Pokémon Go 5th Anniversary event adds special Flying Pikachu, Shiny Darumaka, and Item Bag expansion

July 6 marks the five-year anniversary of Pokémon Go, and Niantic is celebrating with a new event that will run through a highlight reel of things that the game has featured throughout the years. 

Running from July 6 to 15, the event offers players a Flying Pikachu with a five-shaped balloon, Shiny Darumaka, Shiny Meltan, all of the starter Pokémon currently available in Pokémon Go, and much more. 

Niantic is also adding in a new Item Bag expansion with this event, letting players expand their inventory to 3,500 starting today. The upgrades can be purchased in the shop for 200 PokéCoins, with each expanding the current inventory size by 50, up to the new 3,500 cap. 

During the event, players will have a new Collection Challenge to complete, which will give them access to the anniversary Flying Pikachu, as well as Rare Candy and a ton of bonus Poké Balls. The “Jump-Start” Special Research will also return from last year’s anniversary event. 

Throughout the event, various Pokémon will be appearing more frequently in various ways. Here is the breakdown for all of the special encounters you might find during the event. 

• Darumaka, Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie, and the anniversary Flying Pikachu appearing in one-star raids
• Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup, Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott, Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie will be appearing around PokéStops with active Lure Modules and as Field Research rewards
• Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott will appear more frequently in the wild
• Shiny Meltan can appear when activating the Mystery Box during the fifth-anniversary celebration

As part of the event, Niantic is also making the previously announced real-time sky mechanic available to all players in the coming days, which will help showcase the return of the in-game fireworks mechanic. And all Lure Modules will last for a full hour during the event, including Glacial, Magnetic, Mossy, and Rainy Lure Modules.