Pokémon Go ‘2023 World Championship Celebration’ event, Timed Research guide

From Aug. 11-15, Pokémon Go is promoting the 2023 Pokémon World Championships with a celebration event, boosting the spawn rates of Pokémon, and adding another Pikachu in a cute outfit.

Notably, this event adds shiny Scraggy and Scrafty to the game.

Graphic: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Niantic

During the event period, some Pokémon will also learn special moves when caught or evolved:

• Alolan Sandshrew → Alolan Sandslash: Shadow Claw
• Machoke → Machamp: Payback
• Seel → Dewgong: Ice Shard and Icy Wind
• Sealeo → Walrein: Powder Snow and Icicle Spear
• Galarian Linoone → Obstagoon: Obstruct

There is also a special set of Timed Research you can only get from watching the Pokémon Go Twitch channel for 30 minutes on Friday or Saturday. Just scroll down to the panel that notes a giveaway and follow the instructions to get it.

There’s also the usual perks, like a Timed Research Task set, specific spawns, and Field Research, which we’ve listed out below.

Pokémon Go ‘2023 World Championship Celebration’ Timed Research

Step 1 of 1

• Catch 5 Pokémon (10 Poké Balls)
• Power up Pokémon 5 times (1 Fast TM)
• Use 5 charged attacks (10 Great Balls)
• Defeat 5 Team Go Rocket grunts (1 Charged TM)
• Battle in the Go Battle LEague 5 times (10 Ultra Balls)

Rewards: 1 Elite Fast TM, Pikachu (World Championships Jersey) encounter

Pokémon Go ‘Great League Greatness’ Timed Research

This is the research you need to watch the Twitch channel for, as mentioned above.

Step 1 of 3

• Catch 3 Pokémon (500 Stardust)

Rewards: 1 Star Piece, 1 Charged TM

After this point, the choices branch, and though the rewards for step two differ, the steps are the same. Pick whichever branch that has the rewards for you.

Step 2 of 3 (Skarmory)

• Use a Charged TM (Skarmory encounter)
• Power up Pokémon 10 times (Vigoroth encounter)
• Defeat 3 Team Go Rocket Grunts (Swampert encounter)

Rewards: 10 Skarmory Candy, 10 Slakoth Candy, 10 Mudkip Candy

Step 2 of 3 (Trevenant)

• Use a Charged TM (Trevenant encounter)
• Power up Pokémon 10 times (Noctowl encounter)
• Defeat 3 Team Go Rocket Grunts (Lanturn encounter)

Rewards: 10 Phantump Candy, 10 Hoothoot Candy, 10 Chinchou Candy

Step 2 of 3 (Azumarill)

• Use a Charged TM (Azumarill encounter)
• Power up Pokémon 10 times (Umbreon encounter)
• Defeat 3 Team Go Rocket Grunts (Mandibuzz encounter)

Rewards: 10 Marill Candy, 10 Eevee Candy, 10 Vullaby Candy

Step 3 of 3

• Battle another trainer in the Great League (500 Stardust)
• Win a trainer battle in the Great League (1,000 Stardust)
• Win 5 trainer battles in the Great League (5,000 Stardust)

Rewards: 1 Premium Battle Pass

Pokémon Go ‘2023 World Championship Celebration’ event Field Research

• Catch 7 Pokémon (Pikachu [World Championships Jersey] encounter)
• Trade a Pokémon (Passimian encounter)
• Catch 7 Pokémon (1,000 Stardust)
• Power up a Pokémon 5 times (Magikarp, Spheal, or Wimpod encounter)
• Power up a Pokémon 10 times (Galarian Zigzagoon or Alolan Sandslash encounter)

Note that the official Niantic page for this event does not list Alolan Sandslash as an encounter — it lists Alolan Sandshrew instead. It may be an error that Alolan Sandslash is being handed out as a reward to players, but we’re rolling with it.

Pokémon Go ‘2023 World Championship Celebration’ event boosted spawns

• Machop
• Onix
• Lickitung
• Chinchou
• Wooper
• Sableye
• Meditite
• Spheal
• Drilbur
• Scraggy
• Bunnelby
• Wooloo

Pokémon Go ‘2023 World Championship Celebration’ event raid targets

• Pikachu (World Championships Jersey)
• Alolan Sandshrew
• Gligar
• Scraggy
• Skarmory
• Galarian Stunfisk
• Passimian