Announced as part of the March 2021 content update for Pokemon Go, Niantic has now revealed information about the Charge Up event, as well as what it will add to the game moving forward.
Charge Up! Event
| Event Start | Event End |
|---|---|
| March 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time | March 22, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. local time |
- Electric Type Pokemon will begin spawning in large numbers, including the release of Tynamo and its family
- A special selection of Electric Type Pokemon will be hatching from eggs
- Mega Manectric is being released to Mega Raids for the first itme
- A special research line will be available that will reward Mega Energy for Mega Ampharos and Mega Manectric
- A timed research line will be available that will focus on evolving and powering up Electric Type Pokemon
- Gifts opened during the event will be more likely to grant Sinnoh Stones or Unova Stones when opened
- The following Pokemon will be in raids:
Mega Manectric
Mega Manectric is our new Mega Evolution for March. And, honestly, it's kind of exciting! While not as anticipated as monsters such as Mega Metagross, it still has the advantage of being the top-DPS mega among Electric Types. To start with, let's look at how it fares in terms of neutral DPS:
Image Source: The Comprehensive DPS/TDO Spreadsheet
At first glance, Mega Manectric looks a bit less impressive among its competition. DPS monsters like Mega Electivire stand above it, making it a bit lackluster. However, these numbers do not take into account the boosts that Mega Evolution afford. If we include that, Mega Manectric looks more like this:
This is the actual performance of Mega Manectric, but keep in mind that it shares these boosts, so any of the powerful Electric Type Shadow Pokemon will actually surpass it if on the field at the same time as it. However, this really is not a disadvantage by any means.
What about Mega Ampharos?
Mega Ampharos is our current Electric Type Mega King. So is it time to put this Pokemon out to pasture? Not at all! Its higher average TDO makes it very useful, and its Dragon sub-typing can make it a top counter when facing Water Type movesets in particular. Because of these factors, these two Pokemon are somewhat interchangeable, and each will see improvements in practical usage situationally.
Full Announcement
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Trainers,
Charge up your batteries, and get ready to roll—Electric-type Pokémon will soon have their moment in the spotlight with the first-ever Charge Up event! Similar to previous events like Psychic Spectacular and Bug Out!, this event will focus on catching, evolving, and powering up Pokémon of a single type. This time, it’s Electric!
Date + Time
Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, March 22, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. local time
Features
- Electric-type Pokémon—including Alolan Geodude, Voltorb, Electrike, Stunfisk, and more—will be appearing more frequently in the wild. Also keep an eye out for Tynamo, which will be making its Pokémon GO debut!
- The following Electric-type Pokémon will be hatching from 5 km Eggs: Pichu, Elekid, Electrike, Shinx, Joltik, Tynamo, and Stunfisk.
- Event-exclusive Field Research tasks will reward Poké Balls, Ampharos Mega Energy, Manectric Mega Energy, encounters with Electric-type Pokémon, and more.
- Timed Research focused on evolving and powering up Electric-type Pokémon will be available!
- The following Pokémon will be appearing in raids.
- Voltorb, Shinx, Blitzle, Klink, and Tynamo will be appearing in one-star raids.
- Alolan Raichu, Alolan Graveler, Magneton, and Ampharos will be appearing in three-star raids.
- Therian Forme Thundurus will be appearing for the first time in five-star raids.
- Mega-Evolved Manectric—otherwise known as Mega Manectric—will be making its Pokémon GO debut in Mega Raids! Mega Houndoom and Mega Abomasnow will also be appearing in Mega Raids at this time.
Bonus
- You’ll have a higher chance of receiving Evolution items when opening Gifts during the event period!
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
