At the turn of the year, Pokémon GO brings you an event. There, in addition to some event content, there is also a permanent change.
What kind of event is this? 2025 is coming to an end. And the New Year is also celebrated in Pokémon GO. The “New Year 2026” event will take place from Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at 10:00 AM until Sunday, January 4, 2026, at 8:00 PM.
During the event, you will receive an increased shiny chance for a costumed monster, various bonuses for raids, and other costumed monsters. Additionally, a bonus will be activated at the start of the event, which will remain permanently active.
All content from New Year 2026
What bonus will be permanently activated? At the start of the event, the number of guaranteed lucky trades will be permanently increased. Where there were previously 35, you can now receive 10 more guaranteed lucky trades, for a total of 45.
When you trade with monsters caught in 2020 or earlier at the start of the event, the trade will be a guaranteed lucky trade. This will remain the case until you have completed the 45 trades. Unfortunately, you cannot check how many you have completed in the game; you can only see it by the fact that a trade no longer leads to a guaranteed lucky trade.
What bonuses will there be at the event? If you catch a Pikachu with a party hat in the wild or after a raid during the event, the chance of it being shiny is increased.
Additionally, you will earn double the amount of experience points and stardust for successfully completed raid battles during the event.
There will also be festive fireworks in the game during the event.
What monsters will be at the event? Various event Pokémon will be waiting for you both in the wild and in raids during the event.
In the wild:
- Bulbasaur with party hat*
- Jigglypuff with bow*
- Hoothoot with New Year’s outfit*
- Pikachu with party cylinder* (rare)
In 1-star raids:
- Pikachu with party cylinder*
- Wurmple with party hat*
In 3-star raids:
- Raticate with party hat*
- Nidorino with party hat*
- Gengar with party hat*
- Woingenau with party hat*
All monsters marked with a * can also appear as shiny.
What field research will be available at the event? There will be 2 kinds of field research during the event. The first is event field research, as you know it from other events. Here you will receive stardust for successful completion.
The second type is called daily field research. This consists of bonus field research, which you will automatically receive each day during the event when you log in. You will receive lucky eggs and incense as rewards.
However, please note that you must have 3 or fewer active field research tasks to receive a daily field research task upon login. It is not known whether you can still receive this type of field research if you complete or remove field research after the first login and then log in again.
Paid research: For $1.99 (about €2.50), you can get a ticket for the event. Here, you will receive an additional raid pass at gyms every day during the event, as well as a task that gives you 2 premium battle passes, 3,000 stardust, and encounters with event Pikachu.
If you buy the ticket from the Pokémon GO webstore, you will also receive a lucky egg.
Avatar items: At the start of the event, a new accessory for your avatar will be unlocked in the shop: Couplosio Boots. These will also remain available in the shop after the event.
In the last weeks of the current month, there are still some events and contents waiting for you in the game. If you want to get an overview of what they are and when they take place, then feel free to take a look at our overview with all events in December 2025 in Pokémon GO.
