Pokemon Sword And Shield's February Max Raid Event Features Fighting And Psychic Pokemon

A new Max Raid event is now underway in Pokemon Sword and Shield. All February long, certain Fighting- and Psychic-type Pokemon will be appearing more frequently in Max Raid dens across both games, including Gigantamax Machamp and Gigantamax Orbeetle.

Specifically, players will be more likely to encounter Machamp, Lucario, Falinks, Gothitelle, Reuniclus, and Orbeetle in Max Raid Battles this month. As previously mentioned, Gigantamax forms of Machamp and Orbeetle will also be appearing more frequently. Gigantamax Pokemon are typically incredibly rare to find outside of events like this, making this a good opportunity to add them to your collection if you haven't yet.

Before the new event Pokemon can begin appearing in your game, you'll first need to refresh your Max Raid dens. You can do so either by activating the Y-Comm to connect your game online, or by going into the Mystery Gift menu and selecting Get the Wild Area News. This Max Raid event will run through February 28.

This isn't the only event happening in Pokemon Sword and Shield this month. Beginning February 3, the games will hold a limited-time Max Raid event featuring Cramorant. If players can collectively defeat 1 million level 100 Cramorant during the event, all players will receive a Gold Bottle Cap, three regular Bottle Caps, and three Pearl Strings as a reward.

In other Pokemon news, Sword and Shield have become the series' third-best-selling generation to date, moving a combined 20.35 million copies as of December 31, 2020. Together, they are Switch's fifth-best-selling first-party release, behind Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (33.41 million), Animal Crossing: New Horizons (31.18 million), Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (22.85 million), and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (21.45 million).