Dynamax Raids Hit Pokémon GO

Pokémon GO Leak Hints at Dynamax Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno Raids

A prematurely released tweet from the official Pokémon GO Saudi Arabia Twitter account revealed upcoming Dynamax Raids featuring the Kanto legendary birds: Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno. The post, quickly deleted, indicated these raids will run from January 20th to February 3rd. This would mark the first appearance of legendary Dynamax Pokémon in Pokémon GO, following the introduction of Dynamax Pokémon in September 2024.

The Kanto birds remain incredibly popular within the Pokémon community. Pokémon GO previously featured these legendaries in standard raids, along with their Shiny variants. While the Galarian forms were added to Daily Incense in 2023 (with Shiny variants available since October 2024), their lower spawn rate has been a point of discussion. The leaked Dynamax raids suggest a new way to encounter these iconic Pokémon.

The inclusion of these legendary birds in Dynamax Raids could significantly boost the popularity of Max Battles, a feature that has faced criticism from some players due to perceived difficulty and reliance on large groups (40 players) for successful completion. The potential difficulty of these legendary Dynamax Raids remains to be seen. The possibility of other iconic legendary Pokémon, such as Mewtwo and Ho-Oh (seen in Dynamax form in Pokémon Sword and Shield), receiving similar treatment in future Max Raids is also a strong possibility.

This leak comes amidst a flurry of Pokémon GO event announcements for early 2025. Confirmed events include a Community Day Classic featuring Ralts on January 25th, a Shadow Raid Day with Shadow Ho-Oh on January 19th (offering up to seven free Raid Passes), and the announcement of host cities for Pokémon GO Fest 2025: Osaka, Jersey City, and Paris.