Pokémon GO Brings the World Championships Home with Exciting In-Game Event

While the world’s top Pokémon GO players descend on Anaheim, California, for the 2025 Pokémon World Championships (August 15–17), fans everywhere can join the action thanks to a brand-new in-game event packed with exclusive features.

Event Highlights

Varsity Jacket Pikachu Debuts:
Celebrate in style with the first-ever Pikachu sporting a varsity jacket—available in the wild and in raids. Lucky Trainers may even encounter the shiny version!
Raid Battles:
- One-Star Raids: Varsity Pikachu and Honedge appear.
- Three-Star Raids: Defeat Lapras, Dusclops, and Diggersby for a chance at rare encounters.
Wild Spawns:
Boosted appearances of fan-favorite Pokémon, including Nidoran♀, Mankey, Marill, Paldean Wooper, Spoink, Inkay, Rookidee, Vullaby, and Fuecoco, make for prime catching opportunities.
Exclusive Moves via Evolution:
- Lapras caught during the event learns the Ice Beam attack.
- Evolving Mankey → Primeape → Annihilape grants the powerful Rage Fist attack.
- Evolving Paldean Wooper into Clodsire unlocks Megahorn.

Research and Battle Bonuses

Field Research Tasks: Earn encounters with varsity Pikachu, Marill, Wooper, and Honedge by completing special tasks.
Paid Timed Research ($5 equivalent):
Complete this Premium research to earn a Battle Pass, 25,000 Stardust, and encounters with rare Pokémon such as Lapras, Lickitung, Azumarill, Sableye, Swalot, Claydol, Carbink, Guzzlord, and Lokix.
GO Battle Weekend (August 15–17):
- Enjoy four times the Stardust from battle wins.
- Take part in up to 20 battle sets per day (up from the usual 5).
- Complete themed timed research to earn avatar gear inspired by the Battle Tower.

How to Join the Fun from Home

Watch the Action Live:
Tune into the Pokémon GO Twitch channel on August 15 and 16, and the main Pokémon Twitch channel on August 17, starting at 9:00 a.m. PDT each day. Fans participating from home can grab a chance at receiving exclusive Timed Research codes that unlock additional in-game bonuses.

What Makes This Event Special

This is more than just another Pokémon GO event—it’s a way to bring the global championship spirit directly to mobile screens worldwide. Early reports confirm the varsity Pikachu is already a favorite among Trainers, especially those chasing shiny versions and competitive PvP-ready evolutions. With enhanced raids, premium research options, and boosted battle rewards, the event caters to collectors, battlers, and casual players alike