It's that time again; Niantic has given us the road-map for January 2021. Returning raid bosses and a few yet-to-be-announced surprises highlight the month, alongside a new set of spotlight hours, a new research breakthrough, and the announcement of collection challenges on the horizon.
Five Star Raid Bosses
Ho-Oh Raids
| Raids Start | Raids End |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. PST | January 5, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time |
Genesect: Burn Drive Raids
| Raids Start | Raids End |
|---|---|
| January 5, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time | January 12, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time |
Heatran Raids
| Raids Start | Raids End |
|---|---|
| January 12, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time | January 19, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time |
Kyogre & Groudon Raids
| Raids Start | Raids Start |
|---|---|
| January 19, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time | January 26, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time |
TBA Raid Boss
| Raids Start | Raids End |
|---|---|
| January 26, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time. | TBA |
Mega Raid Bosses
Mega Raids: Early January
| Raids Start | Raids End |
|---|---|
| January 5, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time | anuary 12, 2021 at 10:00am local time |
| Raids Start | Raids End |
|---|---|
| January 19, 2021 | TBA |
Seasonal Mega Boost
| Boosts Starts | Boost Ends |
|---|---|
| January 26, 2021 | February 8, 2021 |
On top of this, on January 19, 2021 we are getting a new Mega Evolution in the raid rotation. This raid boss has not yet been announced, but it's worth noting that it will premier alongside Kyogre and Groudon. Since both of these Pokemon are weak to Grass, could this be the introduction of Mega Sceptile...? That's pure speculation, but a solid potential contender if Niantic wants to give us counter-coverage.
Research Breakthrough
January 2021 Research Breakthrough: Chansey
| Research Breakthrough Begins | Research Breakthrough Ends |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. PST | February 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. PST |
An interesting choice, Chansey could potentially be an exciting Pokemon.... if the defense meta wasn't basically dead. As a general thought, it might be better to not wait until Janurary if you're going to be close to your breakthrough, as the chance for a high-IV Darumaka is definitely more appealing for most players.
Pokemon Spotlight Hours
Lillipup Spotlight Hour
| Spotlight Date | Spotlight Bonus |
|---|---|
| January 5, 2021 | 2x Catch Stardust |
Drifloon Spotlight Hour
| Spotlight Date | Spotlight Bonus |
|---|---|
| January 12, 2021 | 2x Catch XP |
Shroomish Spotlight Hour
| Spotlight Date | Spotlight Bonus |
|---|---|
| January 19, 2021 | 2x Catch Candy |
Phanpy Spotlight Hour
| Spotlight Date | Spotlight Bonus |
|---|---|
| January 26, 2021 | 2x Transfer Candy |
New Year Events
To top this all off, we have a bit of information about new events for January. Nothing too specific, but enough to be interesting.
- Celebrations focusing on the different regions of the game are set to begin in Janurary, with Unova being the first on January 5th
- New Collection Challenges are mentioned, with the goal being to catch a specific set of Pokemon within X period of time. More information will be given at a later date.
Full Announcement
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Trainers,
It’s almost time to leave 2020 behind us and head towards a new year—2021 is just around the corner! We’ve got lots in store, so buckle up for Pokémon GO’s January events.
January Research Breakthrough encounter
From Friday, January 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. to Monday, February 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. PST (GMT −8), you’ll encounter Chansey in Research Breakthroughs.
Featured Pokémon in five-star raids and Mega Raids
Things are heating up in raids this January! The following Legendary and Mythical Pokémon will be appearing in five-star raids throughout January—one of which is appearing for the first time!
- Ho-Oh will be appearing in raids from Friday, January 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. PST (GMT −8) to Tuesday, January 5, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time. If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny Ho-Oh!
- Genesect holding a Burn Drive will be appearing in raids from Tuesday, January 5, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Tuesday, January 12, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
- Heatran will be appearing in raids from Tuesday, January 12, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Tuesday, January 19, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time. If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny Heatran!
- Kyogre and Groudon will be appearing in raids from Tuesday, January 19, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Tuesday, January 26, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time. If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny Kyogre or Shiny Groudon!
- A surprise Pokémon will be appearing in raids beginning on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
In addition, the following Mega-Evolved Pokémon will be appearing in Mega Raids.
- Mega Charizard Y, Mega Blastoise, and Mega Abomasnow will be appearing in Mega Raids, with Mega Charizard Y becoming even more powerful from Tuesday, January 5, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. through Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 10:00am local time. Mega Blastoise is also a prime pick to use in five-star raids this month, so make sure to stock up on Blastoise Mega Energy!
- On Tuesday, January 19, 2021, a certain Mega-Evolved Pokémon will make its Pokémon GO debut in Mega Raids! More details will come to light as we get closer to the date. Mega Venusaur and Mega Houndoom will also be appearing in Mega Raids beginning on January 19, with Mega Houndoom being even more powerful from Tuesday, January 26, 2021, through Monday, February 8, 2021.
Pokémon Spotlight Hours
In the month of January, 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, January 5, 2021: Lillipup will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Stardust for catching Pokémon.
- Tuesday, January 12, 2021: Drifloon will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the XP for catching Pokémon.
- Tuesday, January 19, 2021: Shroomish will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Candy for catching Pokémon.
- Tuesday, January 26, 2021: Phanpy will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Candy for transferring Pokémon.
Celebrate 2021 with our New Year’s–themed event
Happy 2020! Wait, no—it’ll be 2021 in just a few days. Turns out Slowpoke is just late to the game as always. Silly Slowpoke!
For this year’s New Year’s event, you can expect new costumed Pokémon (like a silly Slowpoke wearing 2020 glasses) and new avatar items, as well as the return of some familiar Pokémon wearing party hats. This event will run from Thursday, December 31, 2020, at 10:00 p.m. to Monday, January 4, 2021, at 10:00 p.m. local time.
For more details, be sure to check out the blog here.
Celebrate the different regions of the Pokémon world in January!
As we count down the days to Pokémon GO Tour: Kanto, we’ll be celebrating during the Season of Celebration with events themed around different regions of the Pokémon world! Different weeks will highlight Unova, Sinnoh, Hoenn, and Johto, as Pokémon originally discovered in these regions will be appearing more often in the wild.
Stay tuned for more details this week on the Unova Celebration event, which begins on Tuesday, January 5, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Collection Challenges coming soon
Whether you’re new to Pokémon GO or a seasoned Trainer, Collection Challenges provide a handy guide to catching Pokémon featured during certain events. Look out for the launch of Collection Challenges in early January 2021.
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
