hat on social media with #GOsnapshot! Let’s GO!

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/adventuresync-hatchathon-2020/

DeNA has announced multiple new events for Pokémon Masters to start the new year!

Legendary Event - The Beast That Devours the Sun

Complete the event and form a sync pair with Solgaleo! Legendary Event: The Beast That Devours the Sun under way! Form a new sync pair with Solgaleo in this event!

Event Period:

12/31/2019 at 10:00 p.m. – 1/21/2020 at 9:59 p.m.

Event Details

Battle it out in single-player to collect Custom Voucher 2! Once you collect a certain number of them, you can form a new sync pair with Solgaleo! You can also exchange Custom Voucher 2 for special items to make Solgaleo even stronger!

You can also battle it out in co-op to collect Custom Super Voucher 2 and exchange them for Limited-Time 5★ Power-Ups and other items.

Additionally, the rewards for the areas below will be tripled once per day!

• Take Down Solgaleo! Round 1
• Take Down Solgaleo! Round 2
• Take Down Solgaleo! Round 3
• Take Down Solgaleo! Round 4
Note: First-time rewards and completion rewards will not be increased.

Event Missions

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

Important

• To participate, you must have completed Main Story Chapter 4.
• The sync pairs that appear as opponents in battle have different capabilities than those you can actually obtain.
• The legendary event "The Beast That Devours the Sun" may return again in the future. The data below will carry over for its return:
  　1. Completion status of related areas, status of first-time rewards, and status of event area info.
  　2. Completion status of related missions, and number of items exchanged in the shop.
  　3. The quantity of Custom Voucher 2 and Custom Super Voucher 2 you have in stock.
• The following two conditions must be met in order to acquire the area info needed to form a sync pair with Solgaleo:
  　1. Complete "A Second Wind" in Legendary Event:The Beast That Devours the Sun.
  　2. Collect a total of 100 Custom Voucher 2.
• Mission completion rewards can only be claimed during the event period and can no longer be claimed after this period.
• The content is subject to change without notice.

Source: https://pokemonmasters-game.com/en-US/announcements/Event_1120_2W_1

New Year's Rally

Rally Period: 12/31/2019 at 10:00 p.m. – 1/21/2020 at 9:59 p.m.

Log-In Bonus Details

• Day 1: Gems ×1,000
• Day 2: Gems ×1,000
• Day 3: Gems ×1,000
• 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 ×1,000

Rally Missions

You can take on special missions during the rally period. Complete them to obtain items to help strengthen your sync pairs! Check the Missions screen to learn more.

Important

• Log-in bonuses are sent to your Present Box.
• Log-in bonuses can only be claimed during the rally 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 during the rally period.
• Log-in bonuses are reset each day at 10:00 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 rally period and its content are subject to change without notice.

Source: https://pokemonmasters-game.com/en-US/announcements/Campaign_1120_2W_1

Niantic has announced events that will take place during January 2020 so you can look forward and plan your days accordingly.

Pokémon GO - Ringing in the new year with January events!

Trainers, As December’s last event, Pokémon GO Holidays 2019, wraps up, we set our eyes toward the new year on the horizon! As we ring in 2020, you can look forward to the following events and features.

1. More Team GO Rocket Special Research
2. January Research Breakthrough encounter: Lapras that know Ice Shard or Ice Beam
3. The egg-citing Adventure Sync Hatchathon is back
4. Heatran blazes back into raids
5. Unova nouveau in the new year

January Team GO Rocket Special Research
The fight against Team GO Rocket continues! Activate the new Special Research during the month of January to help Professor Willow and the team leaders take down this villainous group. This is your chance to fight Giovanni and save another Legendary Pokémon: Shadow Moltres. Team GO Rocket never rests, Trainers, and neither can we! Be on the lookout for new Team GO Rocket Special Research from Professor Willow every month. For more information, please see our help center article.

January Research Breakthrough encounters: Lapras that know Ice Shard or Ice Beam
From Wednesday, January 1, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Saturday, February 1, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PST (GMT −8), Lapras that know Ice Shard or Ice Beam will be available as Research Breakthrough encounters! Some of you might notice that the last time Lapras with this particular attack were available to catch was in 2018.

These Water- and Ice-type Pokémon are sure to be contenders for your battle party, so don’t miss this chance to encounter Lapras that know Ice Shard or Ice Beam!

The egg-citing Adventure Sync Hatchathon is back
Ready those Incubators! From Thursday, January 2, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Thursday, January 16, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PST (GMT −8), the Adventure Sync Hatchathon event will return. It’s time to get a leg up on your New Year’s resolutions, Trainers! During the Adventure Sync Hatchathon, you can be rewarded with extra Stardust, Rare Candies, and a Unova Stone if you walk a certain distance. You’ll be able to find Pokémon wearing party hats by hatching Eggs and encountering Pokémon in the wild, too. More details coming soon.

Heatran blazes back into raids
From Tuesday, January 7, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Tuesday, February 4, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PST (GMT −8), Heatran will be in five-star raids! If you’re lucky, you might encounter Shiny Heatran! With a body made of rugged steel and blood that boils like magma, the Lava Dome Pokémon might find a niche in your battle party as a bulky Fire- and Steel-type attacker.

Unova nouveau in the new year
Remember when Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region first came to Pokémon GO? Well, we’ve received reports that some more might be coming soon! Keep your eyes peeled, Trainers, and stay tuned. We’ll share more details soon!

Which events are you looking forward to the most, Trainers? Be sure to share them with us on social media with #PokemonGO! Here’s to an amazing month of events and an amazing 2020 in general. Let’s GO!

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/jan2020-events/

The Pokémon Company and Facebook Gaming announced that they have debuted two new Pokémon games that are exclusively available on Facebook Gaming called: Pokémon Tower Battle, developed by Bombay Play, and Pokémon Medallion Battle, developed by GCTurbo.

The Pokémon Company debuts new games exclusively on Facebook Gaming

We’re excited to welcome the beloved and iconic Pokémon franchise as they debut two games on Facebook Gaming this December: Pokémon Tower Battle, developed by Bombay Play, and Pokémon Medallion Battle, developed by GCTurbo.

Pokémon Tower Battle, available now worldwide, is a unique take on the Pokémon franchise: players compete by stacking Pokémon against one another to create the tallest Pokémon towers. As players discover, catch and level-up rare Pokémon, they can compete in real-time against friends or across a global leaderboard. It might seem like a simple physics-based puzzler at first, but the strategic choices in where and how players stack Pokémon will determine the true Tower Battle masters.


Pokémon Medallion Battle, now available to players in the Asia-Pacific region, is a digital card battle strategy game. In the game, trainers collect, battle and evolve Pokémon in medallion form and embark on a journey with their companions to win gym badges and complete their Pokédex. Players can also discover new Pokémon--introduced every month--to create even better decks.


“We are excited to launch two new entries in the Pokémon franchise on Facebook Gaming,” said Tsunekazu Ishihara, CEO, The Pokémon Company. “Launching these games through Facebook will allow people all over the world to experience Pokémon in digital form, and we are especially thrilled to collaborate with Facebook Gaming in enabling new audiences to enjoy Pokémon games online.”

For those eager to try out Pokémon on Facebook, Tower Battle is now available in all regions through the Facebook Gaming tab and bookmark. Medallion Battle is currently available to players in the Asia-Pacific region*


Source: https://www.facebook.com/fbgaminghome/blog/the-pokemon-company-debuts-new-games-exclusively-on-facebook-gaming

The official Pokémon website has announced that from December 20th, 2019 until December 26th, 2019, players of Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield can conduct more Max Raid Battles against Delibird in Pokémon Dens all around the Wild Area. If players defeat Delibird, the rewards are better than usual with more Ice-type TRs and Exp as well as Candies.

Delibird Max Raid Battle Event Hits Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield for a Limited Time

’Tis the season for awesome Max Raid Battles against the Delivery Pokémon, Delibird.

Delibird is spreading holiday cheer in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield. For a limited time, you can conduct more Max Raid Battles against Delibird in Pokémon Dens all around the Wild Area. The rewards you'll earn for each Delibird you defeat will be better than usual, with more Ice-type TRs and Exp. Candies among the goodies.

To take advantage of these limited-time Max Raid Battle bonuses, you'll need to connect your Nintendo Switch system to the internet. Then, when 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.

Your chances of encountering more Delibird in Pokémon Dens will last only from December 20 through December 26, so grab some friends and head to the Wild Area today.

Source: https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/delibird-max-raid-battle-event-hits-pokemon-sword-and-pokemon-shield-for-a-limited-time/

Niantic has announced details of a new featured called Buddy Adventure which will be coming soon to Pokémon GO. The new feature which will launch in 2020, allows players to have their buddy by their side in your Pokémon GO explorations.

Buddy Adventure coming soon—even more ways to explore, grow, and bond with your buddy!

Trainers, world with your Buddy Pokémon! In the all-new Buddy Adventure feature, your buddy will be by your side in your Pokémon GO explorations like never before.

Buddy Adventure is an elevated bonding experience for Trainers and their buddies. You’ll get to know your Buddy Pokémon’s mood as you increase your Buddy Level by playing with your buddy, feeding your buddy treats, and battling and exploring with your buddy. In addition, swapping Buddy Pokémon no longer resets progress toward earning Candy. Like any great Pokémon Trainer, you’ll find that the world around you will become richer with Pokémon by your side as they grow with you and help you along your journey.

The Buddy Adventure feature set will roll out to Trainers around the world by 2020.


The Berry that blossomed into friendship
Kick off your buddy adventure by feeding your buddy Berries. This will increase your Buddy Level to Good Buddy, and you’ll see your buddy on the map, following right behind you! To feed your buddy, just head to the new buddy profile page, tap on Play!, and interact with your buddy. You can also give your buddy a quick treat directly from the buddy profile page. Each Pokémon has different quirks and ways to express itself. Watch closely to see a diverse range of movements and expressions, whether you and your buddy are playing together or exploring the world around you!

Along with feeding your buddy, you can also play with it! Watch what your buddy does when you interact with it in AR+ mode. Different Pokémon react in different ways! Make sure you have AR+ turned on in your Settings.

Unlock exciting new Perks with Buddy Adventure
As you and your buddy get closer and your Buddy Level increases, you’ll get to unlock exciting new Perks together! The Buddy Levels are Good Buddy, Great Buddy, Ultra Buddy, and Best Buddy.

• Good Buddy: Your buddy can join you on your map view! You’ll also see how your buddy feels on the buddy profile page.
• Great Buddy: Having a hard time catching a Pokémon? Your buddy may help you out in Pokémon encounters! It can also bring you items that can help you in your Pokémon GO journey.
• Ultra Buddy: Your buddy will help you explore the world around you by letting you know about interesting places nearby! Your buddy will also bring you Souvenirs, which you can keep track of on the buddy profile page.
• Best Buddy: Become Best Buddies, and your buddy will sport a Best Buddy Ribbon to show off to everyone just how close you two are! Pokémon that you’re Best Buddies with can get a CP boost in combat as long as they’re still assigned as your Buddy Pokémon.

How to become better friends with your buddy
Become better friends with your buddy by earning affection. Affection is measured by hearts, and you can earn hearts with your buddy by exploring with your buddy on the map, battling with your buddy, playing with and feeding your buddy, and taking snapshots of your buddy. The more affection you earn, the better your buddy’s mood will be!

When you reach the highest mood (excited), you can unlock the following Perks:

• The distance it takes for your buddy to find Candy will be cut in half.
• The number of hearts earned per action will double.
• Trainers can earn bonus hearts!

With the upgraded buddy profile page, you’ll see your buddy’s progress toward finding Candy, your buddy’s current mood, a chart of daily activities you can do to earn affection with your buddy, and your Buddy Level! You’ll also be able to see the history of other Pokémon who have been your buddy and the adventures you’ve shared together. Remember: friendship is something you build together! So be sure to complete the daily activities with your buddy each day to earn more affection and become fast friends!

Coming soon: Meet your (real-world) buddy’s buddies, too! After Buddy Adventure is available to Trainers around the world, there’ll be even more to look forward to. Soon, your buddy will be able to meet your fellow Trainers’ buddies in Shared AR Experience mode!

In the new Shared AR Experience mode, you can sync up with up to two other Trainers with AR+ to take a group photo with your buddies together! It’ll be the perfect chance to create your own epic Pokémon moments and capture new Pokémon memories with your friends!


We hope you have a blast discovering all the new ways you can bond with your Buddy Pokémon, Trainers! Be sure to share your favorite buddy moments and photos with #PokemonGOBuddy once the feature is released.

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

Dev Insights: Discovering more with Buddy Adventure

Trainers, The bond between Trainers and their Pokémon has been at the core of every part of the Pokémon franchise, from the main-series games to the anime and beyond. The partnership between a Pokémon and its Trainer is built on trust, and as with any great partnership, those involved grow together, play together, and explore together. In the new Buddy Adventure feature, Trainers worldwide will be able to experience what it’s really like to have a Pokémon exploring the world with them.

Collaborating with our partners like Best Buddies!
“Since launching Pokémon GO, this might be the most collaborative feature we have had with The Pokémon Company,” shared Ryuta Hiroi, the lead Niantic product manager on the project. “Even with your phone in your pocket, you’ll feel like your buddy is right beside you!”

Niantic tech artist Lena Verstappen added to the point about collaborating with our partners, mentioning that there was a deeply respectful way in which each and every Pokémon was treated throughout the process of developing the features.

Each Pokémon species has been designed to express itself in distinct ways, and the team here at Niantic found itself time and again charmed by Pokémon. From tackling the fact that Exeggcute has six heads to taking on the challenge of feeding an Alolan Exeggutor (“How do you feed something so tall?” said Lena), everyone came away with a deeper appreciation for not only the partnerships we had but for the Pokémon themselves.

“It’s almost as if each Pokémon were a family member!” Lena shared. “How they eat, how they walk, and even where the Best Buddy Ribbon should be placed on each Pokémon’s body—all of this and more was taken into account when crafting an as-immersive-as-possible experience.”

“I’m surprised by the number of Pokémon I’m falling in love with from interacting with them,” said Laura Warner, the lead game designer on the project. “Like watching a Spheal roll behind me on the map... I just care about Pokémon unlike ever before. We’re excited for Trainers to try out different buddies and see how each one becomes their friend!”


Challenges along the road to exploration
Buddy Adventure touches on almost every aspect of Pokémon GO. You see your buddy on the map, you use your buddy in battle, and your buddy helps you when you catch Pokémon. Developing something as ambitious as this feature set was an interesting challenge for the team to tackle head on.

“When a feature is so all encompassing, it’s important to break it up from a development standpoint,” says Trey Williamson, the lead technical program manager on the feature. “What was Buddy Adventure’s ideal experience? What defines that ‘successful’ experience for a Trainer? It was very much a learn-as-you-go kind of process.” Determining what Trainers would want out of Buddy Adventure really helped the team focus their development on the most important parts of the feature.


Designing relationships with both Niantic and Pokémon values
Niantic products and features strive to bring people together in real life, get people moving, and encourage people to explore the areas around them and discover new places.

When the Buddy Pokémon feature was first released, we introduced the ability for Trainers to walk with their buddy to get Candy, which encourages exercise. Buddy Adventure will feature more discovery and exploration mechanics than ever before. Upon reaching a certain Buddy Level, buddies will be able to alert their Trainers whenever an interesting PokéStop is nearby. The upcoming shared AR mode creates a meaningful real-world social experience by letting up to three Trainers place their Pokémon in the same space and take a photo together. We hope that features like this will enrich Trainers’ lives as they discover even more places alongside their buddies.

Our core design philosophy was not the only guiding compass when developing Buddy Adventure. We also wanted to make sure it still fit within the Pokémon universe. In this case, we wanted Trainers to be able to feel as if their buddy is a true partner and friend—just like in the sorts of partnerships they’ve seen in various Pokémon series in the past!

The experience of Buddy Adventure goes beyond the AR experience. You see your buddy on the map. Your Pokémon is growing alongside you. Your Pokémon can help you in Pokémon encounters once you reach a certain Buddy Level, which really makes you feel like your Pokémon is there to help you. It creates a special feeling. You and your buddy have a real partnership.

—Ethan Chan, technical lead for Buddy Adventure and Pokémon GO client engineer
Introducing: Your Buddy Adventure!
We feel incredibly lucky and grateful to have been able to work on a feature that will let Trainers get closer to their Pokémon while exploring the world around them. We cannot wait for you all to experience Buddy Adventure and create memories and relationships with your Buddy Pokémon that will last!

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/buddyadventure-devinsights/

YouTube Clip - Pokémon GO Buddy Adventures

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C461fBV-J7c

YouTube Clip - Pokémon GO Buddy Adventures

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs22v0XUKyU

Niantic has announced that to ensure that all Trainers around the world have an exciting experience and improved access to gameplay, Trainers may now encounter Pokémon in more places than before.

Community Note: Pokémon can now be found in more places around the world

Trainers, Over the last three and a half years, we’ve continued to evolve and enhance the Pokémon GO experience. We have launched an array of major feature updates and some smaller changes to help increase the quality of gameplay for many Trainers. While listening to community feedback, we look for ways to improve our game and strengthen the relationship that Trainers have with the world around them. Most recently, our focus has been dedicated to improving the experience of Trainers who live and play in areas of the world that may not have as many PokéStops or Pokémon to encounter as others.

Pokémon are now appearing in more locations worldwide

To ensure that all Trainers around the world have an exciting experience and improved access to gameplay, Trainers may now encounter Pokémon in more places than before. There were also some areas of the world where Pokémon may have been more densely populated. In these places, Pokémon should now be more spread out. This migration of Pokémon has nearly doubled the number of locations where Pokémon can be found in the wild around the world.

As a result, Trainers might be seeing more Pokémon in places where few Pokémon encounters occurred previously—or even in places where Trainers didn’t encounter Pokémon at all. This Pokémon migration should help encourage Trainers to get out there and explore, as exploration is one of the core principles that drives everything we do at Niantic.

Continuing to improve Trainer experiences worldwide

As a mobile augmented-reality game with a global audience, a lot is considered when we update the game for Trainer communities around the world.

The world around you is always changing and evolving, and to reflect that, we make sure that the Niantic gameboard always feels fresh and new with exciting surprises waiting around every corner. This is why we have enabled Pokémon GO Trainers to review nominations for PokéStops and Gyms. Remember: Just as key landmarks of Pokémon GO—like PokéStops and Gyms—arrive in new locations worldwide, Pokémon may continue to migrate in the world around you. We look forward to keeping you informed on these changes as we continue to evolve the Trainer experience!

Thank you for exploring with us, and as always, let’s GO!

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/communitynote-niantic-encounters/

DeNa has announced that the Story Event Rosa’s Party is now available. Rosa wants to hone her culinary skills so she can cook a tasty meal for her friends. As luck would have it, the legendary chef Siebold is looking for an assistant.

Seasonal Scout A!

5★ Rosa & Delibird now available to scout! Don’t miss your chance to get Rosa & Delibird! 5★ Hilda & Tepig, and 5★ Karen & Houndoom are also being featured! Featured sync pairs have a higher chance of appearing than other 5★ sync pairs.

About Rosa & Delibird

Rosa in her holiday dress spreads joy and cheer by supporting the whole team with her warm hospitality!

Scout Period

12/11/2019 at 10:00 p.m. – 12/31/2019 at 9:59 p.m.

Important

• Sync pairs other than the ones mentioned above may appear.
• 5★ Rosa & Delibird are a seasonal sync pair.
• Seasonal sync pairs are sync pairs that appear during this seasonal sync pair scout.
• Seasonal sync pairs may also appear outside of seasonal sync pair scouts in the future.
• Please note that you cannot have 2 or more sync pairs that include Trainers with the same name in your team. Example: Brock & Onix, and Sygna Suit Brock & Tyranitar
• The scout period and its content are subject to change without notice.
• To check the offering rates of sync pairs, 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.

Seasonal Scout B

5★ Siebold & Octillery now available to scout! Don’t miss your chance to get Siebold & Octillery! 5★ Blue & Pidgeot, as well as 5★ Brendan & Treecko are also being featured! Featured sync pairs have a higher chance of appearing than other 5★ sync pairs.

About Siebold & Octillery

Dressed for warm hospitality, Siebold keeps Octazooka on reserve to bring down his opponents’ accuracy!

Scout Period

12/11/2019 at 10:00 p.m. – 12/31/2019 at 9:59 p.m.

Important

• Sync pairs other than the ones mentioned above may appear.
• 5★ Siebold & Octillery are a seasonal sync pair.
• Seasonal sync pairs are sync pairs that appear during this seasonal sync pair scout.
• Seasonal sync pairs may also appear outside of seasonal sync pair scouts in the future.
• Please note that you cannot have 2 or more sync pairs that include Trainers with the same name in your team. Example: Brock & Onix, and Sygna Suit Brock & Tyranitar
• The scout period and its content are subject to change without notice.
• To check the offering rates of sync pairs, 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.

Sources: https://pokemonmasters-game.com/en-US/announcements/Scout_1110_3W_1 and https://pokemonmasters-game.com/en-US/announcements/Scout_1110_4W_1

Niantic has announced some more details on GO Battle League, upcoming changes to the combat system, attacks that some Pokémon will be able to learn in Pokémon GO for the first time, and some familiar attacks certain Pokémon will be able to learn which will be coming to the game in future updates.

Pokémon GO - Community Note: GO Battle League preview, combat system update, legacy attacks!

Trainers, In this special Community Note, we’re excited to share some more details on GO Battle League, upcoming changes to the combat system, attacks that some Pokémon will be able to learn in Pokémon GO for the first time, and some familiar attacks certain Pokémon will be able to learn once again! Let’s GO!

Leagues, seasons, ranks, rules, and more!
Pokémon GO Battle League will be a triathlon-style contest!

• Battles will take place in all three leagues: Great League, Ultra League, and Master League. However, only one league will be available at a time, and they will all rotate throughout a season. This means that in order to be the best, you need to be able to win in all three formats!
• As you win battles throughout the season, your rank will increase, even as GO Battle League rotates between leagues. You will start at Rank 1 and work your way up to the top rank, Rank 10. Once you reach a new rank, you cannot drop below it for the rest of the season. Higher ranks mean better rewards!
• Once you reach Rank 10, measure against the best with your battle rating. Wins increase your battle rating, while losses will cause it to drop.
• You cannot use two or more of the same species of Pokémon on your team.

As we get closer to the release of GO Battle League in early 2020, you can look forward to more information on how GO Battle League works.

Updates to the combat system
There are some exciting updates coming to the combat system.

1. When two Pokémon use Charged Attacks at the same time, the Pokémon with the higher Attack stat will go first. If two Pokémon have the same Attack stat, a random Pokémon will go first. We want to ensure Charged Attack ties are broken fairly. Restrictions in Great and Ultra League currently put a focus on trying to get low-Attack Pokémon to maximize CP. While maximizing Defense and HP is a great strategy against most opponents, in close matchups, the Attack stat can now become a deciding factor. We hope this will help deepen team building!
2. Switching Pokémon now clears any changes to its Attack and Defense stats. As more attacks are added to the game that affect Attack and Defense, we want to ensure these effects have clear counterplay opportunities. Debuffs should encourage players to switch Pokémon and buffs should make switching less appealing. There’s more to consider now when to use these attacks and when to switch Pokémon.

Updates to existing attacks in Pokémon GO
There have been updates to the following existing attacks in Pokémon GO.

• Night Slash - Its energy requirement has been reduced in Trainer Battles, and it now has a chance to greatly increase the user’s Attack stat.
• Icy Wind - This move now decreases your opponent’s Attack stat when used.
• Hydro Cannon - Hydro Cannon now deals less damage in Trainer Battles. Community Day exclusive attacks are intended to be powerful, but Hydro Cannon was too strong.
• Frustration and Return - They now take longer to charge in Trainer Battles and deal more damage. Since all Shadow Pokémon have access to Frustration and Return (through purifying), we wanted to make sure these attacks do not become too all-purpose.
• Mud-Slap - Damage for Mud-Slap has been increased in Gyms, raids, and Trainer Battles.
• Sand Tomb - When used in Trainer Battles, Sand Tomb now charges quickly, deals less damage, and decreases your opponent’s Defense by one stage.
• Forretress, Torterra, Garchomp, and Gliscor can now learn Sand Tomb.
• Earthquake - Its damage has been increased in Gyms and raids.
• Overheat, Draco Meteor, and Psycho Boost - These attacks now charge up quicker in Trainer Battles, but they sharply decrease your own Pokémon’s Attack after use. Some damage values have been adjusted down to maintain balance.
• Close Combat - This attack now charges up quicker in Trainer Battles, but it sharply decreases your own Pokémon’s Defense after use.

Attacks new to Pokémon GO
Certain Pokémon will soon be able to learn attacks that hadn’t yet been seen in Pokémon GO!

• Octazooka - It’s a slower Charged Attack that may sharply reduce your opponent’s Attack.
• Octazooka can be learned by Octillery and Kingdra.
• Mirror Shot - It’s a quick Charged Attack that may also reduce your opponent’s Attack.
• Mirror Shot can be learned by Forretress, Magnezone, Ferrothorn, and Klinklang.
• Fell Stinger - It’s a quick Charged Attack that also increases your Attack after use.
• Fell Stinger can be learned by Beedrill, Qwilfish, Vespiquen, and Drapion.
• Aura Sphere - It’s a powerful Fighting-type attack.
• Aura Sphere can be learned by Lucario.
• Superpower - It’s a powerful Fighting-type attack that charges up quickly but reduces the user’s Attack and Defense after being used.
• Superpower can be learned by Pinsir, Snorlax, Hariyama, Rhyperior, and Melmetal.

Pokémon that can learn more attacks
The following Pokémon will be able to learn attacks they couldn’t before.

• Cloyster: Icy Wind - Cloyster is a defensive Pokémon, and gaining access to the newly improved Icy Wind will help it fill that role even better.
• Feraligatr: Ice Fang - By focusing on its bite, Feraligatr can stand out a bit more from the other Water-type first partner Pokémon!
• Porygon2 and Porygon-Z: Lock-On - Lock-On generates energy very quickly at the cost of dealing very little damage. Porygon2 and Porygon-Z both rely on slow but strong Charged Attacks. Lock-On should help improve their chances of using these attacks.
• Celebi: Seed Bomb - Since Celebi is a Mythical Pokémon that has the Grass type, we wanted to make sure Celebi has access to a Grass-type attack.
• Shiftry: Snarl - Access to both Razor Leaf and Snarl should let Shiftry pressure popular Ultra League Pokémon like Swampert and Giratina.
• Kyogre: Surf - Currently Kyogre’s Charged Attacks are very slow. Surf will give it a faster charging option that matches its type.
• Lickilicky: Shadow Ball - Lickilicky is great against Ghost types already, and Shadow Ball will help it even more.
• Tangrowth: Power Whip - Tangrowth should be able to use its Grass-type Charged Attacks more frequently with this powerful move. Power Whip is also a great fit for a vine-covered Pokémon.
• Heatran: Flamethrower - Flamethrower should allow Heatran to more effectively combat Pokémon that are weak to its types, like Venusaur and Registeel.
• Stoutland: Ice Fang - Ice Fang will help Stoutland battle differently from other Normal-type Pokémon with Lick.

Pokémon that can learn old attacks once again
As part of the group of Pokémon to debut with Pokémon GO, some Pokémon originally discovered in Kanto have had their attacks change a lot over time! We’ll be adding back some of the stronger attacks a few of these Pokémon used to learn back in 2016 to make sure these attacks are accessible to players who have joined since then. We’ll look at bringing back more of these attacks over time.

• Arcanine: Flamethrower
• Poliwrath: Mud Shot
• Machamp: Cross Chop
• Golem: Ancient Power
• Gengar: Shadow Claw
• Exeggutor: Confusion
• Pinsir: Fury Cutter
• Gyarados: Dragon Breath, Twister
• Snorlax: Body Slam
• Dragonite: Dragon Breath, Dragon Claw

We’re excited to see the teams you build with these changes, Trainers. Stay tuned, as we’ll be sharing more updates like these in the future. Good luck on the battlefield!

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/combatrebalance-dec2019/