A feature of Pokémon GO that I have a love-hate relationship with is Research. They can be one of the most exciting and rewarding features with lots of Trainers pushing to finish any research stories as quickly as possible. Or they can be the complete opposite… catch 10 Kecleon and catch a Ditto I’m looking at you… Research in Pokémon GO comes in various different forms. In this guide, we’ll explore the different research types available, including Timed Research, Paid Research, Field Research, and Special Research and Level-Up Research.
You’ll receive a notification on the bottom-right corner of the screen when you collect or make progress on your tasks. For each task you complete, you’ll unlock a reward. The more challenging a research task is, the greater the reward. When you complete a series of research tasks, you’ll unlock even more rewards.
Where can I find my current research?
First things first, let’s find the research tasks. On the bottom righthand corner of the screen in-game is a pair of binoculars. If this icon is orange, it means you have completed research and you need to claim the rewards. Otherwise, expect this icon to be light grey.
Clicking on the binoculars takes you to the Today tab. On the Today tab you can see your field research tasks and progress to the field research encounter. More on this later…
Swiping to the right will pull you over to the Events Tab. The events tab will hold all timed research for current event that are taking place and any associated collection challenges.
Swiping to the left will take you to the Special Research tab. These research stories are often multiple parts and can be collapsed to save you scrolling through them all. A history of all completed research can be seen on this page too!
Timed Research
Timed Research is a time-sensitive set of tasks that players can complete to earn rewards. These tasks are typically related to ongoing events within the game. The tasks and rewards are progressively unlocked, and successful completion leads to valuable items, Pokémon encounters, and other bonuses. As the research is often linked to the theme of a current event, this research will expire if you do not complete it within the time frame.
Collection Challenges
Collection Challenges are a type of Research that has you fill out a collection by catching, trading, or evolving specific Pokémon with various rewards at the end. These typically coincide with events.
You can view your medal of completed collection challenges in the medals part of your Trainer screen. The Elite Collector medal has a green centre with the number of collection challenges you have completed.
Field Research
Field Research consists of tasks that players can pick up from PokéStops by spinning the Photo Disc. You can collect one Field Research task per PokéStop per day. These tasks range in difficulty and often involve catching specific Pokémon, making excellent throws, or battling in raids. Check out the current Field Research tasks here.
You can collect and make progress on up to 4 Field Research tasks at a time. However, you can only collect up to 3 tasks from PokéStops; the fourth slot only opens up if you receive Bonus Research with 3 tasks already in your inventory.
After you complete a task and tap to claim its reward, you free up space to collect another task. If you find a task too difficult, you have the option to discard it. Tap the trash button in the corner of a task to discard it.
Completing a Field Research earns players a stamp (limited to one per day), and after collecting seven stamps, they achieve a Research Breakthrough, which grants additional rewards and a special reward encounter.
Field Research tasks may also reflect the current Season or in-app event and appear with a gold border and the label “Event.”
Tip: You can complete Field Research tasks together with friends. You and your friends will receive the same Field Research task if you visit the same PokéStops on the same day.
Sponsored Field Research
Sponsored Research is a type of Field Research that can only be collected by visiting sponsored locations.
If you spin the Photo Disc at a sponsored in-game location, you may receive a special type of Field Research: Sponsored Research. Sponsored locations appear on the Map with a marker to distinguish them from other locations. The Photo Disc will also display a “SPONSORED” label at the top. Spin the Photo Disc at sponsored locations to collect Sponsored Research.
Sponsored research will appear alongside other Field Research tasks in your Binoculars menu, distinguished by a colored banner and the “Sponsored” label. It behaves just like other Field Research tasks in that you can collect one Sponsored Research task per sponsored location per day, you can discard the task and completing it will make progress towards your Research Breakthrough.
Special Research
Special Research is a story-driven questline typically provided by Professor Willow and the other characters of Pokémon GO. Trainers embark on these journeys to complete a series of tasks and uncover the secrets of the Pokémon world. Special Research often introduces players to legendary or mythical Pokémon and offers substantial rewards upon completion. These quests are more structured and provide a narrative element to the game, making them an enjoyable and immersive experience for players of all levels.
Unlike Field Research, Special Research cannot be obtained by spinning PokéStops, completion doesn’t award Stamps, and tasks cannot be discarded. Rather, Professor Willow will contact you directly to request assistance with Special Research. These tasks will take you on a multi-part journey to make important discoveries.
Sometimes Special research will take a while and that is okay! You do not need to rush through these tasks, but they’re a fun thing to focus on if there is a lull in the game’s events schedule.
Paid Research
Paid research tickets can be bought from the shop to enhance events such as Raid Days. They are right at the top under the banner ‘Global Events’. You can buy these tickets for yourself or gift them to anyone you are Great Friends or higher with.
Some paid research is Timed Research whereas others is Special. Remember to check this before you buy the ticket to make sure you’ll be able to complete it within the timeframe.
Masterwork Research
Masterwork Research is a paid research type that offers a series of challenging tasks and rewards for those willing to invest in special research. While it may require an in-game purchase, completing Masterwork Research can yield unique and powerful Pokémon encounters, items, and other exclusive bonuses. Masterwork Research is a great option for trainers seeking additional challenges and rewards beyond the regular gameplay experience.
Bear in mind that these research tasks are designed to be hard and will take you a while to complete. So far we have seen great Pokémon locked behind these research stories like shiny Mew, Jirachi and Shaymin.
Community Day Research
During special Community Day events, players can opt to purchase a Community Day research ticket. This paid research provides a set of tasks related to the featured Pokémon of the day. Completion of these tasks grants players exclusive rewards, including extra Stardust, encounters with the featured Pokémon, and sometimes even special moves for the evolved form. Community Day Research is an exciting way to enhance your Pokémon collection and take advantage of limited-time bonuses.
Community Day can be enjoyed just as much with or without these tickets, so it’s up to you if you feel like you want to have this research. Bear in mind, it can be tricky to complete community day research after the day has ended, as they are not often Pokémon that spawn regularly in the while. Having to wait until the December round-up community day to complete research from February can be quite annoying (as special research cannot be deleted).
Tip: During community days, all Field Research changes to ‘Catch 3’ of the featured Pokémon. Try to stack up on these tasks that reward a Pokémon encounter to increase your chances of getting a high IV shiny.
Level-Up Research
Certain levels will require you to gain XP and complete Level-Up Research before you’re able to move onto the next level. Level-Up Research will appear automatically in your Trainer Profile once you’ve reached level 40.
You can check out our guide of levels 40-50 research with some tips on how to complete them here.
Conclusion
Understanding the different research types in Pokémon GO is crucial for maximizing your experience and rewards. Whether you’re tackling timed challenges, investing in paid research for exclusive rewards, completing daily Field Research tasks, or embarking on epic Special Research quests, each type offers a unique and enjoyable way to explore the Pokémon GO universe. So, put on your trainer hat, grab your Poké Balls, and embark on an exciting journey filled with discovery and adventure!
