In Pokémon GO you can currently complete the limited research Old Friends, New Beginnings
. It provides you with bonuses for the Kanto starters.
What kind of research is this? Shortly before the new season “Hidden Gems” in Pokémon GO begins, the research “Old Friends, New Beginnings” was added to the game. It revolves around the Kanto starters Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander.
You can obtain encounters with the three monsters and energy for their Mega Evolutions. However, you only have a limited time.
How long does the research run? The limited research started on May 30, 2023, and runs until Wednesday, June 28. As of now, it is only available in Europe.
You have just under a month to complete it. However, you should be able to manage that easily, as there are only two research pages you need to solve. We will show you the tasks and rewards here.
Old Friends, New Beginnings 1/2 – Tasks and Rewards
| Task | Reward |
| Earn 12 hearts with your buddy | Bulbasaur encounter |
| Earn 3,000 XP | Charmander encounter |
| Use 10 power-ups on Pokémon | Squirtle encounter |
Stage Reward: You will receive
- 20 candies for Bulbasaur
- 20 candies for Charmander
- 20 candies for Squirtle
Old Friends, New Beginnings 2/2 – Tasks and Rewards
| Task | Reward |
| Already completed! | 100 Mega Energy for Venusaur |
| Already completed! | 100 Mega Energy for Charizard |
| Already completed! | 100 Mega Energy for Blastoise |
Stage Reward: You will receive an encounter with Pikachu and 20 Pikachu candies.
A new season starts in Pokémon GO on June 1:
Is the task worth it? Overall, the research on “Old Friends, New Beginnings” is quick and can likely be completed even when playing casually. Especially since you have just under a month to do it.
If you are just starting out, the research is particularly worthwhile, as it allows you to get to the popular Kanto starters faster and progress towards their evolutions.
Especially the Mega Energy could be a nice bonus for players who do not want to wait on the cooldown timer of their Mega Evolutions. However, for the first Mega Evolution of the monsters, you need 200 Mega Energy.
What else is happening in Pokémon GO? You can find out in our overview: All events in June 2023 from Pokémon GO.
