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The Pokémon GO Pokémon Legends: Z-A Celebration Event ran from October 16 to October 20, 2025, and has ended. It featured more frequent Mega Raids, free branching Timed Research with a choice of special-background starter encounter, and three featured evolution attacks. The event celebrated the Nintendo Switch game Pokémon Legends: Z-A; buying that game was not required to take part.
When was the Pokémon Legends: Z-A event in Pokémon GO?
The event ran from Thursday, October 16, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. through Monday, October 20, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. local time, according to the Pokémon GO team’s October 3, 2025 announcement. Its event bonuses, Timed Research, and featured attack opportunities are no longer active.
What bonuses and research did the event offer?
More frequent Mega Raids
The general event bonus was that “Mega Raids will appear more frequently,” as the Pokémon GO team put it. The announcement did not specify a raid rate or publish event outcome statistics.
Free branching Timed Research
The event included free, event-exclusive branching Timed Research offering XP, Candy, a Poffin, and an encounter with one of Chikorita, Totodile, or Tepig. The chosen Pokémon carried a Seasonal Special Background. The announcement said players might encounter a Shiny version if lucky, but did not state Shiny odds.
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The starter you selected had an increased chance of being attracted to Daily Adventure Incense. Research tasks and rewards had to be completed and claimed before the event research expired; unclaimed rewards were not an ongoing offer after the event.
Which starter could you choose?
The choice was between the three Pokémon below. The announcement did not designate one option as better overall; choose according to which encounter you wanted.
Rank #2
| Research encounter choice | Background |
|---|---|
| Chikorita | Seasonal Special Background |
| Totodile | Seasonal Special Background |
| Tepig | Seasonal Special Background |
Which Pokémon could get Frenzy Plant, Hydro Cannon, and Blast Burn?
During the event, evolving the middle-stage Pokémon in each line produced the final evolution with its featured attack. The announcement also said the fully evolved Pokémon could learn the corresponding attack with a Charged TM during the event.
| Evolve during the event | Final evolution | Featured attack |
|---|---|---|
| Bayleef | Meganium | Frenzy Plant |
| Croconaw | Feraligatr | Hydro Cannon |
| Pignite | Emboar | Blast Burn |
These event-specific evolution and Charged TM opportunities ended with the event; the announcement does not establish that they remain available afterward.
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- POKÉMON PLUSH: Choose to cuddle Greninja, the Ninja Pokémon
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Were the Lumiose City avatar clothes free?
Yes. Free Lumiose City outfit, hat, and shoe items—including fitted and relaxed variants—were available in the in-game shop during the event. Unlike the timed research and attack opportunities, these avatar items remained available after the event ended, according to the event announcement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What game did the event celebrate?
The event celebrated Pokémon Legends: Z-A, whose Nintendo Switch release was dated October 16, 2025, in the event announcement. Participation in Pokémon GO did not require purchasing it. The official Pokémon Legends: Z-A site currently labels the game available now and notes a September 30, 2026 announcement of a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition plus Mega Dimension bundle scheduled for October 29, 2026; that later game release context does not change the dates or rewards of this Pokémon GO event.
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- Pokémon Center Original
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