Pokemon Go January 2026 Events Guide: All Raids & Bonuses

Pokemon Go’s January 2026 events pack an incredible lineup with two Community Days, legendary raid rotations, and exciting new Pokemon debuts. The month features Klawf’s first appearance, shiny Dhelmise release, and the Kyurem Fusion Day with all three Unova dragons. Players can expect 10 major events including the Piplup Community Day Classic on January 4, Grookey Community Day on January 18, and special Spotlight Hours every Tuesday with double XP and Stardust bonuses.

Event	Date(s)	Key Features
Piplup Community Day Classic	January 4	Hydro Cannon move, 1/4 hatch distance
Pinch Perfect	January 6-11	Klawf debut, shiny Dhelmise release
Kyurem Fusion Day	January 10	All Unova dragons in raids
High Zaptitude	January 13-18	Electric-type focused event
Grookey Community Day	January 18	Frenzy Plant move, 3x Stardust
Precious Pals	January 20-25	Special friendship-themed event
Shadow Raid Day	January 24	Team Rocket shadow raids
Into The Depths	January 27-Feb 1	Deep-sea themed event
Dynamax Weekend	January 31-Feb 1	Max battle extravaganza

This comprehensive guide breaks down every event, raid boss schedule, Spotlight Hour, and bonus to help you maximize your Pokemon Go experience in January 2026.

Complete January 2026 Event Calendar

Pokemon Go is kicking off 2026 with an action-packed January that continues the Season of Precious Paths. The month features an unprecedented two Community Days, multiple legendary raid rotations, and several new Pokemon releases. Whether you’re a casual player or hardcore raider, January offers something for everyone with carefully planned events that cater to different playstyles and time zones.

The event schedule demonstrates Niantic’s commitment to varied content delivery, mixing short Spotlight Hours with multi-day events and special raid days. This approach ensures players always have something to look forward to, whether they prefer catching, raiding, or completing research tasks.

Raid Schedule Breakdown 2026

January’s raid schedule offers impressive variety with rotating legendary Pokemon from different generations. The month begins with Genesect variants, transitions through Unova’s weather trio, and features consistent Mega raid rotations throughout.

Five-Star Raid Schedule

January 1-5: Blacephalon This Ultra Beast makes its return to five-star raids, offering players another chance to catch this Fire/Ghost type from the Alola region. Blacephalon remains a relatively rare encounter, making this window valuable for collectors.

January 5-16: Genesect (Burn & Chill Drive) Both variants of Genesect appear simultaneously in raids, giving players choice between the Burn Drive (Fire-type Techno Blast) and Chill Drive (Ice-type Techno Blast) versions. This is particularly valuable for PvP players who need both variants for different league coverage.

January 16-25: Thundurus (Incarnate Forme) The Electric-type legendary from Unova brings powerful raid capabilities and valuable PvP utility. Thundurus excels in Great League and Ultra League when properly powered down.

January 25-February 4: Tornadus (Incarnate Forme) The Flying-type legendary completes the Unova trio rotation, offering excellent raid DPS and solid PvP performance across multiple leagues.

Mega Raid Schedule

January 5-16: Mega Blaziken This Fire/Fighting type provides excellent firepower for raid parties and remains one of the most powerful Mega Evolutions for offensive raiding.

January 16-25: Mega Sceptile The Grass-type Mega offers valuable counter-coverage against Water, Ground, and Rock-type raid bosses while serving as an excellent attacker for specific matchups.

January 25-February 4: Mega Ampharos This Electric/Dragon type brings unique typing and powerful raid capabilities, particularly effective against Flying and Water-type opponents.

Shadow Raids

Weekends in January: Shadow Cresselia The shadow version of this Psychic-type legendary appears every weekend, offering players opportunities to capture this powerful shadow Pokemon with enhanced attack stats.

Max Battle Schedule

Max Battles continue with weekly rotations featuring Dynamax Pokemon:

• January 5-11: Dynamax Drampa
• January 12-18: Dynamax Caterpie
• January 19-25: Dynamax Beldum
• January 26-February 1: Dynamax Roggenrola

Each Max Battle runs weekly from Monday 6-7 PM local time, providing consistent content for players engaged with this newer battle format.

Spotlight Hours Schedule

January’s Spotlight Hours continue the tradition of Tuesday evening events from 6-7 PM local time, each featuring a specific Pokemon and valuable bonus:

January 6: Barboach Spotlight Hour

Featured Pokemon: Barboach (Water/Ground) Bonus: 2x Catch XP This provides an excellent opportunity to stockpile XP early in the month, perfect for players looking to level up quickly.

January 13: Mareep Spotlight Hour

Featured Pokemon: Mareep (Electric) Bonus: 2x Evolution XP Ideal for players with stored evolution items, this bonus helps maximize XP gains from mass evolution sessions.

January 20: Hatenna Spotlight Hour

Featured Pokemon: Hatenna (Psychic) Bonus: 2x Transfer Candy Perfect for clearing storage while earning extra candy for Pokemon you’re transferring.

January 27: Foongus Spotlight Hour

Featured Pokemon: Foongus (Grass/Poison) Bonus: 2x Catch Stardust Valuable for players grinding Stardust for power-ups or special trades.

Community Day Classic: Piplup

Date: Sunday, January 4, 2026 Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM local time Extended Lure Bonus: 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM local time

The January Community Day Classic features Piplup, the adorable Penguin Pokemon from Sinnoh. This event gives newer players a chance to catch this popular Water-type and obtain its exclusive move.

Featured Attack: Hydro Cannon

Evolve Prinplup during the event or until 9:00 PM local time to get Empoleon with Hydro Cannon, a powerful Water-type Charged Attack dealing 90 power in raids and 80 power in Trainer Battles.

Event Bonuses

• 1/4 Egg Hatch Distance when placing Eggs during event hours
• 3-hour Incense duration (excluding Daily Adventure Incense)
• Snapshot surprises for taking photos
• 1-hour Lure Modules with increased Piplup attraction
• Special Background Piplup encounters available

Special Research

For $1.99, players can access exclusive Special Research featuring:

• 3 Special Background Piplup encounters
• Additional Piplup encounters
• 1 Premium Battle Pass
• 1 Rare Candy XL

Ultra Community Day Box

Available in the Web Store for $1.99, including:

• 1 Event ticket
• 5 Ultra Balls

Pinch Perfect Event

Dates: January 6-11, 2026

This event celebrates crustacean-themed Pokemon and introduces Klawf to Pokemon Go, while also releasing shiny Dhelmise for the first time.

New Pokemon Debut: Klawf

The Rock-type crab Pokemon from Paldea makes its debut through Field and Timed Research rewards. Klawf brings unique typing and potential future relevance in raids and PvP.

Shiny Release: Dhelmise

The Grass/Ghost anchor Pokemon receives its shiny variant, making this the first opportunity to catch the alternate coloration of this popular raid attacker.

Featured Pokemon

Wild Encounters:

• Corphish (Water/Dark)
• Dwebble (Bug/Rock)
• Clauncher (Water)
• Tirtouga (Water/Rock)
• Archen (Rock/Flying)

One-Star Raids:

• Corphish
• Dwebble
• Clauncher

Three-Star Raids:

• Dhelmise
• Dondozo (Water)

Event Bonuses

• 2x XP for catching Pokemon
• Increased shiny odds for Corphish, Dwebble, and Clauncher

Kyurem Fusion Day

Date: Saturday, January 10, 2026 Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM local time

This special event celebrates the Unova legendary dragons with all four forms appearing in raids simultaneously.

Featured Raid Bosses

• Reshiram (Dragon/Fire)
• Zekrom (Dragon/Electric)
• Black Kyurem (Dragon/Ice)
• White Kyurem (Dragon/Ice)

Event Bonuses

• Increased shiny odds for all legendary dragons
• Up to 5 additional free Raid Passes from Gym spins
• Remote Raid Pass limit increased to 20 (January 9-10)
• Fusion Energy rewards for raid completions

Strategic Importance

This event provides the best opportunity to complete the Unova dragon collection and gather Fusion Energy for Kyurem form changes. The increased shiny odds make it ideal for hunters seeking these rare variants.

High Zaptitude Event

Dates: January 13-18, 2026

This Electric-type focused event continues the trend of type-specific celebrations, likely featuring increased spawns of Electric Pokemon and related bonuses.

While specific details weren’t fully announced at publication, similar events typically include:

• Increased Electric-type spawns
• Electric-type raid rotations
• Type-specific research tasks
• Related bonuses (possibly reduced evolution costs or increased candy)

Community Day: Grookey

Date: Sunday, January 18, 2026 Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM local time Extended Lure Bonus: 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM local time

The first new Community Day of 2026 features Grookey, the Grass-type starter from Galar, bringing valuable new content and exclusive moves.

Featured Attack: Frenzy Plant

Evolve Thwackey during the event or until 9:00 PM local time to get Rillaboom with Frenzy Plant, one of the most powerful Grass-type Charged Attacks in the game.

Permanent Move Addition

Starting with this event, Rillaboom can learn Drum Beating permanently:

• Trainer Battles: 60 power with Attack stat reduction
• Gyms and Raids: 115 power

Event Bonuses

• 3x Stardust for catching Pokemon
• 2x Candy for catching Pokemon
• 2x Candy XL chance (level 31+)
• 3-hour Incense duration
• Snapshot surprises
• 1-hour Lure Modules
• One additional Special Trade (max 3 daily)
• 50% reduced Stardust for trades

Special Research

For $1.99, access exclusive research featuring:

• 3 Special Background Grookey encounters
• Additional Grookey encounters
• 1 Premium Battle Pass
• 1 Rare Candy XL

Community Day Ultra Box

Web Store exclusive for $1.99 including:

• 1 Event ticket
• 5 Ultra Balls

Precious Pals Events

Precious Pals (January 20-25)

This friendship-themed event continues the Season of Precious Paths theme, likely featuring Pokemon known for their loyalty and companionship. Specific details will be announced closer to the event.

Precious Pals: Taken Over (January 23-25)

Team Rocket crashes the Precious Pals celebration, bringing shadow encounters and disruption to the normally peaceful event. This takeover sets the stage for the Shadow Raid Day.

Shadow Raid Day (January 24)

The Team Rocket takeover culminates in a dedicated Shadow Raid Day, featuring increased shadow Pokemon encounters and special shadow raid bosses. This event typically offers:

• Increased shadow Pokemon spawns
• Special shadow raid rotations
• Enhanced rewards for defeating Team Rocket
• Exclusive shadow research opportunities

Into The Depths Event

Dates: January 27 – February 1, 2026

This deep-sea themed event closes out January with underwater and oceanic Pokemon celebrations. While specific details weren’t fully announced, similar events typically feature:

• Increased Water-type and ocean-themed spawns
• Special research focusing on aquatic Pokemon
• Underwater-themed Pokemon in raids
• Related bonuses and rewards

Dynamax Weekend

Dates: January 31 – February 1, 2026

This event caps off January with an extended celebration of Max Battles, likely featuring:

• Increased Dynamax Pokemon availability
• Special Max Battle bonuses
• Enhanced Power Spot activity
• Exclusive Dynamax research opportunities

Strategic Planning Guide

Early Month Focus (January 1-10)

Priority Actions:

• Complete Blacephalon raids (January 1-5)
• Participate in Piplup Community Day Classic for Hydro Cannon
• Focus on Pinch Perfect event for Klawf and shiny Dhelmise
• Maximize Kyurem Fusion Day for Unova dragon collection

Resource Management:

• Save Premium Raid Passes for Kyurem Fusion Day
• Stockpile Pinap Berries for Community Day candy farming
• Prepare storage space for new Pokemon additions

Mid Month Focus (January 11-20)

Priority Actions:

• Complete Genesect raids for both variants
• Participate in High Zaptitude event for Electric-type coverage
• Maximize Grookey Community Day for Frenzy Plant
• Prepare for Team Rocket takeover events

Resource Management:

• Save Star Pieces for 3x Stardust Community Day
• Prepare Lucky Eggs for evolution XP during Spotlight Hours
• Maintain space for shadow Pokemon from takeover events

Late Month Focus (January 21-31)

Priority Actions:

• Complete Thundurus raids before rotation
• Participate in Precious Pals events
• Focus on Shadow Raid Day for shadow Pokemon collection
• Engage with Into The Depths and Dynamax Weekend

Resource Management:

• Use remaining event-specific resources
• Prepare for February event transitions
• Complete any remaining January research tasks

Pro Tips and Strategies

Maximizing Community Day Efficiency

Pre-Event Preparation:

• Clear storage space (at least 200 Pokemon slots)
• Stockpile 200+ Poke Balls, 50+ Great Balls, 20+ Ultra Balls
• Prepare 10+ Pinap Berries for candy farming
• Set up nearby Lure Modules for extended spawn coverage

During Event Strategy:

• Focus on catching high-IV Pokemon for evolution
• Use Pinap Berries on every catch for maximum candy
• Activate Star Pieces during 3x Stardust periods
• Plan evolution timing for exclusive move windows

Raid Optimization

Team Composition:

• Prepare weather-boosted counters for each raid boss
• Coordinate with local community for optimal party sizes
• Use remote passes strategically for rare raid opportunities
• Save Mega Energy for powerful Mega Evolution bonuses

Resource Allocation:

• Prioritize free daily passes for legendary raids
• Use premium passes for exclusive raid day events
• Save Rare Candy for legendary Pokemon with limited availability

Research Task Management

Efficient Completion:

• Stack multiple research tasks for combined completion
• Plan routes that maximize PokeStop and Gym interactions
• Save special research for bonus-active periods
• Coordinate with friends for difficult multi-player tasks

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Timing Errors

Critical Time Windows:

• Missing exclusive move evolution deadlines (typically 4 hours post-event)
• Forgetting extended Lure Module bonus periods (2-9 PM)
• Overlooking special research availability windows
• Missing limited-time raid rotations

Prevention Strategies:

• Set multiple alarms for critical deadlines
• Use calendar apps for event scheduling
• Join local Discord communities for reminder notifications
• Check in-game news section regularly

Resource Waste

Common Inefficiencies:

• Using premium items during non-bonus periods
• Evolving Pokemon outside exclusive move windows
• Missing stacked bonus opportunities
• Incomplete research task planning

Optimization Approaches:

• Save consumables for maximum bonus periods
• Plan evolution chains in advance
• Coordinate bonus stacking for maximum efficiency
• Research optimal task completion routes

Community Resources

Official Channels

• Pokemon GO Live Website: https://pokemongolive.com/ Official source for event announcements, patch notes, and detailed event guides. Essential for verifying event details and bonus information.
• Official Twitter: @PokemonGoApp Real-time updates, event reminders, and official communications from Niantic. Critical for last-minute changes and bonus codes.
• Official Discord: Pokemon GO Discord Direct communication with Niantic staff and community managers. Excellent for troubleshooting and official announcements.

Community Platforms

• The Silph Road: https://thesilphroad.com/ Comprehensive research tools, nest maps, and community coordination features. Essential for serious players seeking optimal strategies.
• Reddit: r/pokemongo Large community discussion platform with player experiences, troubleshooting, and event strategies. Valuable for real-time player feedback.

Reference Resources

• Poke Genie: iOS app for IV checking, raid coordination, and battle simulators Calcy IV: Android app with similar functionality for team optimization
• GamePress: https://gamepress.gg/pokemongo for comprehensive raid guides and tier lists

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prepare for Community Day events?

Community Day preparation involves clearing storage space, stockpiling Poke Balls and Berries, planning evolution routes, and coordinating with local players for raid participation. Set alarms for exclusive move deadlines and research optimal catching strategies.

What are the best raid counters for January’s legendary Pokemon?

For Genesect variants, use Fire-type attackers like Reshiram or Chandelure. Against Thundurus, Ice types like Mamoswine or Glaceon excel. For Tornadus, Rock types like Tyranitar or Rampardos provide optimal coverage. Always check weather conditions for additional boosts.

How do I maximize Stardust during events?

Stack bonuses during 3x Stardust periods using Star Pieces, catch everything possible, prioritize high-IV Pokemon for power-up savings, and complete special research tasks. Trade with friends during reduced-cost periods for additional Stardust opportunities.

What’s the difference between Community Day and Community Day Classic?

Community Day Classic features previously featured Pokemon with their exclusive moves, typically targeting newer players who missed the original event. Standard Community Days introduce new featured Pokemon with fresh exclusive moves and current meta relevance.

How do Shadow Raids work?

Shadow Raids feature shadow Pokemon with enhanced difficulty and special mechanics. Defeat them within the time limit to capture shadow versions with boosted attack stats. Purify them for bonus candy or keep them for enhanced battle performance.

What are the benefits of Special Background Pokemon?

Special Background Pokemon feature unique visual elements distinguishing them from standard encounters. They’re typically available through limited-time research or event bonuses and serve as collection markers for dedicated players.

How do I optimize storage management?

Regularly transfer low-IV Pokemon, use the appraisal system effectively, maintain organized boxes by purpose (raids, PvP, collection), and utilize tags for efficient Pokemon management during events.

What’s the best strategy for Max Battles?

Focus on type-effective counters, coordinate with local players for optimal team sizes, and prioritize Dynamax Pokemon with valuable evolution potential. Save Max Particles for the most beneficial battles and research opportunities.

Conclusion

January 2026 represents one of Pokemon Go’s most content-rich months, offering unprecedented variety with two Community Days, multiple legendary raid rotations, and numerous special events. The careful event scheduling provides consistent engagement opportunities while the varied content caters to different playstyles and preferences.

Whether you’re a casual collector seeking shiny Pokemon, a competitive battler building optimal teams, or a completionist finishing your Pokedex, January’s events provide pathways to achieve your goals. The introduction of Klawf and shiny Dhelmise adds new collection targets, while the dual Community Days offer valuable exclusive moves for competitive play.

Success in January requires strategic planning, resource management, and community engagement. By utilizing this comprehensive guide, coordinating with local players, and staying informed through official channels, you’ll maximize your Pokemon Go experience and start 2026 with significant progress toward your gameplay objectives.

Remember to bookmark this guide for quick reference during events, join local communities for real-time coordination, and most importantly, enjoy the diverse content that makes Pokemon Go an engaging and evolving gaming experience.