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The Pokémon TCG is getting a Pokémon GO expansion, and, to celebrate, the two games are colliding in Pokémon GO, too. Before the new TCG packs are released, you’ll be able to encounter a TCG-featured Pokémon for the first time in GO, as well as yet another costumed Pikachu, if you can bear to make space in your storage for another.
Pokémon GO TCG crossover event
For the most part, expect to be taken back to the Kanto region with the first wave of Pokémon GO TCG cards, as the likes of Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Charmander make appearances clutching Pokémon GO items. While those three and their evolutions will feature heavily in the Pokémon GO event, you will also encounter Pokémon from almost every other generation, too. And that even includes Wimpod from Gen VII, making its Pokémon GO debut.
Golisopod and Wimpod come to Pokémon GO for the very first time
We love an event that gives us a brand new addition to our Pokémon GO dex, and this is no different. While the easily-scared little Wimpod might not seem like much to get excited about, its evolution Golisopod is likely to be a worthwhile Pokémon to have in your collection. In order to get one, though, you’re going to want to catch a lot of Wimpod, as you’ll need 400 Wimpod Candies to evolve it to a Golisopod.
Neither Wimpod nor Golisopod will be available in their shiny variants at this time, but nearly every other event Pokémon will, so keep your hopes up!
A shiny Meltan appeared!
And, speaking of shiny appearances, the rare shiny Meltan is back for this event.
In Pokémon GO, Meltan works in a completely unique way. The only way to encounter the tiny Steel blob in Pokémon GO is by opening a Mystery Box. Obtain a Mystery box by trading Pokémon from Pokémon GO, into Pokémon HOME or Let’s GO Eevee and Pikachu. This will automatically put a Mystery Box in your Pokémon GO bag to open whenever you like. Once opened, Meltan will appear around you for half an hour, so make sure you’re ready to catch when you open it. There is then a cool down before you can open another Mystery Box, which will be reduced during the TCG event.
Shiny Meltan also works differently, in that, once it was first added to the game’s data, it did not remain permanently like others. Instead, while you can open Mystery Boxes at any time, you will only have a chance of encountering a shiny during special events. This Pokémon GO TCG Crossover is one of those events, so there’s no better time to get those Mystery Boxes on the go.
Clever TCG-themed Collection Challenges
Finally, in a special twist to Collection Challenges as you know them, you’ll be able to add even more Elite Collector medals to your profile. There will be an incredible total of nine Collection Challenges during the TCG event, as they are the Pokémon GO feature most similar to the Trading Card Game. In just the same way as you collect TCG cards, you’ll be trying to encounter specific Pokémon for each Challenge, with some harder to find than others – just like in the TCG.
You’ll of course be collecting Pokémon that feature in the upcoming TCG expansion, with the first six Collection Challenges becoming available at the event’s launch on June 16, running for the entire duration of the event. The following three will be a little harder, only starting on June 23, giving you less time to finish them. Completing your collections will reward you with Pokémon encounters, an Incubator, a Lure Module and more.
New featured Pokémon
With the Pokémon GO TCG crossover event taking place shortly after Ultra Adventure Week comes to an end, there will be a new rotation of Pokémon appearing in the wild, in Field Research Tasks, and in Raid Battles. Every Pokémon that you see appearing during the event will be featured in some way in the Pokémon GO TCG.
In the wild, you can expect to encounter a range of classic Pokémon from different regions of the Pokémon GO dex. The Gen 1 starter companions, Pikachu and Eevee, Magikarp, Bidoof and Dragonite are just a few. Regional-exclusive Pokémon Lunatone and Solrock will both also be appearing in the wild wherever you are in the world, returning to the Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere respectively after the event ends.
When you complete Field Research Tasks during the Pokémon TCG crossover event, you can expect to encounter a selection of iconic Kanto Pokémon, as well as new Pokémon Wimpod. Ivysaur, Charmeleon and Wartortle will all be available from research tasks, while their evolutions, as well as Snorlax, Dragonite and Slaking will be available from rarer tasks.
Finally, a new rotation of Raid Bosses will be taking over Gyms. See below for each Raid Boss you’ll be able to take on during the Pokémon GO TCG Crossover.
One-Star Raids
- Chansey
- Larvitar
- Timburr
- Wimpod
Three-Star Raids
- Alolan Exeggutor
- Dragonite
- Slaking
- Snorlax
Five-Star and Mega Raids
- Mewtwo
- Mega Venusaur
- Mega Charizard X
- Mega Charizard Y
- Mega Blastoise
When is the Pokémon GO TCG crossover taking place?
The Trading Card Game event will take place in Pokémon GO from June 16, at 10am local time, to June 30, 2022, at 8pm local time, giving you plenty of time to familiarise yourself with the new TCG-featured Pokémon before the release of the TCG expansion pack.
So when is the Pokémon GO TCG expansion release date?
Most of the Pokémon GO TCG expansion will then be available the following day, on July 1, 2022. You should be able to pre-order the sets and booster packs now from wherever you locally buy your TCG cards. The Elite Trainer Box and Radiant Eevee Premium Collection are both available to pre-order from The Pokémon Center US, Canada and UK.
