It's that time again! With the final remnants of June 2021 slowly slipping into the past, July is looming large on the Pokemon Go stage, ready to take its time in the spotlight! So what does this month have in store? Well, it's honestly expected to be fairly straight-forward based on the official announcement, with normal events and recurring bonuses. This isn't to say that it's set to be a bad month overall, as we do have a few important dates on the calendar for some very... nice events.
- Deoxys - Defense Forme is finally returning to the raid scene
- Mewtwo is returning to the raid scene
- Go Fest 2021
- The five-year anniversary
So let's get to it and break down July 2021 in Pokemon Go!
July 2021 Research Breakthrough
| Research Start | Research End |
|---|---|
| July1, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. PST | August 1, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. PST |
Rufflet and its evolution are rare Pokemon, though not extremely useful. Aiming to catch it with Pinap berries is recommended, as this will help to avoid having to walk it in order to obtain its evolution, Braviary. Players will also be given a free Remote Raid Pass each week via the breakthrough. Could this be a standing trend moving forward?
Five Star and Mega Raid Bosses
Raids Start: July 1, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time
Raids End: July 1, 2021, at 8:00 a.m. local time
...yes, seriously. Bidoof will be the featured Five Star raid boss for a few hours on July 1st during Bidoof Day.
Raids Start: July 1, at 8:00 p.m. local time
Raids End: July 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time
Raids Start: July 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time
Raids End: July 23, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time
Shiny Mewtwo will be available, though this announcement does not mention Psystrike as an available move.
We will also have a not-yet announced raid boss starting July 23. We will keep you all posted as soon as we know more!
Mega Raids
Raids Start: July 1, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. local time
Raids End: July 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Raids Start: July 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Raids End: July 23, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Raids Start: July 23, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Raids End: August 6, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Interestingly, we have no new Mega Evolutions announced for July 2021. This could just be because of the fact that Go Fest is the central concept of the month, but it does make one wonder if Niantic intends to take a mega-break.
Spotlight Hours
| Spotlight Period | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, July 6 2021, 6:00-7:00 p.m. local time | 2x Catch XP |
| Spotlight Period | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, July 13, 2021, 6:00-7:00 p.m. local time | 2x Catch Candy |
| Spotlight Period | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, July 20, 2021, 6:00-7:00 p.m. local time | 2x Transfer Candy |
| Spotlight Period | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, July 27, 2021, 6:00-7:00 p.m. local time | 2x Evolution XP |
Ah yes my 4 favorite starters: Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, and Natu
-YourCalcProf
March Events
While it's likely that this is not a complete list, Niantic has given us information on at least a few upcoming events:
| Event Start | Event End |
|---|---|
| July 6, 2021 | July 15, 2021 |
Hard to imagine that it's been five years, but here we are!
| Event Start | Event End |
|---|---|
| July 11, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. | July 11, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. |
Complete up to 100 battles during the event and enjoy 3x stardust. It's a nice event, but we've seen it before.
| Event Start | Event End |
|---|---|
| July 17, 2021 | July 18, 2021 |
Well here we are again, it's always such a pleasure!
Go Fest is, as always, the premier event of the year, and it's time for us to nab Meloetta, along-side many great Legendary Pokemon!
Full Announcement
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Trainers,
Pokémon GO Fest 2021 may be just around the corner, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have to wait to enjoy exciting events in July! Read on for what we have in store.
July Research Breakthrough encounters
From Thursday, July 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. to Sunday, August 1, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7), you’ll encounter Rufflet in Research Breakthrough encounters. As an extra bonus throughout July, you’ll also receive a free Remote Raid Pass when you achieve a Research Breakthrough.
Double XP for Research Breakthroughs will also continue throughout this month as part of the Season of Discovery!
Featured Pokémon in raids
The following Pokémon will be appearing in five-star raids throughout July.
- Bidoof will be appearing in five-star raids on Thursday, July 1, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time. If you’re lucky, you may encounter a Shiny Bidoof! For more information about the various Bidoof shenanigans on the horizon, check out the Bidoof Day blog.
- The Mythical Pokémon Deoxys will be appearing in its Defense Forme in five-star raids from Thursday, July 1, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. to Friday, July 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
- The Legendary Pokémon Mewtwo will be appearing in five-star raids from Friday, July 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Friday, July 23, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time. If you’re lucky, you may encounter a Shiny Mewtwo! Different Pokémon will also be appearing in five-star raids on the second day of Pokémon GO Fest 2021, so keep a lookout! Only Mewtwo will appear as a GO Battle League encounter for Trainers rank 20 and up on the second day of Pokémon GO Fest 2021.
- Stay tuned for more updates on which Pokémon will be appearing in five-star raids after July 23.
In addition, the following Mega-Evolved Pokémon will be appearing in Mega Raids.
- Mega Houndoom will appear in Mega Raids from Thursday, July 1, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. to Friday, July 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
- Mega Gengar will appear in Mega Raids from Friday, July 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Friday, July 23, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
- Mega Charizard X will appear in Mega Raids from Friday, July 23, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Friday, August 6, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Every Wednesday in July, a Raid Hour event will occur from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. The following Pokémon will be featured.
- Wednesday, July 7, 2021: Defense Forme Deoxys
- Wednesday, July 14, 2021: Defense Forme Deoxys
- Wednesday, July 21, 2021: Mewtwo
- Wednesday, July 28, 2021: To be announced
Pokémon Spotlight Hours
In the month of July, Pokémon Spotlight Hour will take place every Tuesday from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time, and each of these hours will spotlight a different Pokémon and special bonus!
- Tuesday, July 6, 2021: Bulbasaur will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the XP for catching Pokémon.
- Tuesday, July 13, 2021: Charmander will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Candy for catching Pokémon.
- Tuesday, July 20, 2021: Squirtle will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the Candy for transferring Pokémon.
- Tuesday, July 27, 2021: Natu will be in the spotlight, and you’ll earn twice the XP for evolving Pokémon.
July Community Day
Join us on Saturday, July 3, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time for a Community Day event featuring Tepig, the Fire Pig Pokémon! For more details, check out our July Community Day blog.
Upcoming events
Stay tuned for details about these upcoming events.
Pokémon GO’s anniversary celebration: From Tuesday, July 6, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. to Thursday, July 15, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. local time, Pokémon GO will be celebrating its five-year anniversary! Stay tuned for more details in early July.
GO Battle Night: On Sunday, July 11, 2021, from 6:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. local time, the second GO Battle Night of the season will be happening! Complete up to 100 battles, and receive three times the Stardust for winning battles, completing sets of battles, and ranking up in the GO Battle League. Please note that the Stardust bonus during GO Battle Night will not combine with the 2× Stardust bonus for the GO Battle League that will be active from Monday, June 28, 2021, to Monday, July 12, 2021. For more details on the GO Battle League, check out the Season 8 blog.
Pokémon GO Fest 2021: The largest event of the year is nearly here, but you still have time to buy your tickets! Pokémon GO Fest 2021 will take place on July 17 and 18, and each day will provide a unique experience. Trust us—this is an event you won’t want to miss! Check out our announcement blog for more info, and check out the shop to pick up your ticket! If you and your fellow Trainers work hard together during the event, there may be more ultra exciting things to come in July and beyond...
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
