Niantic has announced that from Wednesday, April 24th, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. PDT until Sunday, May 5th, 2019 at 1:00 p.m., players have a chance to encounter Shiny Meltan.

Shiny Meltan returns for a limited time!

Trainers, We are excited to announce that Shiny Meltan is back for a limited time! Meltan, a mysterious and rare Pokémon, only appears when the Mystery Box is opened in Pokémon GO. If you’re lucky, you may encounter Shiny Meltan when you open the Mystery Box from Wednesday, April 24, at 1:00 p.m. PDT until Sunday, May 5, at 1:00 p.m. PDT!

The key to catching Meltan is the Mystery Box, which can be obtained by sending a Pokémon from Pokémon GO to the Nintendo Switch titles Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!

Until now, Trainers had to wait seven days after opening the Mystery Box before opening it again. Starting Wednesday, April 24, at 1:00 p.m. PDT, you’ll be able to open the Mystery Box once every three days, making it easier to get Meltan! Don’t miss your chance to evolve Shiny Meltan into Shiny Melmetal! Start collecting those Meltan Candies, Trainer!

Date + Time

• Wednesday, Apr. 24, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7) until Sunday, May 5, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7)

Features

• When you open the Mystery Box, you may encounter the Shiny version of the Mythical Pokémon Meltan!
• Trainers will now be able to open the Mystery Box every three days, even after the event ends.

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

The official Pokémon website has announced the 2020 Season Pokémon TCG Format Rotation. Find out which cards will be permitted in the 2020 Pokémon TCG Championship Series season.

2020 Season Pokémon TCG Format Rotation

At the beginning of every Championship Series season, Pokémon Organized Play removes older expansions from competition in the Standard format, with the goal of maintaining a healthy competitive environment. This rotation challenges existing players to create new strategies and enables new players to get involved in Play! Pokémon events using the most recent releases.

The 2020 season starts July 1, 2019, so players can get an early start on working toward the 2020 Pokémon World Championships. However, the rotation will not occur until August 15, 2019. Importantly, this means that the 2019 Pokémon World Championships, which take place August 16–18, will be the first major event to use the 2020 format and rules as currently listed. For other competitions taking place this summer, be sure to check the event's rules and regulations before attending.

The Standard format for the 2020 season will consist of the following expansions:

• Sun & Moon—Ultra Prism and any expansions released afterward
• Black Star Promo cards numbered SM94 and up
• Cards from the following products are also legal:
  • Dragon Majesty
  • Pokémon TCG: Detective Pikachu

Starting with the 2020 season, cards from McDonald's Collections will be legal in the Standard format if they're functionally identical to a card that is currently legal in the Standard format. For example, Magnemite (McDonald's Collection 2018, 8/12) is functionally the samecard as Magnemite from Sun & Moon—Ultra Prism, so it can still be used in the Standard format.

New expansions become legal for tournament play on the third Friday of the month they are released.

The Expanded Format for 2020

The Expanded format will remain unchanged for the 2020 season. Players should double-check what format is being used before choosing a deck to bring to their local events.

The Expanded format for the 2020 season will consist of the following expansions:

• Black & White and any expansions released afterward
• Black Star Promo cards numbered BW01 and up, XY01 and up, and SM01 and up
• Cards from the following products are also legal:
  • Generations
  • Double Crisis
  • Dragon Vault
  • Shining Legends
  • Dragon Majesty
  • Pokémon TCG: DetectivePikachu
  • Black & White Trainer Kit and any Trainer Kits released afterward
  • McDonald's Collection 2011 and later

New expansions become legal for tournament play on the third Friday of the month they are released.

Please note that several cards are currently banned from the Expanded format. You can find the list of banned cards here.

Source: https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/2020-season-pokemon-tcg-format-rotation/

Niantic has announced a Pokémon GO Snapshot contest where players of the game can take pictures and post them to Twitter or Instagram with the #GOSnapshot hashtag. There will be three different challenges to compete in.

Show off your photography skills and win our GO Snapshot contest!

Trainers, We have been so impressed by your photography skills using the new GO Snapshot feature while on adventures in the real world with your favorite Pokémon. Since the launch of GO Snapshot, Trainers around the world have been creating works of art!

Now, it’s time to put those photography skills to the test! We are excited to announce the #GOsnapshot Challenge, where you can truly showcase your eye for creativity. Trainers are invited to participate in the three unique challenges of the contest, each with a specific focus and task for taking photos with your Pokémon.

Adventure #1: Buddy Challenge

It’s time for a photo shoot with your Buddy Pokémon! In this challenge, we’re looking for Trainers to show us photos that highlight the connection between them and their Buddy Pokémon. From your shared adventures at the park to some fun moments at home, we want to see what makes your Buddy Pokémon your buddy!

Challenge Dates: April 15, 2019, to April 24, 2019
What to Do: Post your top three entries on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtags #GOsnapshot and #BuddyChallenge

Adventure #2: Habitat Challenge

For our Habitat Challenge, we’re asking Trainers to take the best photos of Pokémon in their natural habitat! It’s time to learn more about your Pokémon, as understanding a Pokémon’s type and Pokédex information is an important factor in winning this challenge!

Challenge Dates: April 29, 2019, to May 8, 2019
What to Do: Post your top three entries on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtags #GOsnapshot and #HabitatChallenge

Adventure #3: Go Create Challenge

With GO Snapshot, there are almost no limits when it comes to where, when, and how you capture AR photos of your Pokémon. In our Go Create Challenge, we’re asking you to show us how innovative you can get with GO Snapshot. We can’t wait to see where your creativity takes you, Trainers!

Challenge Dates: May 13, 2019, to May 22, 2019
What to Do: Post your top three entries on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtags #GOsnapshot and #GoCreateChallenge.

So, what does it take to win? And what do the winners get?

• The grand-prize winner and two runners-up for each challenge will be selected based on the originality, creativity, and visual fun of their snapshots.
• Each runner-up will win a special PokéStop featuring their winning photo that will remain no less than three months!
• The grand-prize winner for each challenge will receive this special PokéStop and be whisked away with travel and tickets to a 2019 Pokémon GO Fest of their choice!

Want to know how to take a GO Snapshot? Check out our help page here for more information. You can also find the full terms and conditions for the contest here.

We can’t wait to see the unique and clever ways you photograph your Pokémon and show them off to the world!

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/gosnapshotsummer2019/

anime Boston 2019 takes place on April 19th, 2019 to April 21st, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. They have teamed up with Niantic to have a special Pokémon Go event during the event. Trainers can get some exclusive in-game bonuses including: Increased Gen 4 starter Pokémon (Piplup, Turtwig, Chimchar), 2x Stardust and Increased Lure duration.


Sources: https://twitter.com/AnimeBoston/status/1116016926961143811 and http://www.animeboston.com/news/article/769

Niantic has announced that an Easter event will take place in Pokémon GO from April 16th, 2019 until April 23rd, 2019. Players have a chance to encounter a Shiny Buneary as well as have other bonuses.

Hop to the Pokémon GO Eggstravaganza!

Trainers, The Pokémon GO Eggstravaganza is back, and it’s time to hop to it, Trainers! Pokémon like Pichu, Smoochum, and Magby will be available in 2 km Eggs, and Egg-focused Field Research will be available to complete. Every Egg hatched during the event will also include bonus Candy to help you power up your newly hatched Pokémon. Buneary is joining in the festivities, and if you’re lucky, you may encounter the Shiny form of this Rabbit Pokémon!

Date + Time

• Apr. 16, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. PDT to Apr. 23, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7)

Features

• Pokémon like Pichu, Smoochum, and Magby will be in 2 km Eggs.
• If you’re lucky, you may encounter Shiny Buneary!
• You may find different Pokémon hatching from Eggs than before.

Bonuses

• 2× Hatch Candy
• 2× Incubator effectiveness
• Lucky Eggs will last twice as long

Field Research

• Limited-time Egg-focused Field Research will be available during this event.

Time to get hatching, Trainers. Turn on Adventure Sync and get your Incubators ready for this eggs-traordinary event!

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/post/eggstravaganza2019

Niantic has announced that 2 new features will be coming to Pokémon GO in a update soon: Lucky Friends and avatar poses.

Lucky Friends and avatar poses! Let’s GO!

Trainers, We have some exciting updates coming to Pokémon GO to give you even more ways to play and customize your journey!

Lucky Friends
When you are Lucky Friends with someone, the next time you trade with each other, both Pokémon will become Lucky Pokémon!

How do you become Lucky Friends? Once you become Best Friends, you will have a chance to become Lucky Friends! You will have this chance once per day when you and your Best Friend trade Pokémon, open a Gift from each other, team up in raids and Gym battles, or challenge each other to a Trainer Battle.

How do I know if my Best Friend is now a Lucky Friend? Similar to when you level up your friendships, you and your Best Friend will receive a notification when you have become Lucky Friends. You’ll also be able to see that they’re your new Lucky Friend in your Friend List and on their friend profile page.

After completing the trade, your Lucky Friend status will return to Best Friend status. Don’t worry, Trainers—by doing the same steps, you can try to become Lucky Friends again!

Avatar Poses
Ready to stand out at the Gym or on your Friend List? We are introducing avatar poses that will allow you to customize how your Trainer is posed on your Trainer profile, in the Friend List, in raid lobbies, in Gyms, and in battle previews. Once you acquire an avatar pose, it will be available on your account for both male and female Trainer avatars.

Thanks for continuing to adventure with us, Trainers. We are excited to bring you new customizations and features for the game. Happy exploring!

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/marchupdate2019/

Niantic has announced that players of Pokémon GO will be able to challenge Latios during a Special Raid Week which takes place from Monday, April 15th, 2019 until Monday, April 22nd, 2019.

Challenge Latios during this Special Raid Week!

Trainers, After your impressive efforts in challenging Latias, do you have what it takes to challenge the other Eon Pokémon? From Monday, April 15, to Monday, April 22, 2019, there will be a Special Raid Week, and the Legendary Pokémon Latios will be available in Raid Battles! Take a look at the details below:

Date + Time

• Monday, Apr. 15, 2019, at 1 p.m. to Monday, Apr. 22, 2019, at 1 p.m. PDT (GMT −7)

Features

• The Legendary Pokémon Latios will be joining Raid Battles!
If you’re lucky, you may encounter a Shiny Latios!

Do you have what it takes to challenge Latios? Get ready to GO, Trainer—and best of luck!

Stay safe, and happy exploring!

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/weekraid2019-lati0s/

Niantic has announced that on Wednesday, April 10th, 2019 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m, players of Pokémon GO will notice that there is an increased number of five-star raids featuring Origin Forme Giratina.

Legendary Lunch Hour experiment: Origin Forme Giratina

Trainers, We had our first Legendary Lunch Hour together on March 13, and we thank you for your participation and feedback. More research is needed, and we need your help! On Wednesday, April 10, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. in your local time zone, there will be an increased number of five-star raids featuring Origin Forme Giratina to test your battle skills alongside your friends, coworkers, and classmates.

Date + Time

• Apr. 10, 2019, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. in your local time zone

Features

• There will be an increased number of five-star raids featuring Origin Forme Giratina during the event hour.

Thank you for your feedback as we create more ways for you to enjoy Pokémon GO—because of your input, we’re able to create new events like this one for your enjoyment. We are continuing to test this event to make it even better. We understand that not every Trainer can participate in every event, but these tests are the first step in creating more events focused on different play styles. As always, Trainers, be mindful of your surroundings and others around you while playing Pokémon GO. Stay tuned for more updates!

Source: https://pokemongolive.com/en/post/letsgetlunchagain2019/

The official Pokémon Center website has announced a line of Detective Pikachu merchandise specifically featuring Hi-Hat Cafe Apparel and Ryme City items. High resolution images of the items have been added to an Imageboard thread.

Gear Up for POKÉMON Detective Pikachu

Official goods from the Pokémon Center will get you ready to tackle even the most challenging mysteries in Ryme City.

The POKÉMON Detective Pikachu movie will arrive soon, and you can already start preparing for its release with a new line of incredible goods at the Pokémon Center. This line of official merchandise helps bring you into the world of Ryme City, with designs inspired by the places and events you'll see on the big screen.

Detective Pikachu loves a good cup of coffee, and the Hi-Hat Cafe is a great place for a world-class detective to fuel up. Pokémon Center's Hi-Hat Cafe apparel—including T-shirts, baseball caps, and hoodies—will make you feel like you're a regular patron. And yes, a Hi-Hat Cafe mug is also available. We understand you can use it to serve beverages other than coffee (a nice hot chocolate, perhaps?), but we probably wouldn't mention that to Detective Pikachu.

You can also show some Ryme City pride with T-shirts bearing the city's 10th anniversary logo, as well as a shirt, cap, mug, and mini badge pin for those interested in Ryme City's esteemed law enforcement organization. You'll feel like you've stepped right into the adventure when you're wearing an Unown T-shirt that matches Tim Goodman's outfit (look for it in the movie trailer). And thanks to a line of metal signs featuring the Hi-Hat Cafe, Ryme City Cycling Road, and Ryme City Watch Area, you can feel like you're walking Detective Pikachu's beat.

If you can't decide on a specific theme to show your excitement for POKÉMON Detective Pikachu, there are a variety of designs available in four-packs of pins, patches, and stickers. All three sets are perfect for adding a bit of Ryme City flavor to just about anything!

No matter what you choose, this official gear will get you ready for the movie's premiere. You can find all of this merchandise now at the Pokémon Center!

Source: https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/gear-up-for-pokemon-detective-pikachu/

A new event Pokémon distribution is now available via Pokémon Bank. Oranguru and Passimian are both level 50 with their Hidden Abilities of Symbiosis and Defiant. The Pokémon will be available from March 29th, 2019 until October 31st, 2019 to players of Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, games where these Pokémon with their Hidden Abilities can not be obtained through normal game play.


Passimian knows the moves: Close Combat, U-turn, Knock Off and Gunk Shot while Oranguru knows the moves: Instruct, Foul Play, Trick Room and Ally Switch.

Source: https://www.pokemon.co.jp/ex/pokemonbank/topics/190329_01.html

Another Bonus for Pokémon Bank Subscribers

All Pokémon Bank registered users can get a cool Passimian and Oranguru.

Pokémon Bank is the paid service for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems that allows you to store and transfer your Pokémon online. For a limited time, if you sign up or are already registered for Pokémon Bank, you'll receive a Passimian and an Oranguru for your Pokémon Ultra Sun, Pokémon Ultra Moon, Pokémon Sun, or Pokémon Moon game. The two Pokémon will each arrive with a Hidden Ability that they can't acquire through normal gameplay.

Passimian is found in the wilds of Alola only in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Sun, so this is a good way to get the Pokémon if you haven't played these games. In battle, if Passimian is hit with a stat-lowering effect, its Hidden Ability, Defiant, will cause Passimian's Attack to increase by two levels!

Conversely, Trainers will find Oranguru in the wild only in Pokémon Ultra Moon and Pokémon Moon. Its Hidden Ability, Symbiosis, is useful but a little tricky—in Double Battles, if Oranguru's teammate uses its held item, Oranguru will hand its own held item over to the teammate.

To receive these Pokémon, become an active Pokémon Bank subscriber by October 31, 2019. The cost for Pokémon Bank is $4.99 for a one-year subscription. You can sign up and download Pokémon Bank via Nintendo eShop. Learn more about Pokémon Bank!

To receive Passimian and Oranguru:

1. Start Pokémon Bank and select the game in which you would like to receive them.
2. After receiving your gift in Pokémon Bank, start up the game you previously selected.
3. Speak to the delivery person in any Pokémon Center to receive your Pokémon as a Mystery Gift.
4. Remember to save your game!

Note: You will receive only one pair of Pokémon per Pokémon Bank account.

Source: https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/another-bonus-for-pokemon-bank-subscribers/