Pokémon GO Leak Hints at Dynamax Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno Raids
A now-deleted tweet from the official Pokémon GO Saudi Arabia Twitter account prematurely revealed the arrival of Dynamax Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno in upcoming Dynamax Raids. The event is reportedly scheduled to run from January 20th to February 3rd. This would mark the first appearance of Dynamax legendary Pokémon in Pokémon GO since the introduction of Dynamax Pokémon in September 2024.
The Kanto legendary birds are long-time fan favorites, having previously appeared in standard raids, alongside their Shiny variants. While Galarian forms of these birds were introduced to Daily Incense in 2023 (with Shiny variants available since October 2024), this leaked event suggests a new iteration for players to encounter. The hasty deletion of the announcement suggests the information may have been released prematurely.
The inclusion of these iconic legendary Pokémon in Dynamax Raids could significantly boost participation in Max Battles, a feature that has faced some criticism due to its difficulty and reliance on large player groups. Previous Max Raids, particularly those requiring 40 players, drew negative feedback in October 2024. Whether these challenges will persist with the Dynamax legendary birds remains to be seen. The potential for future Dynamax legendary Pokémon, mirroring those featured in Pokémon Sword and Shield (such as Mewtwo and Ho-Oh), is also hinted at.
This leak follows a flurry of other Pokémon GO announcements for early 2025, including:
- A Community Day Classic featuring Ralts on January 25th.
- A Shadow Raid Day on January 19th, featuring Shadow Ho-Oh, with up to seven free Raid Passes available.
- The announcement of host cities for Pokémon GO Fest 2025: Osaka, Jersey City, and Paris.
