This year’s anniversary celebration features a special emphasis on Charizard, event-themed Field Research, Timed Research, and a Battle Weekend. There will also be Ultra Unlock bonuses thanks to the completion of Pokemon Go Fest Berlin. Starting today, July 6, and running through July 12, you will find some special Pokemon wandering around the world. These are Party Hat Charmeleon, Party Hat Charizard, and Cake Costume Pikachu. This is also the first time Trainers will be able to evolve their Party Hat Charmanders, and who knows, maybe you will even encounter Shiny Party Hat Charmeleon and Shiny Party Hat Charizard. The Ultra Unlock bonus is an encounter with Pansear, a Pokemon that will be appearing in the wild and within raids around the world during the Anniversary Event. Another Ultra Unlock will see the appearance of Unown E. In the wild, you will encounter the following Pokemon more freely: Bulbasaur, Party Hat Charmander, Squirtle, Cake Costume Pikachu, Machop, Ledyba, Ralts, Buneary, Pansear, Venipede, Chespin, Fennekin, Froakie, Bunnelby, Litleo, and Pikipek. If you are lucky, you may also run into Gabite, Clauncher, and Helioptile. Those who like participating in Raids will find Pansear, Cake Costume Pikachu, Dratini, and Unown E appearing in one-star Raids. Three-Star Raids will feature Venusaur, Party Hat Charizard, Blastoise, Tyranitar, and Metagross. Five-star Raids will star none other than the electric-flying type Zapdos. Charizard X and Y currently feature in Mega Raids and will continue to do so throughout the celebration. Completing Field Research tasks will find you encountering Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup, Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott, Chespin, Fennekin, Froakie, Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio. Some may even be shiny. Field Research tasks during this time are: spinning 6 PokeStops, catching different species of Pokemon, earning 6 hearts with your buddy, taking 6 shots of wild Pokemon, sending 6 gifts with stickers to friends, making 6 nice throws, making 6 curveball throws, using 6 berries to catch Pokemon, and catching 6 Pokemon. There will also be event-exclusive Timed Research available throughout the event. Completion will open up encounters with Wash Rotom, a Pokemon that looks similar to a washing machine. For the Anniversary event, you will be tasked with completing six sets of quests (thanks, Leek Duck). The first part of the quest focuses on catching Pokemon. Here, you will need to catch 15, catch 5 different species, make 5 nice throws, make 3 great throws, make 5 curveball throws, and use 10 berries. Rewards include various Ball types, XP, Stardust, and an encounter with Foongus. Completing the first step will reward you with One Poffin and you will encounter Pikachu wearing a Cake Costume. Quest two in the Anniversary Event, is focused on your buddy. Here is what you have to do: Get your buddy out to play with it, give it a treat, take a picture of it, battle another trainer with your buddy while it’s out, earn 5 hearts with it, and earn a candy walking with your buddy. Completion of these tasks will reward you with various berries, Stardust, XP, and an encounter with a Party Hat-wearing Charmander. For the third quest, you will be tasked with taking snapshots. You will need to take snapshots of wild Pokemon, Charmander, your buddy, 5 different Pokemon, a normal-type, and three different types of grass, fire, or water Pokemon. The rewards include potions, Poke Balls, Xp, revives, Stardust, an Unova Stone, and encounters with Meowth and Pansear. The fourth quest (which I am on now), focuses on leaving the house. For this one, you will need to spin 5 PokeStops, hatch an egg, walk 2km, earn a candy with your buddy, complete 5 Field Research tasks, and battle in Gyms three times. Rewards include Poke Balls, berries, XP, Stardust, Rare Candy, a Premium Raid Pass, and an encounter with the fabulous baby Garchomp, Gible. Gifts and fighting are the next things on the list, and step five is probably one of the easiest to complete. You will need to send 5 gifts to friends, send 5 gifts with stickers, transfer 15 Pokemon, battle in two Raids, win a level one or higher Raid, and you will need to power up Pokemon 10 times. Doing all of this will earn you some Stardust, potions, revives, one Fast and Charges TM, a Rocket Radar, and an encounter with Snorlax. The sixth and final part of the quest? Just collect the rewards. These include quite a bit of XP, Stardust, and an encounter with Wash Rotom. There are new 6th Anniversary avatar items available as well as new stickers. Starting this weekend on July 9, a Battle Weekend will commence. You can enjoy up to 20 Go Battle League sets each day. Team Go Rocket balloons will appear every two hours, and you will earn 5× Stardust from Go Battle League Rewards. You will also receive one extra Raid Pass per day, earn 50% extra XP from Raid Battles, two Mysterious Components from defeating Team Go Rocket Grunts, and 50% extra Stardust, and will encounter Legendary Pokemon in Go Battle League reward encounters at Rank 16 and up. Also, if you evolve a certain first partner Pokemon during Ultra Unlock: Battle Weekend, it will know attacks that previously featured during past events. Special Research centered on Giovanni will be available. Complete it to earn Super Rocket Radar. This Special Research will be available to claim until the end of the Season of Go on September 1. Be sure to save Shadow Latios from the Team Go Rocket boss. Team Go Rocket Grunts and its leaders will also be using different Shadow Pokemon. You may also encounter different Shiny Shadow Pokemon than normal, too, and can also run into new Shadow Pokemon such as Geodude, Shinx, Purrloin, and more. Have fun, and don’t forget: next month is the Pokemon Go Fest 2022 finale. Taking place on August 27, Niantic says to expect more shiny Pokemon popping up around the globe, new Ultra Beasts are expected, and who knows what else is in store for players. Surely, Niantic has more up its sleeves, so expect an enjoyable time.
