Pokémon Go’s New Year’s 2026 event is live from December 31 through January 4, inviting players to chase costumed spawns, raid Blacephalon with its Mind Blown move, and chase boosted rewards across raids and field activities. In addition to themed encounters, the event expands the guaranteed lucky trade system so that trades for eligible Pokemon from 2020 now trigger a guaranteed lucky trade. The event also includes a premium research option, boosted spawns, and a collection challenge that ties together the limited-time encounters with practical rewards.
The event centers on two big incentives for players who engage with raids and encounters: double XP and double Stardust from raids. Those extras compound with the premium research option, which carries a price and its own benefits, and they sit alongside a broad slate of spawns, field tasks, and raid targets designed to maximize capture opportunities and trading potential throughout the window of activity.
The New Year’s 2026 event also introduces a premium research ticket priced at 1.99 and including an extra free orange raid pass per day. The premium research is positioned as a value proposition for players who intend to do a lot of raids or who are chasing guaranteed costumed Pikachu encounters. The research path is a single-step progression that yields a Pikachu wearing a party top hat as a guaranteed encounter, along with a couple of premium rewards. The step structure is Catch 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 Pokémon with the party hat variant, followed by a sequence of throwing milestones (five, ten, and fifteen nice throws; five and ten great throws). The overall rewards include the Pikachu encounter, two Premium Battle Passes, and 3,000 Stardust, emphasizing coin value for players pursuing a heavy schedule of raids and special encounters.
The event also enacts a live Collection Challenge titled New Years 2026 that ties together the theme of costumed starters with a straightforward reward track. Participants must catch a Pikachu with a party top hat, Bulbasaur with a party hat, Charmander with a party hat, and Squirtle with a party hat. Completing the challenge nets 2,026 Stardust, 2,026 XP, and 26 Ultra Balls, providing a tangible midway payoff for players who collect all four costumes within the event window.
Field Research tasks and rewards run concurrently with the event’s active period. Spinning a PokéStop during the event period may yield one of several tasks, including Catch 26 Pokémon for 2,026 Stardust or Win a raid for 2,026 Stardust. In addition to these fixed tasks, there is daily Field Research tied to logging in, offering premium items and a flexible reward pool so long as the player has room for a new research task. Example daily tasks include Catch 15 Pokémon with a Lucky Egg or Incense, Spin 5 PokéStops or gyms with a Lucky Egg or Incense, Send 5 gifts to friends with a Lucky Egg or Incense, Transfer 15 Pokémon with a Lucky Egg or Incense, and Power up a Pokémon 10 times with a Lucky Egg or Incense.
Boosted spawns during the event make certain costumed forms easier to find. Spawns include Bulbasaur (party hat), Pikachu (party top hat), Jigglypuff (ribbon), and Hoothoot (New Year’s outfit). Additional spawns include Charmander (party hat), Squirtle (party hat), and Wurmple (party hat), with an increased chance of encountering some of these forms as shiny in the wild for select targets.
Raid targets and schedules receive corresponding adjustments for the event. One-star raids feature Pikachu (party top hat) and Raticate (party hat), while three-star raids include Blacephalon and Wurmple (party hat). Five-star raids feature a rotating roster that includes Pikachu (party top hat), Nidorino (party hat), Gengar (party hat), and Wobbuffet (party hat). Several of these raid targets carry an increased chance of shiny encounters during the event window, which keeps raid activity feeling especially rewarding for players chasing rare skins.
To make the most of New Year’s 2026, players should prioritize raid participation to capitalize on doubled XP and Stardust, while planning ahead for premium research benefits if they intend to chase a large number of costumed Pikachu encounters or maintain a heavy raid cadence. The expanded lucky trade system means that it can be worthwhile to identify eligible 2020–era trades for guaranteed lucky outcomes, particularly if friends or local communities are coordinating large trades and exchanges during the event. The event’s structure — a combination of timed research, collection challenges, field tasks, and boosted spawns — rewards players who engage across multiple activity streams rather than focusing on a single aspect.
As with any limited-time event, timing is critical. The New Year’s 2026 event runs from December 31 through January 4, and players should monitor Niantic’s official updates and the guide summary from Polygon for any adjustments to spawn pools, raid rotations, or reward changes. The event’s notes emphasize practical gains over hype, delivering clear incentives for raiders, collectors, and casual players alike.
For players who want to put the guide into action, the core strategy is to balance participation across raids, field tasks, and collection goals. Engage with premium research if the intent is to chase guaranteed encounters and maximize daily raid passes, then funnel effort toward the five step goals in the timed research and the four-monster collection challenge. Take advantage of boosted spawns to target the costumed Pokémon and to increase odds of shiny appearances in raids and the wild. Finally, leverage network opportunities to coordinate trades, especially those involving 2020 Pokémon, to trigger guaranteed lucky trades as part of the broader end-of-year event cadence.
This guide consolidates the event details from the Polygon event coverage and Niantic’s official messaging, providing a practical, no-nonsense pathway through the New Year’s 2026 festivities. Players should approach the event with a plan that aligns with their goals—whether that means collecting every costume, maximizing raid loot, or expanding their lucky trade portfolio—while staying flexible to in-game updates and any adjustments issued during the event period.
