One year has passed since the exciting release of Generation 9 in Pokémon GO, which was introduced through the Paldean Adventure during the Season of Adventures Abound. Now, with the anticipation building around the gradual release of Generation 8, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the journey we’ve had with Generation 9 in Pokémon GO so far.
As of August 2024, there are a total of 120 Pokémon in the Paldea Dex, covering Pokémon numbered 906 to 1025 in the National Pokédex. Interestingly, Pokémon GO currently only displays up to Pokédex number 1000, which notably omits the box legendaries, Koraidon and Miraidon, numbered 1007 and 1008. This has sparked some curiosity within the community as to when these iconic Pokémon will make their debut.
It’s also important to mention that Pokémon from Pokédex number 1011 onwards are part of the DLC content in the main series games, so we wouldn’t expect to see them in Pokémon GO until the primary Generation 9 roster is more fully represented.
Currently, 42 Generation 9 Pokémon are available in Pokémon GO. Let’s take a closer look at what we’ve encountered so far.
2023 Releases
February
Months before the official release of Generation 9 in Pokémon GO we saw the debut of Gimmighoul and Gholdengo. This was 4 months after the release of Scarlet and Violet and Trainers needed to send a postcard through Scarlet or Violet to get their hands on a coin bag.
September
The official release of Generation 9 was the A Paldean Adventure event and had 20 Pokémon including the three partner (starter) lines. Frigibax was a rare spawn and became a pseudo-legendary. Thankfully it has had some more appearances since!
October
Smoliv debuted during the Harvest Festival event and Greavard during Halloween 2023.
November
Wooper Community Day featured Wooper and Paldean Wooper which introduced Clodsire through evolution to Pokémon GO. Tadbulb debuted during the Festival of Light.
December
Wrapping up the 2023 releases was the Cetoddle family, which released during the Winter Holiday event.
2024 Releases
January
Kicking off 2024 was the release of Annihilape as a new evolution during Raging Battles week, and the Varoom line in 12km eggs during a Team GO Rocket Takeover.
March
Charcadet debuted in eggs during the Pokémon Horizons event.
April
Wiglett unexpectedly debuted with the revamp of biomes. Wiglett is available only near the seaside.
July
And finally we’ve come to the last release of Gen 9 Pokémon in Pokémon GO. Ultra Unlock: Better Together brought us up to the 42 Generation 9 Pokémon currently in GO.
With 42 Pokémon already introduced, 78 are still waiting to debut in Pokémon GO. Among the most anticipated are the box legendaries, Koraidon and Miraidon. These powerful Pokémon could be saved by Niantic for a major event, but their eventual inclusion in the game is something to look forward to.
Another exciting addition on the horizon is the arrival of Paradox Pokémon. These unique forms, first seen in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, are categorised by their connection to time—those in Scarlet are linked to the past, while those in Violet hail from the future. Each Paradox Pokémon resembles a familiar species but with distinct differences, including new types, altered stats, and innovative designs inspired by either ancient history or futuristic concepts.
Terastallization, introduced in Generation 9, is a temporary transformation that gives Pokémon a gem-like appearance and changes their type. In Scarlet and Violet, Trainers use Tera Orbs to initiate this transformation, but once a Pokémon Terastallizes, the Tera Orb loses its energy and needs to be recharged at a Pokémon Center. What makes this mechanic intriguing is the ability to change a Pokémon’s Tera Type to counter its weaknesses. Whether changing Tera Types will be implemented in Pokémon GO remains uncertain, but it could potentially be offered by using a premium item, similar to how Elite TMs change a Pokémon’s moveset. I can see Niantic introducing Terastallization in a manner similar to Mega Evolutions or Dynamax forms, as they have the code set up for it.
As we anticipate the debut of these exciting new features in Pokémon GO, the future of the game looks brighter than ever. With legendary Pokémon, unique Paradox forms, and the potential introduction of Terastallization, there’s a lot for Trainers to look forward to.
What Generation 9 Pokémon are you looking forward to catching?
