Legendary Dynamax Raids Emerge in Pokémon GO

Pokemon GO Leak Hints at Dynamax Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno Raids

A premature tweet from the official Pokemon GO Saudi Arabia Twitter account, since deleted, revealed upcoming Dynamax Raids featuring the Kanto legendary birds: Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno. These raids are slated to run from January 20th to February 3rd. This would mark the first appearance of legendary Dynamax Pokémon in the game, following the September 2024 introduction of Dynamax Pokémon in general.

The Kanto birds remain incredibly popular within the Pokémon community. While they've previously appeared in standard raids (including their Shiny forms), and their Galarian counterparts were introduced in Daily Incense spawns (with Shiny variants available since October 2024), this Dynamax iteration represents a significant new addition. The hasty deletion of the announcement suggests the information may have been released ahead of schedule.

The inclusion of these iconic legendaries in Dynamax Raids could revitalize participation in Max Battles. Previously, Max Raids faced criticism due to their difficulty and the requirement of 40 players for optimal success. Whether these challenges persist with the Dynamax legendary birds remains to be seen. The potential for future Dynamax legendary Pokémon, mirroring those in Pokémon Sword and Shield (such as Mewtwo and Ho-Oh), is also a strong possibility.

This leak comes amidst a flurry of Pokemon GO event announcements for early 2025. Confirmed events include a Community Day Classic featuring Ralts on January 25th, a Shadow Raid Day with Shadow Ho-Oh on January 19th (offering up to seven free Raid Passes), and the reveal of Osaka, Jersey City, and Paris as host cities for Pokemon GO Fest 2025.