Posted in: Games, Mobile Games, Niantic, Pokémon GO | Tagged: Dark Flames, pokemon, Season of Hidden Gems

Dark Flames Begins Today In Pokémon GO & Turtonator Arrives

The Fire/Dark-types are flooding Pokémon GO for the Dark Flames event, which brings June's slate to a close and kicks off July 2023.

Published Thu, 29 Jun 2023 06:13:11 -0500

by Theo Dwyer

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Exciting times in Pokémon GO! June 2023's content climaxes and kicks off an action-packed July 2023 all at once with the Dark Flames event. This event focuses on Fire-type and Dark-type Pokémon, a mix that the franchise often brings to the hobby, as evidenced by the next Japanese Pokémon TCG set, Ruler of the Dark Flames, and the English-language version Scarlet & Violet – Obsidian Flames. These continue the tradition of third expansions being Fire/Dark-themed, which we saw in Sword & Shield – Darkness Ablaze and Sun & Moon – Burning Shadows. Let's see what this special event is bringing to the game.

Dark Flames graphic in Pokémon GO. Credit: Niantic — Dark Flames graphic in *Pokémon GO*. Credit: Niantic

Here's what's happening for the Dark Flames event in Pokémon GO:

Date and time: Thursday, June 29, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. to Sunday, July 2, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. local time
Pokémon debut and simultaneous Shiny release: We have a new Alolan Pokémon! Turtonator will debut as a Tier Three Raid Boss in Pokémon GO with its Shiny already unlocked. It joins the likes of Absol, Alolan Marowak, Alolan Raichu, and Druddigon as a species that will be popular when featured in Raids.
New Mega: The mysterious Mega Raid Boss for the end of July has been revealed as Mega Sableye. Mega Sableye will take over from Mega Sceptile as Raid Boss during this event. Sableye can, of course, be Shiny, but it is likely that its feature in Mega Raids will now boost its Shiny rate to the 1-in-60 rate we expect from Mega-capable species.
Wild spawns: Vulpix, Houndour, Poocnyena, Galarian Zigzagoon, Carvanha, Numel, Stunky, Litwick, and Litten. Houndoom and Sableye will be rare spawns. There are no new Shinies released in the wild, but I'll personally be after that Numel.
Raid rotation:
- Tier One:
  - Sneasel – Can be Shiny
  - Scraggy
  - Darumaka – Can be Shiny
  - Deino – Can be Shiny
- Tier Three
  - Alolan Marowak – Can be Shiny
  - Turtonator – Can be Shiny
  - Flareon
  - Umbreon
- Tier Five:
  - Heatran – Can be Shiny
- Mega Raids:
  - Mega Sableye – Can be Shiny
New move for Heatran: Heatran will feature a special move when encountered in raids. Magma Storm, a new Charged Attack, will feature the following power counts:
- Trainer battles: 65 power
- Gyms and raids: 75 power
Branching Timed Research: Niantic will allow us to pick between the Dark-type focus and Fire-type focus of the event, writing:
- "Dark Flames–themed Timed Research will be available throughout the event! Trainers will be able to choose between paths focused on Fire-type or Dark-type Pokémon. Complete research tasks to earn a Premium Battle Pass, 15,000 XP, and encounters with event-themed Pokémon. Each path will also affect whether Fire-type or Dark-type Pokémon are attracted to Incense."
Field Research task encounters: These Research tasks will yield encounters with Alolan Marowak, Alolan Grimer, Alolan Meowth, Magmar, Sneasel, Litwick, and… Turtonator!
Collection Challenge: Collection Challenges will offer 5,000 XP and 100 Houndoom Mega Energy. This will also be impacted by which branch of the Timed Research you choose.
Event bonus:
- Additional 25% XP for completing Raids
- Trainers level 31 and above will receive one additional Candy XL for completing raids.
- The branch of the Timed Research you choose will result in one of the following bonuses:
  - Incense is more likely to attract Dark-type Pokémon (excluding Daily Adventure Incense).
  - Incense is more likely to attract Fire-type Pokémon (excluding Daily Adventure Incense).
  - Three additional Candy for completing raids.
  - Team GO Rocket Grunts using Fire-type and Dark-type Pokémon will appear more frequently at PokéStops and in balloons.