Trainers,

Pokémon GO is in the process of being updated to version 0.85.2 for Android and 1.55.1 for iOS devices. Details from our development team:

• 50 additional Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region can be caught.
• Real-world weather conditions are now reflected in Map View, in battle, and when catching Pokémon.
• Added a weather icon that can be tapped to highlight which Pokémon types are more likely to appear in the surrounding area and will be affected by current weather conditions.
• Added the beta feature to create battle parties that allow Trainers to save teams of up to six Pokémon to take into Gym battles and Raid Battles.
• Increased Pokémon Storage maximum to 1,500.
• Updated the battle interface to include a dedicated button for performing a Charged Attack.
• Various bug fixes and performance updates.

—The Pokémon GO team

Trainers,

Groudon, the Ground-type Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region, is now appearing in Raid Battles around the world! Keep an eye out for Groudon at Gyms near you, and you may be one of the first to catch this Legendary Pokémon. But don’t delay—Groudon will only be available until 1:00 p.m. PST on January 15, 2018.

Good luck, Trainers!

—The Pokémon GO team

Trainers, Get ready for even more realistic Pokémon encounters: AR+ is coming to Pokémon GO! AR+ leverages Apple’s ARKit framework to build on the AR work already implemented in Pokémon GO. Soon, Trainers around the world running iOS 11 on iPhone 6s and newer models can experience AR+ in Pokémon GO.

Scale: With AR+, Pokémon are now fixed to a point in space, meaning you can walk up close to a Pokémon to see to how they’ll look in the real world. Imagine looking up at a massive Onix or walking around a gigantic Snorlax blocking your path! This feature brings us one step closer to truly realizing Pokémon the way they are supposed to be represented in the real world. Pokémon GO AR photos will never be the same again!

Awareness: Pokémon will run away if they become aware of the Trainers getting close, so be careful. You can sneak up close to earn an Expert Handler bonus, but think twice b...

Trainers,

The holiday season is here, and we have a celebration that will inspire you to go out exploring your neighborhood with family and friends. Starting today at 1:00 p.m. PST, a familiar festive Pikachu is back—and bringing a few frosty friends along for the fun! In addition to more Ice-type Pokémon appearing around the world, additional Water-type and Ice-type Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region in the Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire video games will also begin appearing in Pokémon GO for the very first time. As a special bonus, the first PokéStop you visit each day between December 22 at 1:00 p.m. PST and December 25 at 1:00 p.m. PST will award you a single-use Egg Incubator with your first Photo Disc spin, so make sure to check in every day to collect an incubator.

Don’t miss out on your chance to stock up for your holiday adventures with special boxes from the in-game shop, featuring the best deals of the year. From December 21 throu...

Trainers,

Pokémon GO is in the process of being updated to version 0.87.5 for Android and 1.57.5 for iOS devices. Details from our development team:

• Added the all-new AR+ encounter mode for Trainers on ARKit-enabled devices (iPhone 6s or later) running iOS11.
• Improved Pokémon GO Plus responsiveness on devices running iOS 11.
• Various bug fixes and performance updates.

—The Pokémon GO team

Trainers,

In an upcoming update to Pokémon GO, we will end support for Apple devices not capable of upgrading to iOS 11, such as iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c models. This change is a result of improvements to Pokémon GO that push the application beyond the capabilities of the operating systems on such devices. This change will take effect on 02/28/2018. After that date, Trainers using affected devices may no longer be able to access their Pokémon GO accounts from that device, or use their PokéCoins or other items in their Bags. They will need to switch to a supported device to continue playing Pokémon GO. You can see the full list of impacted devices and learn more by visiting our Help Center.

—The Pokémon GO team

Trainers,

We’re incredibly excited to announce Pokémon GO Community Day–a monthly worldwide event dedicated to celebrate you, the Trainers in the Pokémon GO community.

What is Pokémon GO Community Day?
Pokémon GO Community Day is an opportunity for Trainers around the world to meet up at their local parks to make new friends and experience what it means to be a part of this special community.

Once a month, we’ll host a Pokémon GO Community Day event starring a special Pokémon, which will appear frequently around the world for just a few hours. When caught during the event, this special Pokémon will know an exclusive move. Other bonuses will be in effect during the event, such as increased XP or Stardust, and Lure Modules activated during the event will last for three hours.

We’re constantly blown away by the passion of Pokémon GO players around the world, and we hope that each Pokémon GO Community Day will help add to the excitement of local events and meetu...

Trainers,

Kyogre, the Water-type Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region, is now appearing in Raid Battles around the world! Keep an eye out for Kyogre at Gyms near you, and you may be one of the first to catch this Legendary Pokémon. But don’t delay—Kyogre will only be available until 1:00 P.M. PST on February 14, 2018. Good luck, Trainers!

—The Pokémon GO team

Trainers,

Pokémon GO is in the process of being updated to version 0.89.1 for Android and 1.59.1 for iOS devices. Details from our development team:

• Resolved a bug that caused the Pokémon collection screen to scroll to the top after evolving, transferring, or renaming a Pokémon.
• Added the ability to sort the Pokédex by region.
• Improved incubator sorting order when selecting an incubator.
• Improved the way Pokémon scale throughout the app.
• Various bug fixes and performance updates.

—The Pokémon GO team

Trainers,

Starting later today, 23 additional Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region in the Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire video games will begin appearing in Pokémon GO for the very first time. As you’re out adventuring with friends and family and exploring your local neighborhoods, be sure to share your favorite moments and photos using #PokemonGO on your social media channels.

—The Pokémon GO team

Trainers,

Pokémon GO is in the process of being updated to version 0.91.1 for Android and 1.61.1 for iOS devices. Details from our development team:

• Improved the in-game News feature.
• The Pokémon Collection search function now lets Trainers search using “Shiny.”
• Various bug fixes and performance updates.

—The Pokémon GO team

Trainers,

With the latest batch of EX Raid Battle invites, we implemented a few changes to improve Trainer and Gym selection. Unfortunately, a bug was introduced when these changes were made, and, as a result, some Trainers were invited to participate in an EX Raid Battle at a Gym they may not have visited in several months. This bug has already been resolved, and future invites will better represent how the updated invitation process is intended to function. Most importantly, Trainers will only receive an invitation if they’ve completed a Raid Battle at that Gym recently.

We've also made a couple changes that will impact the invitation process. First, we've made changes to the ways Gyms are selected. While EX Raid Battles will continue to take place in parks and at sponsored locations, the number of Gyms that meet the necessary criteria for an EX Raid Battle will increase. Additionally, the average number of Trainers invited per Gym will also rise, as we've made a few twea...

Trainers,

Prepare for exciting new adventures as you encounter even more Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region on February 9! Alongside several Flying- and Dragon-type Pokémon appearing in Pokémon GO for the first time, the Legendary Pokémon Rayquaza will descend from the ozone layer and become available in Raid Battles for a limited time.

In celebration, Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region will take over wild encounters until February 13. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to catch powerful Pokémon such as Salamence, Altaria, Metagross, and more!

The Legendary Pokémon Rayquaza will be appearing in Raid Battles in Gyms near you until March 16. You’ll also have a chance to battle the Legendary Water-type Pokémon Kyogre before it swims away on February 14. Will you be the first to catch all three ancient Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region?

Even more surprises await nearby! In addition to these Pokémon being ava...

Trainers,

Trainers in Europe will get an extra treat throughout February thanks to Unibail-Rodamco! Until February 26, all 58 Unibail-Rodamco Pokémon GO shopping center locations across Europe will activate Lure Modules at the PokéStops in their shopping centers from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. local time.

On top of that, the following shopping centers will host special accommodations for Trainers searching for Dratini during Community Day on February 24:

• Mall of Scandinavia (Stockholm, Sweden)
• Fisketorvet (Copenhagen, Denmark)
• CentrO (Oberhausen, Germany)
• Les 4 Temps (Paris, France)
• Confluence (Lyon, France)
• La Maquinista (Barcelona, Spain)
• Höfe am Brühl (Leipzig, Germany)
• Wroclavia (Wroclaw, Poland)
• Centrum Černý Most (Prague, Czech Republic)

These shopping centers will continue to activate Lure Modules along with exclusive Team Lounges and special giveaways for Trainers. Visit your local shopping center’s Facebook page for more information and share your adventures with ...

Honoring Lunar New Year: Chiayi Lantern Festival with Pokémon GO

For thousands of years, the Lantern Festival has symbolized good luck and fortune. See beautiful lights and honor the New Year with Pokémon GO during a special Safari Zone event at the Chiayi Lantern Festival in Taiwan, hosted by the Chiayi County government from February 26 to March 3.

Dratini, Mr. Mime, Growlithe and many other Pokémon will be appearing at the Pokémon GO Safari Zone event among the lanterns during the daytime, starting at 7:00 AM. At 5:00 PM, as the lanterns begin to glow, Trainers will see Chinchou and Lanturn in the wild! There will also be Pokémon to discover around Puzi City and the rest of Chiayi County, so make sure you walk around and enjoy all that Chiayi has to offer. And of course, don’t miss the beauty of the lanterns, which will bring good health, wealth and love in the New Year.

We also want to extend our thoughts and condolences to those affected by the nearby ea...

Trainers,

Now is the time to test your strength! Legendary Pokémon Kyogre and Groudon return to Raid Battles alongside Rayquaza for a limited time. Now is an excellent chance to finally catch all three ancient Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region!

Kyogre, Groudon, and Rayquaza each have their own strengths and weaknesses, so challenging all three will take skill! Power up your strongest Pokémon, grab your friends, and head to nearby Gyms for a chance to battle and catch them from February 23 until March 5.

We’re in for some legendary battles, and the overall result will be exciting! If Rayquaza is defeated more than Kyogre and Groudon combined, Pokémon that typically prefer windy weather (for example, Bagon) are more likely to hatch from Eggs from March 5 to March 16. If not, Pokémon that prefer sunny or rainy weather (like Trapinch or Lotad) are more likely to hatch.

These battles will be tough, so we have new special boxes debuting on...

Trainers,

The dust has settled on our legendary week of Raid Battles, and the ancient Legendary Pokémon Rayquaza has proven victorious! So from March 5 to March 16, Pokémon that prefer windy weather will hatch more often from Eggs.

But that’s not the only place you’ll see weather-enhanced Pokémon. Raid Battles at Gyms near you will also favor appearances by Pokémon that prefer windy weather. Plus, enjoy double XP until March 16—a special thanks for all of your enthusiasm and hard work!

In need of Premium Raid Passes? Don’t forget that special boxes containing them will be available in the shop until March 11.

Although Kyogre and Groudon have left for now, you can continue to challenge Rayquaza in Raid Battles until March 16! Get the most out of hatching, catching, and battling during this limited time.

Stay safe, and happy exploring!

—The Pokémon GO team

Trainers,

The Legendary Pokémon Lugia will return to Raid Battles in Pokémon GO on March 16! A powerful Psychic- and Flying-type Pokémon originally discovered in the Johto region, Lugia will appear in Gyms across the globe as the Legendary Pokémon Rayquaza returns to the ozone layer. You can challenge Lugia, which will know the newly improved Flying-type move Sky Attack, until April 2. So gather your strongest party to take on this Legendary Pokémon before it returns to the sea!

—The Pokémon GO team

Good news, Trainers! We’ll soon begin rolling out support for account linking with Facebook. Along with a simpler sign-in process, linking Pokémon GO to your Facebook account gives you more options to log in and helps preserve your progress across devices.

With this change, you will also be able to link your Trainer profile to your Facebook and Google accounts, and use any of those credentials to access Pokémon GO. For example, someone who currently logs in with Pokémon Trainer Club could link their Trainer profile to both their Google and Facebook accounts, and then they can use whichever account they prefer going forward. To link your Trainer profile to a Google or Facebook account, access the Settings menu and then select the platform you’d like to link.

Account linking is especially useful for someone who has registered for Pokémon GO using a Google Account that they may not be able to access in the future, such as one associated with a work or university email address....

Trainers,

Pokémon GO is in the process of being updated to version 0.95.3 for Android and 1.65.3 for iOS devices. Details from our development team:

• Facebook credentials can now be used to log into the app via the ‘Account’ section in Settings.
• Various bug fixes and performance updates.

—The Pokémon GO team