There’s been no shortage of Pokémon Go events so far in 2023. That trend continues with the announcement of the February Community Day headlined by Noibat, the Flying and Dragon-type Pokémon introduced in Generation VI.
In other news, Pokémon UNITE dataminers discovered a sign that Zacian, the Legendary Pokémon from Sword and Shield, could be added to the roster on Pokémon Day in February.
And on a more somber note, a spate of robberies in Tokyo has seen stores selling Pokémon OCG cards, as well as traders and collectors, lose tens of millions of yen worth of cards. Perhaps it’s one of the downsides to their value dramatically increasing in recent years.
Noibat leads the charge for Pokémon Go in February
The second Pokémon Go Community Day of 2023 is taking place between 2pm to 5pm local time on Feb. 5, and it’s all about Noibat. The little bat Pokémon will appear more frequently in the wild, meaning there’s an increased chance to encounter a Shiny.
The biggest drawcard, however, is that Noibats evolve into Noivern throughout the course of the event or up to five hours afterward will learn its signature move, Charged Attack Boomburst.
All the other bells and whistles that happen on Community Days will be available too, including double Candy, triple Stardust for catching Pokémon, Incense, and Lure Modules lasting three hours. Noibat will also appear in four-star raids, and trainers can take part in the ticketed Abundant Noise Special Research story for one dollar.
Zacian in Pokémon UNITE? Yes, please
Pokémon UNITE players could be in for a treat in the lead-up to Pokémon Day, which takes place on Feb. 27 and celebrates the franchise’s birthday, after dataminers discovered evidence Zacian could be the next Legendary Pokémon to join the roster.
A picture of Zacian has been found in the files. It looks like official artwork and seems to be associated with images of the 2023 Pokémon Day logo showing Pikachu and a PokéBall. While it’s important to take leaks with a grain of salt, the leaker, ElChicoEevee, is adamant Zacian will be added after Comfey, who is expected to be the next addition.
Pokémon OCG cards in Tokyo are being stolen left, right, and center
Pokémon OCG cards have shot up in value in recent years. YouTube star Logan Paul has the most expensive one—a PSA 10 Japanese Promo Pikachu Illustrator card worth more than five million dollars. But it seems like this dramatic increase in value has seen them become a primary target for thieves, especially in Tokyo, after The Japan Times and Nintendo Life reported a recent breakout of robberies.
High-value cards have been the primary focus. It’s estimated that tens of millions of yen worth have been stolen. One store had 60 cards worth 8.5 million yen stolen in December. Four other incidents have occurred since then, too. It’s kept Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department on its toes when it comes to Pokémon, that’s for sure.
Published: Jan 11, 2023 10:07 pm