Pokemon GO Unveils 2025 Lunar New Year Celebration

Niantic has officially unveiled the details for the Pokemon GO Lunar New Year 2025 event, set to run from January 29 to February 2. This exciting event promises players an array of opportunities to enhance their collections with Lucky Pokemon, Shiny Pokemon, and a host of other rewards. Mirroring the excitement of the ongoing Fashion Week event, participants can also engage in Lunar New Year-themed Field Research tasks to secure additional bonuses.

As Pokemon GO celebrates its ninth anniversary in 2025, the beloved AR game is gearing up for a series of new events and updates leading into the summer, culminating in Pokemon GO Fest. A highlight on the calendar is the Pokemon GO Tour: Unova, scheduled for Los Angeles and New Taipei City from February 21 to 23, followed by a global event in March. Prior to the Unova festivities, the Lunar New Year event offers a perfect chance to expand your Pokemon collection.

The event kicks off on Wednesday, January 29, at 10:00 a.m. and concludes on Sunday, February 2, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. local time. During this period, Niantic has promised an increased chance of obtaining Lucky Pokemon through trades and a higher likelihood of becoming Lucky Friends, which further boosts the odds of encountering Lucky Pokemon. Players will encounter Ekans, Onix, Snivy, Darumaka, Dunsparce, Gyarados, and Dratini more frequently in the wild, with a heightened chance of finding their Shiny variants. Additionally, 2 km Eggs will hatch into Makuhita, Nosepass, Meditite, Duskull, and Skorupi during the event.

Niantic has outlined the following event bonuses and features:

• Increased chance to get Lucky Pokémon in trades.
• Increased chance to become Lucky Friends.
• Frequent wild encounters with Ekans, Onix, Snivy, Darumaka, Dunsparce, Gyarados, and Dratini.
• Makuhita, Nosepass, Meditite, Duskull, and Skorupi hatch from 2 km Eggs.
• Timed Research, Field Research, and Routes will grant Stardust, XP, Zygarde Cells, and encounters as rewards.
• Paid Timed Research ($2) offers more rewards, including two Lucky Eggs and an incubator.

Lunar New Year-themed Field Research and Timed Research tasks, along with Routes, will be available, rewarding players with Stardust, XP, and encounters with event-themed Pokemon. Participants can also collect Zygarde Cells by engaging in Routes during the event. For those looking to maximize their rewards, the event-exclusive Paid Timed Research, available for $2, provides two Lucky Eggs, an incubator, and encounters with Ekans and Nosepass. All rewards from Field Research and Timed Research must be claimed by February 2 at 8:00 p.m. local time, so players are encouraged to redeem them promptly upon task completion.

Players can showcase their Lunar New Year Pokemon in PokeStop Showcases to earn additional rewards based on the showcase's outcomes, including item bundles. Niantic has also confirmed the availability of an event-themed Collection Challenge, which, upon completion, grants extra Stardust for trading. This feature is particularly beneficial for frequent traders, making the Lunar New Year event a must-participate for those looking to enhance their trading activities.