Another month, another new set of announcements! As usual, Niantic has dropped a lot on us at once, so let's get right into it!
October Research Breakthrough: Shedinja
The Bug/Ghost Type Pokemon Shedinja is returning to research breakthroughs. This interesting Pokemon has absolutely no viability in literally any format in the game. Still, it's definitely an interesting Pokemon that is a fairly rare dex filler!
October Raid Bosses
We have the schedule for October's legendary raid bosses revealed.
| Raids Begin | Raids End |
|---|---|
| September 25, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT | October 2, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT |
| Raids Begin | Raids End |
|---|---|
| October 2, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT | October 9, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT |
| Raids Begin | Raids End |
|---|---|
| October 9, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT | October 23, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT |
Giratina - Origin Forme will also have its Shiny Forme released for the first time, making this extremely valuable Pokemon even more worthwhile! Definitely worth planning to raid this ghost-dragon in hopes of a shiny!
Beyond these, we will be getting a "special raid boss" for the Halloween event! It hasn't been announced yet, but when you consider the fact that we were given Darkrai last year, it could be very interesting!
October Spotlight Hours
| Spotlight Begins | Spotlight Bonus |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, October 6, 2020 | 2x Catch EXP |
| Spotlight Begins | Spotlight Bonus |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, October 13, 2020 | 2x Catch Candy |
| Spotlight Begins | Spotlight Bonus |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, October 20, 2020 | 2x Transfer Candy |
| Spotlight Begins | Spotlight Bonus |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, October 27, 2020 | 2x Evolution EXP |
Meowth Limited Research
| Start Time | End Time |
|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. local time | 10:00 p.m. local time |
A limited special research line is set to release featuring Meowth in its three formes, though it seems that the focus will be on Alolan Meowth first for this event. We don't yet know what this will entail, but it could definitely be interesting.
And Even More!
We also have the upcoming Fashion Event, and the traditional Halloween event confirmed to be on the way, along with other events likely yet to be announced. As summer ends and Fall takes full hold of the northern hemisphere, let's get ready for an exciting rest of the year in Pokemon Go, and be sure to take a look at our Facebook Page to help keep up to date with what's on the horizon!
Full Announcement
Trainers,
Halloween, a fashion-themed event, and more—read on to learn about what’s happening in the world of Pokémon GO in October.
October Research Breakthrough encounter
From Thursday, October 1, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7) to Sunday, November 1, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PST (GMT −8), Shedinja, the Shed Pokémon, will be available as a Research Breakthrough encounter.
A month of different Legendary Raid Bosses!
Look forward to challenging different Legendary Raid Bosses throughout October!
- From Friday, September 25, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Friday, October 2, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7), Zapdos will be available to challenge in five-star raids.
- From Friday, October 2, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Friday, October 9, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7), Moltres will be available to challenge in five-star raids.
- From Friday, October 9, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Friday, October 23, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7), Origin Forme Giratina will be available to challenge in five-star raids. If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny one!
- Stay tuned for details about a special Raid Boss that’ll be available to challenge during our Halloween event!
Each week in October, there’ll be a Raid Hour event on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. local time featuring that week’s Legendary Raid Boss in five-star raids.
Pokémon Spotlight Hours
In the month of October, Pokémon Spotlight Hour will take place every Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. local time, and each hour will spotlight a different Pokémon and special bonus!
- Tuesday, October 6, 2020: World Cap Pikachu will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the XP for catching Pokémon.
- Tuesday, October 13, 2020: Original Cap Pikachu will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Candy for catching Pokémon.
- Tuesday, October 20, 2020: Shuppet will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Candy for transferring Pokémon.
- Tuesday, October 27, 2020: Duskull will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the XP for evolving Pokémon.
October Limited Research featuring Alolan Meowth!
On Saturday, October 10, 2020, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. local time, you can complete exclusive Field Research tasks to encounter Meowth originally discovered in Kanto, Alola, and Galar! Look forward to exclusive Timed Research, and check the shop for a box available featuring Incense, Pinap Berries, and Lucky Eggs!
Fashion-themed event
Don’t forget—in celebration of the Longchamp x Pokémon collaboration, a fashion-themed event will take place from Friday, October 2, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. to Thursday, October 8, 2020, at 10:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7). Check out this blog post for more information.
Other upcoming events
October has a lot more in store! For Halloween, you can expect new avatar items, a Halloween-themed cup for GO Battle League Season 4, and the annual Halloween event! There’ll also be an event celebrating Niantic’s anniversary and the changing of seasons. Stay tuned for more details!
Please be aware of your surroundings and follow guidelines from local health authorities when playing Pokémon GO. Upcoming events are subject to change. Be sure to follow us on social media, opt in to receiving push notifications, and subscribe to our emails to stay updated. For the latest on in-game events and feature updates, be sure to check this help center article.
—The Pokémon GO team
