Team GO Rocket returns to Pokémon GO this Friday in the Precious Pals: Taken Over event, plus a Raikou Shadow Raid Day on Saturday

Team GO Rocket are back to their old tricks in Pokémon GO, with the latest Team GO Rocket Takeover event, Precious Pals: Taken Over, running from this Friday January 23th, at 12:00am, and concluding Sunday January 25th, 2026, at 8:00pm local time. A Raikou Shadow Raid Day will also run alongside this event on Saturday from 2:00pm to 5:00pm local time.

Event Bonuses and Activities
The following event bonuses will be active throughout the Precious Pals: Taken Over event:

• Team GO Rocket will appear more frequently at PokéStops and in balloons
• Trainers can use a Charged TM to help a Shadow Pokémon forget the Charged Attack Frustration
• Pokémon caught via one-star and three-star Shadow Raids during the event will have a wider variance of Attack, Defense, and HP.

The following event bonuses will be active on Saturday January 24th, from 2:00pm to 5:00pm local time, specifically for the Raikou Shadow Raid Day:

• Trainers will earn up to five additional free Raid Passes from spinning Gym Photo Discs (for a total of six).
• Increased chance of encountering Shiny Raikou from Shadow Raids.

Additionally, the Remote Raid limit will increase to 20 between Friday January 23rd, at 4:00pm, and Saturday January 24th, at 7:00pm (PST).

Raikou Shadow Raid Day Event Ticket
Trainers will be able to purchase an event-exclusive ticket for the Raikou Shadow Raid Day for US$4.99 (or the equivalent pricing tier in each local currency), granting the following additional bonuses on Saturday, January 24th, from 2:00pm to 5:00pm local time:

• Trainers will be able to receive eight additional Raid Passes from spinning Gym Photo Discs (for a daily total of 14)
• Increased chance to get Rare Candy XL from Raid Battles
• 50% more XP will be received from Raid Battles
• 2× Stardust will be received from Raid Battles

This ticket will only be available in the in-game shop until 5:00pm local time on January 24th. Trainers may gift this event-exclusive ticket to any friend with a Friendship level of Great Friends or higher.

A Raikou Shadow Raid Day Ultra Ticket Box will also be available on the Pokémon GO web store for US$4.99 (or the equivalent pricing tier in each local currency). This box includes both a Raikou Shadow Raid Day Event Ticket, and a bonus Premium Battle Pass.

Collection Challenge
Event-themed Collection Challenges will be available as part of this event. Trainers completing these will receive XP, Stardust, and one Rocket Radar.

Field and Special Research
Free event-themed Field Research is available for this Team GO Rocket Takeover. Trainers completing the Field Research tasks will receive Mysterious Components, Charged TMs, and Fast TMs

Trainers will also have access to a new edition of the recurring Special Research Story involving Team GO Rocket. By completing this Special Research, Trainers can earn a Super Rocket Radar to locate and battle Giovanni, who this time will be taking control of a Shadow Incarnate Forme Thundurus. This Special Research will be available to claim until the end of the current Pokémon GO: Precious Paths Season on March 3rd, at 9:59am local time.

Pokémon Encounters
All Pokémon listed below with a ⁂ next to their name can also be encountered in their Shiny variants.

Grunts' and Leaders' Shadow Pokémon
Team GO Rocket Grunts, along with Sierra, Cliff, and Arlo, will each be encountered using a range of different Shadow Pokémon. As of this event, the following Pokémon can now also appear as Shadow Pokémon:

• Shadow Chespin
• Shadow Fennekin
• Shadow Froakie