All spotlight hours in January 2023 at Pokémon GO in overview. We show you all Pokémon, bonuses, and times and explain which Shinies you can find and whether the events are worth it..
What kind of events are these? Every Tuesday from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM local time, a spotlight hour takes place in Pokémon GO. During this time, a Pokémon is in focus, appearing almost everywhere in the wild. At the beginning of each month, the developers announce which Pokémon and bonuses will be the focus of the events in the coming weeks.
The bonuses include more Stardust, more XP, or more Candy. Here we show you all Pokémon and bonuses for the spotlight hours in January 2023.
All dates for the spotlight hours in January 2023
These are the dates: In January, you can expect five spotlight hours. During these, the following Pokémon and bonuses will be in focus:
| Date | Pokémon & Bonuses |
| January 31st | Elekid* and double transfer Candy |
| Our guide for the spotlight hour with Elekid |
Spotlight hour on January 3rd
Which Pokémon? The first spotlight hour in January 2023 brings you Alola Sandshrew. You can evolve it into Alola Sandslash. Both Pokémon are of the Ice and Steel types.
What bonuses do you get? For evolving Pokémon, you receive double the amount of experience points.
Who is it worth it for? You can ignore Alola Sandshrew as an attacker. Alola Sandslash, on the other hand, plays in the mid-level of PvP in both the Great League and Ultra League. However, there are stronger alternatives. Additionally, Alola Sandshrew has appeared quite frequently as event content.
Nonetheless, evolving Pokémon during this period is worthwhile to earn a lot of XP.
Can you catch Shiny Alola Sandshrew? Yes, the shiny form of Alola Sandshrew is already active in Pokémon GO and you can catch it.
Spotlight hour on January 10th
Which Pokémon? In the second spotlight hour of January 2023, you will encounter Swablu. This Pokémon comes from the 6th generation and is of the Fairy type. Its evolution is Altaria.
What bonuses do you get? For catching Pokémon, you receive double the amount of Stardust.
Who is it worth it for? Swablu is not particularly interesting as an attacker. Altaria, however, does play moderately well in the Great League and Ultra League PvP.
However, the Stardust bonus is exciting. Even though Swablu is not that easy to catch, you should take advantage of the event to fill up your Stardust resources.
Can you catch Shiny Swablu? Yes, the shiny version of Swablu is active in Pokémon GO.
Spotlight hour on January 17th
Which Pokémon? The third spotlight hour in January 2023 features Budew. It comes from the 3rd generation and is of the Grass type. Its evolutions are Roselia and Roserade.
What bonuses do you get? For catching Pokémon, you receive double the amount of experience points.
Who is it worth it for? Although Budew and Roselia are not particularly strong attackers, Roserade can be very useful in different situations. In PvE during raids, it is a cost-effective alternative to many powerhouses, especially for new players. In PvP, it ranks quite highly in the Great League and Ultra League. So, if you’re looking for a strong attacker of the Grass and Dark types, you should take advantage of this event.
Can you catch Shiny Budew? Yes, the shiny version of Budew is already unlocked in Pokémon GO, and you can catch it.
Spotlight hour on January 24th
Which Pokémon? In the fourth spotlight hour in January 2023, you will encounter the Pokémon Zapplardin. It comes from the 5th generation and is of the Electric type. Its evolutions are Zapplalek and Zapplarang.
What bonuses do you get? For catching Pokémon, you receive double the amount of Candy.
Who is it worth it for? Zapplardin and Zapplalek are not particularly good as attackers. Zapplarang does play decently in PvP in the Great League and Ultra League.
You can also utilize the Candy bonus when catching raid bosses.
Can you catch Shiny Zapplardin? So far, it is not possible. In an early graphic of the events in January, Niantic mentioned that one could catch Zapplardin as Shiny, but later corrected the graphic and removed the Shiny indication. It’s quite possible that the Shiny will be released during the month.
Spotlight hour on January 31st
Which Pokémon? The fifth and final spotlight hour in January 2023 brings you Elekide. It is of the Electric type and comes from the 5th generation. Its evolution is Zebritz.
What bonuses do you get? For transferring Pokémon, you receive double the amount of Candy.
Who is it worth it for? Neither Elekid nor Zebritz are particularly noteworthy as attackers. The spotlight hour is worth it if you use this time to clean up your collection and transfer Pokémon you don’t need. This way, you can secure more Candy for yourself.
Can you catch Shiny Elekid? Yes, you can catch shiny Elekid in Pokémon GO.
