With 2023 winding down, now’s the perfect time to look back at the many memories we’ve made playing Pokémon GO this past year. From the crowning of a new Pokémon GO World Champion to Pokémon from the Paldea region making their Pokémon GO debuts, there was no shortage of excitement these last 12 months.
Hello, Hoenn!
Pokémon GO Tour is an annual celebration that highlights a different region every year. 2023’s Pokémon GO Tour: Hoenn – Global ran from February 25 to February 26 and kicked off with Trainers choosing a Ruby or Sapphire badge—representing their preference for either Pokémon Ruby or Pokémon Sapphire, respectively. From there, Trainers encountered, caught, and battled against Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region based on the badge they chose.
Positively Primal
Mega-Evolved Pokémon have been making a splash in Pokémon GO since 2020, but with 2023 focused on Hoenn, it was only natural that some new Hoenn-based heavy hitters would steal the spotlight. Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre debuted during Pokémon GO Tour: Hoenn, and they’ve only continued to make an impact throughout the year. By winning Primal Raids against Groudon and Kyogre, Trainers accumulated Primal Energy, which could then be used to have the two Legendary Pokémon undergo Primal Reversion—a phenomenon similar to Mega Evolution. While Primal Kyogre remains a Water-type Pokémon, Primal Groudon becomes a dual Ground- and Fire-type Pokémon. These literal forces of nature continue to be exciting additions to the robust pool of Mega-Evolved Pokémon that dominate Pokémon GO battles.
Out of the Shadows
Shadow Pokémon are incredibly powerful, and on May 22, they took up the Raid Boss mantle. As part of the Rising Shadows event, Shadow Pokémon—including Mewtwo—appeared as Raid Bosses in Shadow Raids. These raids feature one-star, three-star, or five-star Shadow Raid Bosses that can only be challenged in person. Because Shadow Pokémon are so strong, Trainers received a new tool to help subdue them: Purified Gems. Shadow Raids continue to this day, offering Trainers another way to add fierce Shadow Pokémon to their team.
Paldean Partners
It’s always thrilling when Pokémon from a new region make their Pokémon GO debut! From Gimmighoul’s appearance in February to the Paldean first partner Pokémon—Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly—debuting during A Paldean Adventure in September, there were oodles of adorable new faces in Pokémon GO this year. There’re still plenty of Pokémon from Paldea yet to make their debuts, but for now, Lechonk’s hogging the spotlight and we’re not complaining!
Magnificent Master Ball
For years, Pokémon GO Trainers have had access to just four Poké Balls: the classic red and white Poké Ball, the Great Ball, the Ultra Ball, and the Premier Ball. But in May, the Pokémon world’s preeminent Poké Ball became available: the Master Ball. An exceedingly rare item, the Master Ball was first available as a reward for completing the “Let’s GO!” Special Research story during Season 10: Rising Heroes. The Master Ball is guaranteed to catch any Pokémon—including Galarian Zapdos, Galarian Articuno, and Galarian Moltres, which are notoriously difficult to catch. A second Master Ball became available via the Timed Investigation: Master Ball research. Hopefully, a third opportunity to add a Master Ball to your collection isn’t far off!
The Journey is the Destination
Pokémon GO’s Blaze New Trails event took place from July 21 to 24 and launched a new feature: Routes. Each Route is a curated path that Trainers can follow, and lucky Trainers might even find Zygarde Cells along the way. The “From A to Zygarde” Special Research story further rewarded Trainers for traveling Routes by culminating in an encounter with Zygarde. Routes offer Trainers the joy of exploring new areas with the added bonus of in-game rewards!
A New World Champion
In 2022, Pokémon GO made its Pokémon World Championships debut in London, and the competition ended with the crowning of DancingRob as the very first Pokémon GO World Champion. On August 12, 2023, in Yokohama, Japan, ItsAXN became the second Pokémon GO World Champion. The United States–based player competed using a team consisting of Alolan Sandslash, Noctowl, Lanturn, Shadow Swampert, Sableye, and Medicham to defeat xXRubixMasterXx. While the 2024 Pokémon World Championships in Honolulu, Hawai’i, are still a ways off, we’re already buzzing with excitement wondering who will join DancingRob and ItsAXN in the Hall of Fame.
G-G-G-Ghost-type Pokémon
Pokémon GO’s annual Halloween event is always a bucket of treats, and this year was no exception. The terrifyingly, tail-waggingly cute Greavard made its Pokémon GO debut. Meanwhile, a remix of the ooky-spooky Lavender Town theme set the scene as Ghost-type Pokémon roamed the wild. With festive orange PokéStops and pumpkins stacked beside them, we’re certain everyone had a gourd time.
Party On
The only thing better than catching Pokémon is catching Pokémon with friends! Pokémon GO’s Party Play feature launched on October 16, allowing Trainers to form a party with up to three friends and collectively take on challenges—from making Nice or Great Throws to catching a certain number of Pokémon or spinning PokéStops. The entire party earns rewards for completing these challenges and can deal extra damage in raids thanks to Party Power. Plus, the entire squad gets to roam around together on the in-game map.
Sensational Seasons
Pokémon GO always makes the most of every Season with unique bonuses, events, and Pokémon debuts. While a calendar year has just four seasons, Pokémon GO managed to squeeze five in-game Seasons into 2023. The year kicked off with Season 9: Mythical Wishes from December 1, 2022, to March 1, 2023, before transitioning into Season 10: Rising Heroes, which ran from March 1 to June 1. This was followed by Hidden Gems, which shimmered from June 1 to September 1, then Adventures Abound, lasting from September 1 to December 1. The current Season, Timeless Travels, started December 1 and will continue into the new year, ending March 1, 2024. Each Season offered oodles of memories and experiences—but the true gift, of course, are the friends and Pokémon we met along the way.
What exciting events and thrilling Pokémon GO debuts will 2024 bring? There’s only one way to find out. Let’s GO!
