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2023 Pokémon World Championships Begins Today In Pokémon GO

The 2023 Pokémon World Championship celebration begins today in Pokémon GO as new releases including Passimian & Shiny Scraggy arrive.


New releases abound today in Pokémon GO. The Alolan species Passimian, a new costumed Pikachu, and Shiny Scraggy enter the game through a new battle-themed event. Let's take a look at what's happening in the game now.

2023 Pokémon World Championships event in Pokémon GO. Credit: Niantic
2023 Pokémon World Championships event in Pokémon GO. Credit: Niantic

Here's what's happening beginning today the 2023 Pokémon World Championships Celebration event in Pokémon GO:

  • Date and time: Today, Friday, August 11, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. to Tuesday, August 15, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. local time
  • Pokémon debut: The Alolan species Passimian, known as the "Teamwork Pokémon," makes its debut. It will be in Tier Three Raids and seemingly Field Research. Niantic lists Passimian as a Field Research encounter but their graphic uses a picture of Galarian Stunfisk.
  • Shiny Pokémon debut: Shiny Scraggy will be available for the first time. Scraggy's Shiny is one of those "Is it even different?" types. It is slightly more saturated, making this Shiny almost as bad of an offender as the original sinner, Shiny Zapdos. Hunt for Scraggy in the wild and in Tier One Raids.
  • New Costume: Pikachu will be available during the event wearing its World Championships 2023 costume. It can be Shiny. Find it through Timed Research, Tier One Raids, and Field Research.
  • Wild spawns: Machop, Chinchou, Wooper, Sableye, Meditite, Spheal, Drilbur, Scraggy, Bunnelby, and Wooloo. Rare spawns include Onix and Lickitung.
  • Raids:
    • Tier One: World Championships 2023 Pikachu, Alolan Sandshrew, Gligar, Scraggy
    • Tier Three: Skarmory, Galarian Stunfisk (hilariously, an image of Licktung is used here, Niantic cannot stop doing Galarian Stunfisk dirty), Passimian
    • Tier Five: Cresselia
    • Mega Raids: Mega Gyarados
  • Bonus Features:
    • Play extra sets of GO Battle League. Ten sets will be available rather than five.
    • Pokémon encountered via GO Battle League rewards will have a wider variance of Attack, Defense, and HP.
    • Avatar items, including 2023 Worlds Jersey and 2023 Worlds Jacket
  • Field Research task encounters:  World Championships 2023 Pikachu, Alolan Sandshrew, Seel, Magikarp, Galarian Zigzagoon, Spheal, Passimian, Wimpod
  • Timed Research: Rewards include an Elite Fast TM and an encounter with World Championships 2023 Pikachu
  • Featured Attacks obtained via evolution:
    • Alolan Sandslash: Shadow Claw
    • Machamp: Payback
    • Dewgong: Ice Shard, Icy Wind
    • Walrein: Powder Snow, Icicle Spear
    • Obstagoon: Obstruct

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Theo DwyerAbout Theo Dwyer

Theo Dwyer writes about comics, film, and games.
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