Pokemon GO Accidentally Reveals Upcoming Legendary Dynamax Raids

Pokemon GO Leak Hints at Dynamax Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno Raids

A prematurely released tweet from the official Pokemon GO Saudi Arabia Twitter account revealed upcoming Dynamax Raids featuring the Kanto legendary birds: Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno. The post, quickly deleted, indicated these raids will run from January 20th to February 3rd. This would mark the first appearance of legendary Dynamax Pokémon in the game, following the September 2024 introduction of Dynamax Pokémon in general.

The Kanto birds have consistently been fan favorites, previously appearing in standard raids alongside their Shiny variants. While the Galarian forms appeared in Daily Incense spawns (with lower spawn rates) in 2023, and their Shiny counterparts since October 2024, the addition of Dynamax versions represents a significant new addition.

The leak suggests a potential strategy to boost the popularity of Max Raids, which have faced criticism for their difficulty and reliance on large player groups (40 players). The introduction of Dynamax legendary Pokémon may attract more players, but the challenge level of these raids remains unknown. Previous Max Raids in October 2024 drew negative feedback due to their difficulty.

This leak comes amidst a flurry of Pokemon GO event announcements for early 2025. Confirmed events include a Community Day Classic featuring Ralts on January 25th, a Shadow Raid Day with Shadow Ho-Oh on January 19th (offering up to seven free Raid Passes), and the announcement of Pokemon GO Fest 2025 host cities: Osaka, Jersey City, and Paris. The inclusion of Dynamax legendary birds suggests that other iconic legendary Pokémon may receive the Dynamax treatment in future Max Raids, potentially mirroring the Dynamax forms seen in Pokemon Sword and Shield.