Pokemon Go Players Have a New Gen 9 Pokemon to Catch (& A Shiny Debut With Boosted Odds)

Pokemon Go‘s 10th anniversary year is off to an interesting start. We’ve already been treated to our first new Pokemon debut and new Shiny for 2026, but another update has been less well-received. Even as some players struggle with what looks like a reduced spawn rate, many trainers are eager to keep their Pokemon Go dex up to date. And we’re about to have a new Pokemon to catch, as the High Zaptitude event brings in another Paldean Pokemon on January 13th. Wattrel debuts alongside the Shiny form of fellow Gen 9 electric type, Tadbulb.

Wattrel is an electric-type bird Pokemon introduced in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. The cute critter also plays a big role in Pokemon Horizons, as a partner Pokemon to one of the main characters. And now, it’s coming to Pokemon Go as our latest brand-new Pokemon to catch. Wattrel arrives with the High Zaptitude event, which runs from January 13th at 10 AM local time to January 18th at 8 PM local time. ALong with adding Wattrel to the game, this latest Pokemon Go event features boosted Shiny odds for the newly added Shiny Tadbulb and a Global Challenge to unlock additional rewards.

How to Get Wattrel in Pokemon Go

There’s good and bad news for the Wattrel debut in Pokemon Go. The good news is, this will be a new Pokemon that spawns in the wild. The bad news is, it won’t start spawning until players complete a Global Challenge.

The Wattrel debut will be unlocked when players hit Level 2 in the High Zaptitude Global Challenge. To see how close we are to unlocking Wattrel, you can check the Events section of the Research tab in Pokemon Go.

Once the Level 2 milestone is reached, Wattrel and its evolved form, Kilowattrel, will start spawning in the wild. They will also be available as Field Research reward encounters. They will spawn more frequently during the debut High Zaptitude event from January 12th to 18th, but should remain available to catch in the wild afterwards, as well.

Boosted Shiny Tadbulb Hatch Bonus & Featured Wild Spawns for High Zaptitude

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Though Tadbulb has already been available in Pokemon Go, Shiny Tadbulb will appear for the first time during the High Zaptitude event. It will spawn as one of the featured wild Pokemon throughout the event. However, those hoping to Shiny hunt Tadbulb will want to take advantage of the increased Shiny odds for hatching this Paldean Pokemon.

Tadbulb will hatch from 2KM eggs during the High Zaptitude event. So, be sure to make space to snag these eggs from PokeStops during the event period to increase your odds of hatching a Shiny Tadbulb. The 2KM egg pool will also include Pichu, Elekid, and Toxel during the event, though these Pokemon will not have boosted Shiny odds.

Along with these egg hatches, players will see more Electric-type Pokemon spawning on the Pokemon Go map during this event. Featured wild encounters are:

• Chinchou
• Helioptile
• Tadbulb
• Shinx

All of these Pokemon can be Shiny in Pokemon Go. So, it’s a decent event for anyone missing some Electric-type Shinies in their collection.

The High Zaptitude event in Pokemon Go runs from 10 AM local time on January 13th to 8 PM local time on January 18th. Players will unlock additional bonuses, including double Stardust for catching and hatching Pokemon, by completing Global Challenges during the event. There is a Paid Timed Research available for trainers who want to halve their Egg Hatch Distance and get some extra shots at finding Shiny Tadbulb.

Are you going to be seeking out Wattrel and Shiny Tadbulb in Pokemon Go this week? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!