TL;DR
- Galar region Pokemon debut in Ultra Unlock Part 3 from August 20-31
- Zacian raids run August 10-26, Zamazenta takes over August 26-September 1
- Wild spawns include Wooloo, Falinks, plus shiny Galarian forms
- 7km eggs contain exclusive Galarian form Pokemon
- Event connects to Hoopa’s dimensional powers for future content
After five years of continuous development, Pokemon GO achieves a significant milestone by introducing creatures from the latest main series games. The Galar region, originally featured in Pokemon Sword and Shield, makes its grand entrance through a special limited-time celebration.
During the recent Pokemon Presents showcase, developers announced that Galarian species will debut starting with Ultra Unlock Part 3. This highly anticipated event commences on Friday, August 20, showcasing fan-favorite Wooloo from the Sword and Shield titles. More importantly, the legendary mascots Zacian and Zamazenta will headline five-star raids, bringing their formidable power to mobile battles.
The Ultra Unlock bonus event spans from Friday, August 20, at 10:00 AM local time through Tuesday, August 31, at 8:00 AM local time. Players receive approximately 11 days to encounter the new Galar species and challenge what may become the game’s most powerful legendary duo to date.
While Niantic hasn’t revealed the exact number of Galar region Pokemon being introduced, trainers can anticipate encountering Wooloo, Dubwool, Greedent, Skwovet, and Falinks in wild spawns during the event period. For collectors seeking rare variants, shiny versions of Galarian Meowth, Weezing, Stunfisk, and Farfetch’d will be available, significantly increasing shiny hunting opportunities.
Galar representation in Pokemon GO previously consisted solely of regional variants. This pattern continues with several new Galarian forms being added exclusively to 7-kilometer eggs, requiring dedicated egg hatching efforts to obtain these special Pokemon.
Pro Tip: Focus on areas with high spawn density and use Incense to maximize encounters with the new Galar species. The shiny rate for Galarian forms typically follows the standard 1 in 500 odds, though some species may have boosted rates during events.
Although encountering Galar region Pokemon in the wild provides excitement, the event’s highlight undoubtedly involves obtaining the legendary duo Zacian and Zamazenta through five-star raid battles.
As the iconic mascots for Sword and Shield, these legendary Pokemon have maintained prominence throughout the franchise recently. Now mobile trainers get their opportunity to capture these powerful creatures. To ensure all players can target both legendaries, they’ll appear in raids during separate time windows.
Zacian leads the legendary debut, appearing in raids from Friday, August 10, through Thursday, August 26. This provides one week to secure Zacian before Zamazenta assumes control during the event’s final segment from Thursday, August 26, to Wednesday, September 1. Since future raid reappearances remain unconfirmed, capture them during their initial availability period.
Battle Preparation: Zacian and Zamazenta possess unique typings and move sets that require specific counters. Prepare teams with strong Poison-type attackers for Zacian and Fighting-type specialists for Zamazenta. Coordinate with local trainers through discord servers or campfire groups to ensure successful raids.
The sudden arrival of Galar region Pokemon in Pokemon GO appears connected to the mythical Pokemon Hoopa, previously teased earlier this month. Hoopa’s dimensional manipulation abilities theoretically explain how Galar species are crossing into the Pokemon GO universe.
Industry experts anticipate Hoopa will debut in-game relatively soon, potentially through special research tasks or exclusive events. This aligns with Niantic’s pattern of using mythical Pokemon to introduce major content updates and regional expansions throughout the game’s history.
Strategic Insight: Veteran players should conserve premium battle passes and rare candies for potential future legendary and mythical encounters. The Weapons Unlock strategy of preparing resources in advance applies equally to Pokemon GO’s event planning.
Action Checklist
- Stock up on raid passes and coordinate with local raid groups
- Prepare type-advantage teams for Zacian (Poison-types) and Zamazenta (Fighting-types)
- Clear egg inventory space for 7km eggs containing Galarian forms
- Identify high-spawn density areas and plan farming routes
- Track local time zones for exact raid transition times between legendaries
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Zacian, Zamazenta, and more from Galar coming to Pokemon GO Complete guide to Galar region Pokemon debut, legendary raid schedules, and shiny hunting strategies