New Team Go Rocket Celebration launching in Pokémon Go on Feb. 2

Niantic is going all out with Pokémon Go content in February after announcing a new Team Go Rocket Celebration along with general details for what’s coming to the game over the next month. 

Team Go Rocket is celebrating something from Feb. 2 to 7, according to Niantic’s newest blog post, and it’s up to the players to discover just what’s going on in Pokémon Go. 

New Shadow Pokémon are being added during this event, including Swinub, Nosepass, Aron, Spheal, Lileep, Anorith, and others that will be revealed later. Go Rocket Grunts will also have new teams both during and after the event, so you shouldn’t expect the same strategies you’ve been using to work moving forward. 

If you manage to defeat Go Rocket Leaders during the event, you have a chance to receive exclusive Leader Gift stickers. 

As for the usual event content, Pokémon like Golbat, Koffing, Ariados, Qwilfish, Sneasel, Houndour, Nuzleaf, Stunky, Skorupi, and Venipede will be appearing more often in the wild. Meanwhile, Qwilfish, Larvitar, Corphish, Absol, Skorupi, Sandile, Scraggy, Pawniard, and Deino will be hatching from Strange Eggs during and after the event.

Raids are also going to change for a bit.

• One-star raids: Alolan Meowth, Alolan Grimer, Gligar, Sneasel, Shinx, and Klink.
• Three-star raids: Nidoqueen, Ariados, Umbreon, Tyranitar, and Absol.
• Five-star raids: Raikou and Suicune
• Mega Raids: Mega Venusaur, Mega Ampharos, and Mega Houndoom

There will be event-exclusive Field and Timed Research, while Team Go Rocket-themed research that’s available during the Johto Celebration event will continue on, meaning you can still encounter a Ho-Oh that knows the exclusive attack Earthquake for a bit longer. 

The final bonuses are increased Rocket Grunts at PokéStops and spawning in the overworld in their balloons, while half egg distance for eggs inside of Incubators will be active throughout the event.