Pokémon Go Rolls Out Lunar New Year Event Featuring Gimmighoul and Bonus Golden PokéStops
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Pokémon Go's Lunar New Year 2026 event brings golden PokéStops, boosted shiny rates, and trading perks, detailed by Polygon.
Niantic is welcoming the Year of the Horse with the latest Pokémon Go seasonal update. Running from February 17 to 21, the Lunar New Year 2026 event puts horse and red Pokémon front and center across the mobile map. Players can expect increased chances of securing Lucky Pokémon from trades and becoming Lucky Friends. A nice quality of life bonus is the random appearance of golden PokéStops without needing to burn a Golden Lure Module, giving everyone an easier path to farm Gimmighoul Coins for that elusive Gholdengo evolution. For those hunting shiny variants, Gimmighoul can appear in its shiny form during the event, making it a good time to pull out your Coin Bags and clear some storage.
As usual for mobile live service updates, the event features a mix of free perks and paid additions. A $1.99 premium Timed Research track is available for players looking to boost their encounter rates for Blitzle and Darumaka, which also carry higher shiny rates for the duration. The ticket rewards include two hundred Poké Coins, two Lucky Eggs, and an Incense. Meanwhile, a free Collection Challenge offers a Turtonator encounter and twenty four hundred Stardust for players who complete the checklist before the timer runs out on February 21.
Wild spawns have shifted to highlight the thematic color palette and animal inspiration, alongside increased numbers of featured event spawns in the wild. For a full breakdown of the specific research tasks, exact spawn tables, and collection requirements, you can check out the comprehensive guide over at Polygon. Events like this continue to keep the mobile community active, blending casual collection loops with social trade incentives that remind us why location based games remain a staple of our daily routines.
Tags: Pokémon Go, Mobile Gaming, Niantic, Gaming News
Original article: Polygon