"Pokemon GO Announces New Shadow Raid Day Event"

Pokemon GO enthusiasts, get ready for an exhilarating event as the game introduces its first Shadow Raid Day of 2025 on January 19, spotlighting the legendary Ho-Oh. This event marks a thrilling opportunity for players to encounter and capture one of the most potent Fire-type Pokemon in the game's augmented reality world.

Introduced in 2023, Shadow Raids have added a new dimension to the Pokemon GO experience, allowing players to battle and secure Shadow variants of Pokemon after defeating Team GO Rocket. Following a year filled with engaging events such as the return of Shadow Moltres in January and Shadow Mewtwo in August, the community is eager for the return of another legendary creature. Ho-Oh, the Legendary Bird of Johto, will make its appearance in five-star raids during the Shadow Raid Day from 2 pm to 5 pm local time, with an increased chance of encountering a shiny Shadow Ho-Oh.

During the event, players can collect up to seven free Raid Passes by spinning Photo Discs at Gyms, a significant boost to raid participation. Moreover, those who manage to capture Shadow Ho-Oh can use a Charged TM to teach it the powerful Charged Attack Sacred Fire, which boasts 130 power in trainer battles and 120 power in raids and Gyms.

Pokemon GO Brings Ho-Oh Back for Upcoming Shadow Raid Day

To enhance the gaming experience during Ho-Oh's Shadow Raid Day, Niantic is offering a $5 ticket that increases the Raid Pass limit from gyms to 15. This ticket also boosts the chances of obtaining Rare Candy XL, crucial for powering up level 40 Pokemon, and offers 50% more XP and twice the Stardust from raid battles. These benefits will be available until 10 pm local time on the event day. Additionally, players can purchase an Ultra Ticket Box from the Pokemon GO Web Store for $4.99, which includes an event ticket and a Premium Battle Pass.

The year has just begun, but the Pokemon GO calendar is already packed with exciting events. The Community Day featuring Sprigatito took place on January 5, and players had until January 7 to catch Fidough, one of the new additions to the game in 2025. The community is eagerly awaiting more details on upcoming events, including the Community Day Classic on January 25 and the Lunar New Year event, which will run from January 29 to February 2.