Pokemon Go: Detective Pikachu Returns – Dates, Events and more

Detective Pikachu Returns makes its debut on the Nintendo Switch on 6 October 2023. Any time a new Pokemon game releases is a time for celebration, so to mark the occasion, there’s an event on Pokemon Go. The Detective Pikachu Returns event runs from Thursday, 5 October – Monday, 9 October. There’s plenty of tasks for Trainers to do over this period, so let me show you everything in Pokemon Go: Detective Pikachu Returns – Dates, Events, and more.

Related: Pokemon GO Ticket of Treats – All dates, Timed Research, and rewards

Pokemon Go: Detective Pikachu Returns – Dates, Events and more

The Detective Pikachu Returns event kicks off at 10:00 AM on Thursday, 5 October, and lasts until 8:00 PM on Monday, 9 October. During this event, expect to see the following Pokemon more frequently in the wild:

• Xatu
• Bellossom
• Ducklett
• Cutiefly
• Falinks

You’ll also encounter more of the following Pokemon. The only difference is that these have a chance to be Shiny as well!

• Pikachu wearing a detective hat
• Slowpoke wearing a hat – (Sorry, Trainers, it’s just a regular full-rimmed hat).
• Growlithe
• Alolan Exeggutor
• Magikarp
• Lotad
• Chimecho
• Bronzor

The grand prize in this lineup is definitely a Shiny Pikachu wearing a detective hat. There’s no telling when or if the opportunity will come again.

Field Research Tasks

There will be themed Field Research tasks live throughout the event. Upon completion, a further 3 Pokemon are up for grabs:

• Sudowoodo
• Snivy
• Rowlett

Although it’s purely down to luck, the Sudowoodo and Snivy have a chance to be Shiny.

Detective Pikachu Event Timed Research

During the event, Trainers can track down a ‘Pokemon of interest’ in a Timed Research Story. Once the event ends at 8:00 PM on Monday, 9 October, the Timed Research will go as well. Any rewards must be claimed before the event closes if you don’t want to lose them.

Event Bonuses

During the event, Trainers earn x2 XP from spinning Pokestops. You can also encounter Pikachu wearing a detective hat once per day by taking snapshots.

Can I get a Raichu with a detective hat?

If you evolve a Pikachu wearing a detective hat, the Raichu you get will also have the headwear. This mechanic is similar to other special edition hats in the game, like the Christmas one. 

Is there any paid content during the event?

A new Avatar Pose will be available in the shop from 5 October 2023. There’s no end date on the official Pokemon Go post for this content, so you can likely pick this up after the event concludes. 

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