Pokémon GO Leak Hints at Dynamax Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno Raids
A prematurely released tweet from the official Pokémon GO Saudi Arabia Twitter account revealed an upcoming event featuring Dynamax Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno in Dynamax Raids. The tweet, quickly deleted, indicated the event will run from January 20th to February 3rd. This would mark the first appearance of Dynamax legendary Pokémon in the game, following the introduction of Dynamax Pokémon in September 2024.
The Kanto legendary birds are long-time fan favorites, previously featured in standard raids and, in their Shiny forms, in various events. Their Galarian counterparts were introduced to Daily Incense spawns in 2023, and Shiny Galarian versions became available in October 2024. This upcoming Dynamax event suggests Pokémon GO plans to further expand on the legendary birds' presence.
The addition of these Dynamax legendary Pokémon could significantly boost the popularity of Dynamax Raids, which have faced criticism for their difficulty and reliance on large player groups. Previous Max Raids sometimes required 40 players, leading to frustration among players. Whether this new event will address these concerns remains to be seen. The inclusion of these iconic Pokémon, however, suggests that other legendary Pokémon, such as Mewtwo and Ho-Oh (featured in Dynamax form in Pokémon Sword and Shield), may receive similar treatment in future events.
This leak comes amidst a flurry of Pokémon GO announcements for early 2025. These include a Community Day Classic featuring Ralts on January 25th, a Shadow Raid Day with Shadow Ho-Oh on January 19th (offering up to seven free Raid Passes), and the announcement of host cities for Pokémon GO Fest 2025 (Osaka, Jersey City, and Paris).
