Pokémon GO Goes Wild in August 2025 with Raikou and Ultra Beasts

August 2025 is packed with the most epic month ever in Pokémon GO. Once Shadow Raikou is in the game, GO Fest Global is global, and the month is filled with raids, events, and Rocket encounters, so you have no time to rest.

Shadow Raikou brings new Rocket encounters

Starting August 1, Shadow Raikou will be in Pokémon GO during the Taken Treasures event. Trainers will encounter Team GO Rocket boss Giovanni through a new Special Research story arc where you can catch this powerful Electric-type Legendary in Shadow form.

Throughout the month, Shadow Pokémon will be spawning more often in all areas of the game, so you’ll have more encounters at PokéStops, in the wild, or through Rocket Balloons. And Rocket activity will be more intense during this period, so it’s the perfect time to plan battles, purify, and build your teams.

GO Fest Global brings fusion forms and Ultra Beasts

August 23-24 Pokémon GO Fest Global 2025 is a 2-day event with free and premium ticketed content.

Players can expect rotating habitats, new Shiny Pokémon, and Special Research. Raid lineups will feature Ultra Beasts like Buzzwole, Pheromosa, and Xurkitree. The Necrozma storyline continues during this event with Dusk Mane and Dawn Wings forms.

Trainers who completed July’s Fusion Research will unlock additional Necrozma content during the festival. Global accessibility, rare encounters, and exclusive storyline content make this one of the most anticipated events of the year.

August raid rotations feature Ultra Beasts and returning Megas

Nihilego is in five-star raids to start the month. Then it’s a hemisphere split with Buzzwole in the west and Kartana in the east. Towards the end of the month, Pheromosa and Celesteela will be in the five-star raids.

Mega Raids this month have Mega Swampert, Mega Blaziken, and Mega Diancie returning. Each of these Pokémon is super useful in PvE and competitive play. Their appearances are great for Mega Energy farming and team building.

Spotlight Hours and Community Day bonus windows

Spotlight Hours are every Tuesday from 18:00 to 19:00 local time. The featured Pokémon have not been announced yet, but each hour will have rotating bonuses like double XP, increased stardust, or extra candy. These mini-events are excellent for consistent progress in short play sessions.

Community Day is August 10. The featured Pokémon has not been announced yet, but the event will follow the same format. Players can expect a 3-hour event window, an exclusive move upon evolution, boosted shiny rates, and bonus effects tied to stardust and items.

Themed events all month

Niantic has announced the various shorter themed events to keep the energy going all August.

Out of the Shadows from August 10 to 13 will spotlight Shadow features, and we might see some Johto spawns. Bug Out will follow from August 13 to 16 with Bug-types only and Collection Challenges thrown in. Exploration Day will be on the 17th and will give out bonus rewards for walking and egg-hatching.

Finally, to close out the month, Last Hurrah will be from August 26 to 29. Details are unknown for Last Hurrah, but it will have previous Ultra Unlock bonuses from earlier in the year. These smaller events usually have real rewards for collectors and competitive players.

August 2025 is Pokémon GO on overdrive

That the content has grown to a layering and global scale is evident in this month’s update. Shadow Raikou’s first appearance, GO Fest Global, creates a world’s measurable experience, and the endless streams of raids and events will keep the player who plays regularly invested.

Whether you’re chasing Shinies, maxing out your raid teams, or working through storylines, you don’t get many breaks in August. Prepare your items, manage your storage, and keep your eyes on the alerts. In Pokémon GO, the pace is rising, and this month, the shadows are leading.

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