Upcoming Dynamax Raids in Pokémon GO: Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno

A recent, quickly deleted tweet from the official Pokémon GO Saudi Arabia Twitter account revealed an exciting upcoming event: Dynamax Raids featuring the legendary Kanto birds, Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno! The event is tentatively scheduled for January 20th to February 3rd.

This leak suggests the first-ever Dynamax legendary Pokémon will be gracing Pokémon GO. While Dynamax Pokémon were introduced in September 2024, these iconic birds represent a significant addition to the Max Raid roster. Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno have long been fan favorites, previously appearing in standard raids (including their Shiny forms). Their Galarian counterparts even appeared in Daily Incense spawns in 2023, and Shiny Galarian versions have been available since October 2024.

The hasty deletion of the announcement suggests a premature reveal, but the information, if accurate, could revitalize interest in Dynamax Raids. Some players have expressed frustration with the difficulty of Max Raids, particularly the requirement of 40 players for successful completion. The addition of legendary Dynamax Pokémon might increase participation, but it remains to be seen if the difficulty will be adjusted.

This news follows a flurry of other Pokémon GO announcements for early 2025, including:

• Community Day Classic: Ralts on January 25th.
• Shadow Raid Day: Featuring Shadow Ho-Oh on January 19th, with up to seven free Raid Passes available.
• Pokémon GO Fest 2025: Locations confirmed as Osaka, Jersey City, and Paris.

The potential arrival of Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno in Dynamax form opens the door for other iconic legendary Pokémon to receive similar treatment in future Max Raids, mirroring the Dynamax forms of Mewtwo and Ho-Oh seen in Pokémon Sword and Shield. The impact on player engagement and the potential for adjusted difficulty levels remain to be seen.