Legendary Dynamax Raids Emerge in Pokémon GO

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

A premature announcement from the official Pokémon GO Saudi Arabia Twitter account, quickly deleted, revealed the potential arrival of Dynamax Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno in Dynamax Raids. The event is reportedly scheduled from January 20th to February 3rd. This would mark the first appearance of Dynamax legendary Pokémon in the game, following the introduction of Dynamax Pokémon in September 2024.

The Kanto legendary birds remain highly popular within the Pokémon community. While previously featured in raids (including their Shiny forms), and their Galarian counterparts added to Daily Incense (with a lower spawn rate), this Dynamax iteration represents a significant new addition. The leak suggests a planned expansion of Dynamax Raids to include more iconic legendary Pokémon.

The leak's deletion might indicate the information was prematurely released. The inclusion of these legendary birds in Dynamax Raids could potentially boost the popularity of Max Battles, which have faced criticism for their difficulty and reliance on large player groups. Past Max Raids required 40 players, leading to player frustration. Whether this difficulty will persist with the Dynamax legendary birds remains unknown. The possibility of Dynamax forms for other legendary Pokémon, such as Mewtwo and Ho-Oh (seen in Pokémon Sword and Shield), is also suggested.

This leak comes amidst a flurry of Pokémon 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 Pokémon GO Fest 2025 host cities: Osaka, Jersey City, and Paris.