Pokemon Go Winter Holiday Event Returns

It's officially the holiday season, and Pokemon Go's Winter Holiday event has returned along with it. The first part of the two-part event begins Thursday, December 15 at 10 AM local time and lasts until December 23 at 10 AM local time, with the second part following sometime after.

As with most Pokemon Go events, this will bring exclusive items and new Pokemon to the game. Players will receive 50% more XP for winning Raid Battles, and they can store up to 40 gifts until the end of the event. $5 USD buys access to the Timed Research tasks which will unlock a holiday-themed avatar pose, as well as other rewards.

Trainers can purchase and give tickets to any fellow Trainer that they have a Great Friends or better relationship with. However, these tickets cannot be purchased with PokeCoins, and all purchases are non-refundable.

Event-specific wild encounters include Pikachu wearing a holiday outfit, Stantler in a holiday outfit, and possibly even a Shiny Bergmite, which is a first for Pokemon Go. Many of the Pokemon that appear in these wild encounters will also appear in raids, including the Mega Raid target Mega Glalie. Additionally, if you catch a Cobalion during the first part of the event, it will know the featured attack Sacred Sword.

In other Pokemon news, Nintendo recently promised to address Scarlet and Violet's serious performance issues on the Switch.