Pokémon Go is celebrating its fourth anniversary, having originally released on July 6, 2016. To commemorate the occasion and leading up to Pokémon Go Fest 2020, developer Niantic will have three weeks of unique challenges for Trainers with various rewards and timed research. If a million trainers from all three in-game teams complete the challenge before the end of the week, a new Pokémon will appear during the next Pokémon Go Fest 2020 for trainers to capture. We have the challenge week dates, rewards, and additional features at the same time.
Weekly challenges start July 3.
1 week
The first week of challenges rolls out July 3 at 8 a.m. and ends July 8 at 22 p.m. local time. The theme for the week will focus on trainer skills and how they've developed them over the years since Pokémon Go first launched. Flying Pikachu will be available during this week, and trainers have the chance to catch a shiny version of it.
GO Fest Weekly Challenge: Skill
- Complete all three task sets in the GO Fest Weekly Challenge: Timed Skill Finder to earn a Ducklett encounter, a Flying Pikachu encounter, a Star Coin, and more!
- If the following numbers of Trainers from the same team complete this timed search, the corresponding Pokémon will appear during Pokémon GO Fest 2020.
- One million Team Instinct trainers: Chimecho
- A Million Mystical Team Coaches: Alomomola
- One Million Team Valor Coaches: Chansey
- If you complete the GO Fest Weekly Challenge: Skill Timed Research, you'll gain access to the GO Fest Elite Skill Challenge, a set of challenging tasks you can complete to earn personal bragging rights! You don't need to complete these tasks for your timed research to count towards Pokémon GO Fest 2020 unlock goals.
Features of the fourth anniversary event
- Flying-type Pokémon and Pokémon wearing party hats will appear in the wild, hatch from eggs, and appear in raids. If you're lucky, you might find a Shiny Pidove!
- Ducklett will make his Pokémon GO debut! It will appear in the wild and hatch from 5 km eggs.
- Flying Pikachu will appear in the wild and during raids. If you're lucky, you might come across a brilliant one!
- The Special Jump-Start Search will also be available this week for any trainers who missed it during last year's birthday celebration, so be sure to open the app during this time to claim it. . This Special Research is designed to help you catch up with other Trainers, with a ton of Stardust and XP rewards, as well as exciting Pokémon encounters.
- Be sure to take a snapshot during this event for a surprise.
Ho-Oh Special Raid Weekend
Ho-Oh will join in the festivities! You can challenge him in five-star raids from Friday, July 3, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. to Monday, July 6, 2020 at 22:00 p.m. local time. Make sure you have your Remote Raid Passes in stock - you can purchase them in the store.
2 week
The second week of challenges will be released on July 10 at 8 a.m. and will run through July 15 at 22 p.m. local time. The theme of the week focuses on a trainer's combat skills, so you can expect to jump into the battle league to complete these weekly tasks.
GO Fest Weekly Challenge: Battle
- Complete all three task sets in the GO Fest: Battle Timed Research Weekly Challenge to earn a Hitmonlee encounter, an Absol encounter, a Super Rocket Radar, and more!
- If the following numbers of Trainers on the same team complete their Timed Research this week, the corresponding Pokémon will appear during Pokémon GO Fest 2020.
- One Million Team Instinct Trainers: Ferroseed
- A Million Mystical Team Coaches: Alolan Grimer
- One million Team Valor trainers: Alolan Marowak
- If you complete the GO Fest Weekly Challenge: Battle Timed Research, you'll gain access to the GO Fest Elite Battle Challenge, a set of challenging tasks you can complete to brag about! You don't need to complete these tasks for your timed research to count towards Pokémon GO Fest 2020 unlock goals.
Battle themed event
Prepare your Pokémon for battle, trainers! On Sunday, July 12, 2020, from 11:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m. local time, there will be a battle-themed event! Hope it won't take too long.
3 week
The third and final Week of Challenges airs on July 17 at 8 a.m. and continues through July 22 at 22 p.m. local time. The theme of these challenges revolves around friendship, where trainers can appreciate their friends that they have played Pokémon Go with and their buddy Pokémon.
GO Fest Weekly Challenge: Friendship
- Complete all three task sets in the GO Fest Weekly Challenge: Friendship Time Research to earn Alolan Raichu encounter, Petilil encounter, Lucky Egg and more!
- If the following numbers of Trainers on the same team complete their Timed Research this week, the corresponding Pokémon will appear during Pokémon GO Fest 2020.
- One million Team Instinct trainers: Togetic
- A million Team Mystic Trainers: Dratini
- One million Team Valor trainers: Litwick
- If you complete the GO Fest Weekly Challenge: Friendship Timed Research, you'll gain access to the GO Fest Elite Friendship Challenge, a set of challenging tasks you can complete to brag about! You don't need to complete these tasks for your timed research to count towards Pokémon GO Fest 2020 unlock goals!
Features of the summer themed event
- Summer-themed Pokémon will appear in the wild, hatch from eggs, and appear in raids. If you're lucky, you might find a Belly Shiny pod!
- Petilil will make his Pokémon GO debut! It will appear in the wild when the weather is sunny and will hatch from 5 km of eggs.
- Summer-style pikachu will also appear in the wild!
- Be sure to take a snapshot during this event for a surprise.
Coaches from all three teams will have a limited amount of time to complete these weekly challenges. Each of the timed research tasks focuses on Professor Willow discovering a new upcoming Mythic Pokémon Pokémon Go Fest 2020 for the first time. Those who participate in Pokémon Go Fest 2020 have the chance to capture it, among various other Pokémon ready to appear.