Pokémon GO January 2026: Raids, Debuts, and Road to Kalos

New Delhi, February 2, 2026: January 2026 has been a high-octane month for Pokémon GO trainers, serving as a massive buildup toward the upcoming GO Tour: Kalos. From the debut of Glimmet to the return of Fusion Legends, here is your comprehensive breakdown of the month’s biggest updates, raids, and special conditions.

Major Events: Debuts and Takeovers

The month kicked off with nostalgia and new faces. Piplup Community Day Classic (Jan 4) and the Grookey Community Day (Jan 18) set the pace, but the real headlines were made by the regional debuts:

• Pinch Perfect (Jan 6–11): Introduced the “crustacean” sensation Klawf and the shiny debut of Dhelmise.
• High Zaptitude (Jan 13–18): Focused on Electric/Flying types, debuting Wattrel and its evolution Kilowattrel, alongside shiny Tadbulb.
• Precious Pals & Taken Over (Jan 20–25): This dual event featured the shiny debut of Fidough and a massive Team GO Rocket invasion. Trainers fought Giovanni to rescue Shadow Incarnate Forme Thundurus.
• Into the Depths (Jan 27 – Feb 1): The month closed with the highly anticipated debut of the Glimmet family and 1/2 Egg Hatch Distance.

Raid Schedule: Fusion and Shadows

January’s raid rotation was dominated by Unova powerhouses and the return of Mega Gen 3 starters.

Five-Star Raids

Kyurem Fusion Raid Day (Jan 10)

The standout event of the month was the Kyurem Fusion Raid Day. For three hours, Reshiram, Zekrom, and both Black and White Kyurem took over raids. Trainers collected Fusion Energy to transform their Kyurem into its most formidable forms, with many lucky players snagging shinies at boosted rates.

Mega & Shadow Raids

• Mega Raids: Featured a rotation of Mega Blaziken, Mega Sceptile, and Mega Ampharos.
• Shadow Raikou Raid Day (Jan 24): A focused window where Shadow Raikou appeared in 5-star Shadow Raids. Players received up to five additional free Raid Passes to help rescue this legendary beast.

Special Conditioning & Bonuses

The Season of Precious Paths introduced specific mechanics this month to reward social play:

• Special Backgrounds: A new “souvenir” background was introduced for certain event Pokémon (like Piplup and Grookey), commemorating where and when they were caught.
• Buddy Bonuses: During the Precious Pals event, buddy Pokémon brought back more souvenirs, and the distance to earn hearts was halved.
• Dynamax Mondays: Every Monday from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Power Spots saw an influx of specific Dynamax Pokémon, including Drampa and Beldum.

What’s Next?

As we head into February, the focus shifts entirely to the Road to Kalos. Prepare your storage for the arrival of Dialga and Palkia in their Origin Formes!