Pokémon Go Tour: Sinnoh is headed to LA with Shiny Shaymin research and more ‘Shining Surprises’

To absolutely no one’s surprise, Niantic is hosting Pokémon Go Tour: Sinnoh in February 2024 and the main focus is Pokémon originally found in the Sinnoh region. It doesn’t look like Dialga and Palkia are going to be appearing directly, but a handful of “Shining Surprises” should appease players. 

Just like in previous years, Go Tour: Sinnoh will be split into two events, a ticketed, in-person event in Los Angeles on Feb. 17 and 18 followed by the global version that will be free for all players on Feb. 24 and 25—right before Pokémon Day. Some content will carry over between both events, but Niantic has specified at least a few bits and bobs that are exclusive to ticketed players in LA. 

Go Tour: Sinnoh’s LA event will be held at the Rose Bowl Stadium from 9am to 5pm local time. Tickets for the event will cost $25 through the end of the year and $30 starting Jan. 1, 2024, with the usual add-on content like Egg-thusiast and Raid Lover available to purchase separately to provide more content bonuses. The event will feature a city-wide add-on option too so you can take the fun with you elsewhere—with extra content added for Feb. 16, the Friday before the event too. 

Players at the event will need to pick between a Diamond or Pearl badge when they start the event too, which will alter a handful of Pokémon you will encounter along with certain bonuses and rewards. Typically this means you will want to pick the version that has your favorite Pokémon among the version exclusives featured in the equivalent main series game. There are also a handful of awesome event bonuses that will live throughout both events, like halved Egg Hatch distance and Stardust cost for trades. One specific bonus will allow players to complete up to six Special Trades regardless of where you are located in LA, removing some of the distance requirement for the in-person event. 

Habitat Rotation will be returning to Go Tour again, with four different habitats featuring Pokémon you would find in Sinnoh or that have evolutions Gen IV evolutions. Special Pikachu wearing hats themed after Dawn and Lucas from Diamond and Pearl will also be appearing as habitat spawns. And don’t worry, one of the Shining Surprises Niantic mentioned is that any player participating in Go Tour: Sinnoh – Los Angeles will have increased odds of encountering Shiny Pokémon from Sinnoh. 

As for the general content, players will have a chance to encounter Uxie, Mespirit, and Azelf while taking Snapshots, Spiritomb Timed Research will be available to complete that is tied to specific PokéStops in the area, and you can get a guaranteed Shiny Shaymin by completing this year’s Masterwork Research. That Masterwork Research will be available during Go Tour: Sinnoh – Global too, but it will cost $5 compared to being included in the cost of the in-person ticket. 

Based on the information we have now, it doesn’t look like Dialga or Palkia will be appearing as part of the content directly tied to Go Tour: Sinnoh. That doesn’t mean they won’t be available in raids or through some other means that we just haven’t seen yet, but it is a bit odd that the culmination of the Timeless Travles season that is focusing on Hisuian content, hasn’t confirmed the Legendary duo’s Origin Forms for special raids yet—if it is planned.