Ringing in the new year with January events!

Trainers,

As December’s last event, Pokémon GO Holidays 2019, wraps up, we set our eyes toward the new year on the horizon! As we ring in 2020, you can look forward to the following events and features.

1. More Team GO Rocket Special Research
2. January Research Breakthrough encounter: Lapras that know Ice Shard and Ice Beam
3. The egg-citing Adventure Sync Hatchathon is back
4. Heatran blazes back into raids
5. Unova nouveau in the new year

January Team GO Rocket Special Research

The fight against Team GO Rocket continues! Activate the new Special Research during the month of January to help Professor Willow and the team leaders take down this villainous group. This is your chance to fight Giovanni and save another Legendary Pokémon: Shadow Moltres.

Team GO Rocket never rests, Trainers, and neither can we! Be on the lookout for new Team GO Rocket Special Research from Professor Willow every month. For more information, please see our help center article.

January Research Breakthrough encounters: Lapras that know Ice Shard and Ice Beam

From Wednesday, January 1, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Saturday, February 1, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PST (GMT −8), Lapras that know Ice Shard and Ice Beam will be available as Research Breakthrough encounters! Some of you might notice that the last time Lapras with these particular attacks were available to catch was in 2018.

These Water- and Ice-type Pokémon are sure to be contenders for your battle party, so don’t miss this chance to encounter Lapras that know Ice Shard and Ice Beam!

The egg-citing Adventure Sync Hatchathon is back

Ready those Incubators! From Thursday, January 2, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Thursday, January 16, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PST (GMT −8), the Adventure Sync Hatchathon event will return. It’s time to get a leg up on your New Year’s resolutions, Trainers! During the Adventure Sync Hatchathon, you can be rewarded with extra Stardust, Rare Candies, and a Unova Stone if you walk a certain distance. You’ll be able to find Pokémon wearing party hats by hatching Eggs and encountering Pokémon in the wild, too. More details coming soon.

Heatran blazes back into raids

From Tuesday, January 7, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. to Tuesday, February 4, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. PST (GMT −8), Heatran will be in five-star raids! If you’re lucky, you might encounter Shiny Heatran! With a body made of rugged steel and blood that boils like magma, the Lava Dome Pokémon might find a niche in your battle party as a bulky Fire- and Steel-type attacker.

Unova nouveau in the new year

Remember when Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region first came to Pokémon GO? Well, we’ve received reports that some more might be coming soon! Keep your eyes peeled, Trainers, and stay tuned. We’ll share more details soon!

Which events are you looking forward to the most, Trainers? Be sure to share them with us on social media with #PokemonGO! Here’s to an amazing month of events and an amazing 2020 in general. Let’s GO!

—The Pokémon GO team