Hello Trainers! Niantic has pushed a few updates in the background, and woo is there some good stuff here! Including a 36-part Throwback 2020 Special Research, and a possible new Community Day Pokémon!
🚨⚠️ Disclaimer ⚠️🚨
Please be aware that everything posted here has been publicly reported by data miners (PokeMiners). Information shared through these channels is not affiliated nor approved by Niantic, and is always subject to change. Do not take it for granted, features change and get scrapped all the time. It is very important that you are aware that these things CAN and WILL CHANGE. Additionally, this article contains my thoughts and opinions in regards to the code that was shared online – all of these should be treated as conjecture, not as hard statements. If you’re OK with that, feel free to read further. Potential spoilers ahead.
With that said, let’s get into it!
Throwback 2020 Celebration – Special Research
RESOURCE ID: quest_title_throwback_kanto_0 TEXT: Throwback Challenge: Kanto (1/9) RESOURCE ID: quest_title_throwback_johto_0 TEXT: Throwback Challenge: Johto (1/9) RESOURCE ID: quest_title_throwback_hoenn_0 TEXT: Throwback Challenge: Hoenn (1/9) RESOURCE ID: quest_title_throwback_sinnoh_0 TEXT: Throwback Challenge: Sinnoh (1/9)
Holy special research!! Each generation gets its own 9-part Quest. It’ll be interesting to see how they release this, all at once, or in sections. Either way, it’s going to be huge and will probably keep us busy for a while!
New Special Quests
RESOURCE ID: quest_catch_special41_plural
TEXT: Catch {0} Spheal
RESOURCE ID: quest_catch_special42_plural
TEXT: Catch {0} Weedle
RESOURCE ID: quest_catch_special43_plural
TEXT: Catch {0} Starly
RESOURCE ID: quest_catch_special44_plural
TEXT: Catch {0} Seedot
RESOURCE ID: quest_catch_special45_plural
TEXT: Catch {0} Grimer
RESOURCE ID: quest_catch_special46_plural
TEXT: Catch {0} Porygon
Niantic likes to disguise quests for spotlight hours and community days as “Special” quests. So we can’t figure out what they are for, that said these could be for the next Community Day “Vote” event. Or they could be spotlight hour quests.
Move Guesses?
So… Let’s speculate!! If these are potential Community Day Pokémon, let’s have a guess at what their “special” move might be.
Remember: This is all pure speculation, but it’s fun!
Walrein
Walrein
IceWater
Walrein’s former signature move is Ice Ball. A move that inflicts damage over five turns and doubles in power for each consecutive hit. Niantic would obviously have to adjust the move for Pokémon Go, but it would be interesting to see how they did that.
Beedrill
Beedrill
BugPoison
Beedrill’s former signature move was Twineedle. A move does damage with two independent strikes, each with a chance to poison the target. Again, Niantic would have to make adjustments but it would be a very interesting move should we ever be introduced to status effects.
Staraptor
Staraptor
Normal
Staraptor doesn’t have a signature move, so maybe they give it access to Sky Attack? It seems like the logical choice here.
Shiftry
Shiftry
GrassDark
Shiftry doesn’t have a signature move either, so maybe they introduce a new move? Like Leaf Storm? Leaf storm does a lot of damage but also lowers the user’s Special Attack by two stages. Would make an interesting addition to its PvP arsenal.
Muk
Muk
Poison
|
Muk (Alola)
PoisonDark
|
Grimer would be an interesting one, do we get both?
For regular Muk, Fire Punch? Ice Punch?
For Alolan Muk, turn Gastro Acid into a damage-dealing move?
The field is kind of wide open for both versions of Muk, so who knows what direction they would go.
Porygon-Z
Porygon-Z
Normal
Porygon-Z doesn’t have a signature move, so do they give it Giga Impact? Maybe Psychic to help against its only threat’s the Fighting-Types?
Occlusion – Reality Blending
RESOURCE ID: occlusions_tutorial_title TEXT: Reality Blending RESOURCE ID: monodepth_download_prompt_success_message TEXT: Now you can enjoy a more immersive AR experience with your Pokémon! RESOURCE ID: occlusions_forced_on_toast TEXT: Reality Blending enabled RESOURCE ID: occlusions_prompt_toast TEXT: Turn on Reality Blending here RESOURCE ID: occlusions_tutorial_body_forced_on TEXT: This feature allows Pokémon in AR mode to fit more seamlessly into your surroundings and move behind objects. RESOURCE ID: occlusions_tutorial_body_off TEXT: This feature allows Pokémon in AR mode to fit more seamlessly into your surroundings and move behind objects. You can turn this feature on by tapping the Reality Blending button.
This is for the work on Occlusion in AR that Niantic has been doing since 2018. The idea of being able to seamlessly blend Pokémon into their surroundings for AR shots is extremely exciting and could make our AR features even better than they are now, and they are already awesome! (Check out the last one here!)
Incense Text for Abra Community Day
RESOURCE ID: incense_duration_three_hours TEXT: 3 hour Incense duration
As announced, Incense will last 3 hours on Community day. So you’ll only need 2 of them to last the entire 6-hour event.
Conclusions and Speculations
Thirty-Six part special research? Wowza!! That’s awesome!! One huge epic quest for us all to embark on during the event, it’s going to be spectacular.
The list of potential Community Day Pokémon is intriguing as well, some real potential to shuffle the PvP meta there. Or they could be spotlight hour quests and we’ve gotten everybody up in a tizzy for nothing… Who knows! That’s half the fun!
That’s all for now trainers, stay safe out there!
