Zapdos is Live in Pokemon Go

Pokemon Go players have a new Legendary Pokemon to capture. Game developers added Zapdos to the game around 5 PM ET, giving players a chance to capture their third and final Legendary Bird. Zapdos will be available to battle and capture as a Raid Boss until August 14.

Interestingly, Zapdos was added to the game several hours earlier than Moltres did last week, presumably so that players in the US’s Eastern Time Zone would have a chance to capture the Pokemon. Moltres didn’t go live until 8 PM last Monday, so East Coast players missed out on a full evening of raiding compared to other players around the world.

Unlike Moltres, which popped up at a single location outside of The Pokemon Company’s headquarters, Zapdos is popping up all around the globe. Moltres is also still active as a Raid Boss, but it’s unclear whether any new Moltres Raids are starting, or if they’re just winding down their remaining time.

Zapdos is an Electric/Flying-type Pokemon and is the strongest Electric-Type Pokemon in the game. It also has fewer weaknesses than the other Legendary Pokemon introduced so far, so Raid Battles against it could be a challenge. Players are recommended to bring a lot of Rock-Type Pokemon to fight Zapdos, with Ice-Type Pokemon playing a key secondary role. As with Moltres, Golem is expected to be the MVP in most Zapdos Raid Battles.

For more tips on how to beat Zapdos, check out our Raid Guide, and be sure to follow us this evening for more coverage on this new and powerful Legendary Pokemon.