Posted in: Games, Mobile Games, Niantic, Pokémon GO | Tagged: Gigantamax Pokémon, pokemon, Pokémon GO Halloween

It's Happening: Gigantamax Pokémon Debut in Pokémon GO

Gigantamax Battles arrive in Pokémon GO in time for Halloween. These highly difficult battles can host up to 40 Trainers at once.

Gigantamax Pokémon will arrive in Pokémon GO on October 26th, 2024. This highly anticipated feature will include the toughest battles in the game's history. Let's get into the details.

Here's what's happening for the big reveal of Gigantamax Pokémon in Pokémon GO:

• Date and time: Saturday, October 26, at 10:00 a.m. to Sunday, October 27, 2024, at 8:00 p.m. local time
• Gigantamax Pokémon: The first-ever Gigantamax species in the game will be the Kanto Starters: Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise.
• Gigantamax Battles: Niantic has named these as the most difficult battles in the history of the game, writing:
  • "It appears that these Gigantamax Pokémon can only be defeated when enough Trainers unite as a team—reports indicate that groups of 10 to 40 Trainers are able to defeat and catch these formidable Power Spot Bosses. One thing is clear: these are Pokémon GO's biggest challenges yet."

Further details about the Gigantamax Phenomenon have been revealed:

• Gigantamaxing is a kind of Dynamaxing that certain Pokémon can undergo. When Pokémon Gigantamax, they take on a different appearance in addition to the usual effects observed on Dynamax Pokémon.
• Pokémon with the ability to Gigantamax can be encountered, battled, and caught through Max Battles. They can be found at Power Spots throughout the map.
  Partner with your own Dynamax or Gigantamax Pokémon to defeat Power Spot Bosses!
• Like with Dynamax Pokémon, you can use Candy and Max Particles to unlock Max Moves and level them up for stronger effects! Working on Max Moves will award XP, too.
• Gigantamax Pokémon can learn up to three Max Moves: a unique attack, Max Spirit, and Max Guard.
• While a Pokémon is Gigantamaxed, their first Max Move is a powerful G-Max Move. Each species of Pokémon capable of Gigantamaxing has a unique G-Max Move, which may not be the same type as its Fast Attack.

Niantic has also offered more details on Gigantamax Battles, which are very similar to battles against Dynamax species:

• Any Trainer with at least one Dynamax or Gigantamax Pokémon in their battle party can take on Max Battles at select Power Spots. Only Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémon can be used in Max Battles.
• Up to 40 Trainers, split into groups of four or fewer, can band together to increase their chance of success! Each Trainer must use Max Particles to engage in battle—the more powerful the Power Spot Boss, the more Max Particles needed. But don't worry—Max Particles are only used up once you successfully take down the boss, so keep pushing towards victory!
• In a Max Battle, tap the screen to use Fast Attacks and build up energy to use Charged Attacks as usual. Attacking will also fill up the meter at the top of the screen.
• Keep an eye on the meter! Once it's full, your Pokémon will Dynamax or Gigantamax for three turns!
• Swipe to dodge the Power Spot Boss's attacks. A prompt will appear over your Pokémon if it is being targeted, so be ready to dodge!
• If you spot energy icons on the battlefield, swipe to move your Pokémon to collect them and fill up your meter even faster!
• If all of your Pokémon faint while battling, you can still help! You can tap the screen until you can cheer for your teammates, which will fill their meters faster.

In a press conference held ahead of the main announcement, Niantic clarified that Dynamax species will not currently be able to Gigantamax. For example, if you caught a Charmander from a Dynamax Battle and evolved it to Charizard, that Charizard will only be able to Dynamax at this current time. You will have to catch a separate Charizard from a Gigantamax battle in order to Gigantamax it.

More visuals from this feature can be seen in the official trailer.

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