Niantic has announced the details for the January 2026 Shadow Raid Day event in Pokemon GO, including bonuses, rewards, and the featured Legendary Pokemon available to catch. The game regularly updates with new content and events to keep players engaged, like limited-time activities that happen almost every week, and a battle pass to progress through. Later this month, players will also see the 2026 debut of Team GO Rocket.
Okay, so it’s 2026 and Niantic is still keeping Pokémon GO fresh! After a fun New Year’s event that brought back a bunch of cool costume Pokémon, they haven’t stopped. Just recently, we got the chance to catch Shiny Fidough during the Precious Pals event, and then the Pinch Perfect event introduced Klawf, a new Pokémon from Generation 9! And get this – later this month, Team GO Rocket is coming back, and they’ve got a powerful Legendary Pokémon that we might be able to catch. It’s been a busy start to the year, and I’m loving it!
Pokemon GO Shadow Raid Event Start Time
- January 24, 2026, from 2pm–5pm local time
Team GO Rocket is back starting Saturday, January 24th from 2-5pm local time with a new Shadow Raid Day! The highlight of this event is the chance to catch Shadow Raikou, a very powerful Electric-type Pokémon. While you can choose to purify it, Shadow Raikou can be a strong addition to your team in Pokémon GO – trainers recommend using the moves Thunder Shock and Wild Charge to make the most of its attack power.
Image via Niantic Defeating Shadow Raikou in Pokémon GO is challenging, and players need to team up at designated Raid locations to succeed. These Shadow Raids, first released in 2023, usually involve powerful Shadow Pokémon, so a strong group is essential to win.
Players will enjoy several benefits during the event! You can earn up to 6 Raid Passes by spinning Gym Photo Disks, and shiny Raikou will be more common. To help everyone participate, the daily limit for Remote Raid Passes is being temporarily increased to 20. This Remote Raid Pass bonus will be available from January 23rd at 4 PM to January 24th at 7 PM PST.
Image via Niantic If you’re looking to get even more out of the event, Niantic has a premium ticket available for $4.99. This ticket lets you collect even more Raid Passes – an extra 8, bringing the total to 14 from spinning Gym Disks. You’ll also have a better chance of earning Rare Candy XL in Raid Battles, plus you’ll get 50% more XP and double the Stardust. Just remember these bonuses only last during the Shadow Raid event.
Image via Niantic Although it’s not certain, recent leaks suggest what Niantic has planned for future Pokémon GO events. It looks like Vulpix and its Alolan form will be featured in the February 2026 Community Day. While the exact date and time haven’t been revealed, Niantic usually announces events well in advance, so players shouldn’t have to wait much longer for more details.
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2026-01-15 18:40