Pokémon GO Tours Conclude, Unveiling New Shiny Pokémon

The highly anticipated Pokémon GO Tour 2026 concluded its in-person events in Tainan, Taiwan, and Los Angeles, California, on Sunday, February 22, delivering exclusive gameplay, rare Pokémon debuts, and a brand-new night-time experience to thousands of dedicated trainers. These simultaneous global gatherings marked a significant milestone for the popular mobile game, introducing the coveted Shiny Diancie for the first time, alongside Mega Victreebel and Mega Malamar, and other sought-after Pokémon.

Organized by Niantic, the developer behind Pokémon GO, the events in Tainan and Los Angeles ran from February 20 to February 22, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. Ticket holders gained access to exclusive gameplay features, unique Pokémon spawns, special raids, and various in-game bonuses. The highlight for many was the debut of Shiny Diancie, a mythical Pokémon that players could only encounter during these tours. Additionally, Shiny Klefki, Hawlucha, and Honedge made their first appearances in the game, adding to the allure for collectors.

Pokémon GO Tour 2026 Exclusive Experiences

A notable innovation at this year’s Pokémon GO Tour was the introduction of the Mega Night event. This ticketed evening experience, available as an add-on to the main event ticket, offered trainers an entirely new way to engage with the game after the daytime festivities. This marked the first time such a night-time event was available at a Pokémon GO Tour, providing extended opportunities for gameplay and community interaction. The core events also featured the debut of Mega Victreebel and Mega Malamar, expanding the roster of powerful Mega Evolved Pokémon available to players.

Precious Paths Season Culmination

The Pokémon GO Tour 2026 events in Tainan and Los Angeles took place during the final month of the game’s ongoing Precious Paths season, which began on December 2, 2025, and is set to conclude on March 3, 2026. This season has been characterized by a build-up to the broader Pokémon GO Tour: Kalos, emphasizing new costume Pokémon, the return of Master Ball Special Research, and various season-long bonuses. These bonuses included an additional Special Trade per day, increased Stardust for the first catch, and enhanced friendship bonus damage in raids, all designed to keep trainers engaged throughout the season, as reported by Pokémon GO Hub.

Concurrent Events and Raid Battles

Beyond the exclusive GO Tour events, the week of February 16-22, 2026, was packed with other activities for Pokémon GO players. The Lunar New Year 2026 event ran from February 17 to February 21, offering increased chances for Lucky Friends and Lucky Trades, along with higher encounter rates for Shiny Blitzle, Shiny Darumaka, and Shiny Gimmighoul. In terms of raid content, Solgaleo and Mega Sableye returned to Five-Star and Mega Raids respectively from February 16 to February 21. Additionally, Origin Forme Palkia featured prominently in Five-Star Raids during the broader Road to Kalos event, offering trainers a chance to catch this powerful Legendary Pokémon with an exclusive background, according to Bleeding Cool. Weekly events like Spotlight Hour, featuring Horsea with 2x transfer candy, and Raid Hour, spotlighting Solgaleo, also provided consistent engagement opportunities for the global player base.

The successful execution of dual-location, in-person GO Tour events, coupled with new content debuts and a novel night-time experience, underscores Niantic’s continued strategy to blend real-world exploration with digital gameplay, fostering a vibrant and evolving community around Pokémon GO.