Pokemon Go's Lunar New Year Event Will Make One Shiny More Common

By Marc Deschamps

Pokemon Go is celebrating the Lunar New Year with a brand-new event, starting Thursday, January 19th at 10 a.m. local time. The theme will center on luck, and players can expect an increased chance of becoming Lucky Friends, 2x Stardust when opening gifts, and an increased chance of receiving a Lucky Pokemon in a trade. Daruma dolls are considered a source of good luck in Japan, so the Pokemon Darumaka (which is modeled after a Daruma doll) is also set to play a big role in the Lunar New Year event!

There's nothing luckier than finding a Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Go, and players will have an increased chance of finding Shiny Darumaka during the event. Players can expect to find the following Pokemon in the wild:

  • Darumaka
  • Buneary
  • Bunnelby
  • Combee
  • Fennekin
  • Flareon
  • Magikarp
  • Magmar
  • Numel
  • Ponyta

In addition to appearing in the wild, Darumaka is one of several Pokemon that can be found in one-star Raids and 7 km eggs during the event. Players can also participate in branching Timed Research, with three different paths that will decide the bonuses players will receive. The paths will focus on hatching eggs, the duration of Daily Adventure Incense, and Stardust. Field Research tasks will see players encounter Darumaka in both its Unova version and its Galarian variant, as well as several other Pokemon, including Charmander, Buneary, and Chimchar. The game's shop will also be getting a spiffy Red Lantern backpack, but there is no word on pricing, as of this writing.

While fans will have to wait a week for the Lunar New Year event to take place, Pokemon Go should have plenty for players to do in the meantime! The game's Twinkling Fantasy event began earlier this week, making it easier to find Dragon and Fairy-type Pokemon, including Bagon, Dedenne, and more. Readers can find out more about that event right here. Pokemon Go's Lunar New Year event will come to an end on January 23rd at 8 p.m. local time.

Are you looking forward to the Lunar New Year event? Will you be looking for a Shiny Darumaka? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

Trending Now: