Pokémon Go for iOS Gains New Pokémon, Including Special Edition Holiday Pikachu - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Pokémon Go for iOS Gains New Pokémon, Including Special Edition Holiday Pikachu

by

Popular augmented reality app Pokémon Go was today updated to add brand new Pokémon, introducing Togepi, Pichu, and other select Pokémon that were originally found in Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver.

The new Pokémon can only be found in eggs, which can be obtained from PokéStops. Eggs are hatched by walking a set distance with the iPhone. Niantic and The Pokémon Company are keeping some of the new Pokémon a secret, and have only announced Togepi and Pichu.


From December 12 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time to December 29 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time, Pokémon Go players have a chance to catch a special holiday-themed Pikachu, who is wearing a festive hat for the holiday season. Niantic says the new Pikachu will "appear in large quantities.
"

"Fans around the world fell in love with Pokémon GO for the opportunity to encounter Pokémon--beloved pop-culture and gaming icons for 20 years--in the real world. Matched with the innovative technology and development of the mobile game by Niantic, hundreds of millions of players have filled their Pokédexes with over 100 available Pokémon in Pokémon GO while exploring the world around them," said J.C. Smith, senior director of consumer marketing at The Pokémon Company International. "The opportunity to hatch select Pokémon originally discovered in the Johto region is just the beginning of how more Pokémon will be added to the game for Trainers to continue their Pokémon GO adventures."

Niantic has also established partnerships with companies like Sprint, which will see 10,500 Sprint, Boost Mobile, and Sprint at RadioShack locations turned into PokéStops and Gyms.

Pokémon Go can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

ccrunner_tj Avatar
129 months ago
What about the Apple Watch app? I've been looking forward to that!
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
itsmilo Avatar
129 months ago
w pokemon? you will wait forever. You can buy their bracelet thingy though.
They announced it at the iPhone keynote for winter 16
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
129 months ago
POKEMON GO IS DEAD!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
129 months ago
In addition to the Sprint / Star Bucks deal, it appears that in the Asian market Niantec has struck a deal with Japanese company AEON. There is a brand new pokestop in my area (Hanoi / Vietnam) with their logo on it.

MacRumors content image

Anyone else is upset that since a few updates ago the app lowers the audio volume of iTunes? I now have to bring a separate audio player with me when I go for walks, collecting balls :)
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WRChris Avatar
129 months ago
That's kind of like asking if people still play ice hockey in the cold. If they enjoy it, they will endure the cold weather. I still play in cold temps but I use my car so it's no hardship for me ;-)
Don't brag about playing in the car. Niantic thinks they are traffic cops and can decide when and how I play my own games. Niantic killed this game plain and simple. With every "update", they just took something away. Took them 3 months to show me which Pokémon are at pokestops.
[doublepost=1481580855][/doublepost]Replace NIANTIC with GAMEFREAK and the numbers will slowly return
[doublepost=1481581160][/doublepost]
They announced it at the iPhone keynote for winter 16
Yeah it's coming with the beats x and airpods this winter
[doublepost=1481581536][/doublepost]
When is it decided which pokemon is in an egg? Are the eggs I have now guaranteed not to have Pichu, Togepi, or anyone else new in them, so I should just discard them, or should I go ahead and hatch them?

I suspect it randomly decides which pokemon was in the egg at the time it hatches, but maybe I'm wrong...

Also, this is a poor time of year to update an app like this. I would have held back updates until the spring... I'm not interested in walking around in the snow with my phone out.
It doesn't snow everywhere, the game wasn't designed for you alone anyway.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ArtOfWarfare Avatar
129 months ago
When is it decided which pokemon is in an egg? Are the eggs I have now guaranteed not to have Pichu, Togepi, or anyone else new in them, so I should just discard them, or should I go ahead and hatch them?

I suspect it randomly decides which pokemon was in the egg at the time it hatches, but maybe I'm wrong...

Also, this is a poor time of year to update an app like this. I would have held back updates until the spring... I'm not interested in walking around in the snow with my phone out.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

duo aquarium

More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try

Friday November 6, 2026 3:27 pm PST by
When the iPhone Duo launched, we shared a list of some of the fun apps developers created for the new form factor. Two weeks out, developers are continuing to come up with fresh ideas, so we thought we'd share some of our favorites. Games Marbles Unhinged ($2.99) - Marbles Unhinged is a marble maze designed for the Duo. When you fold it, the floor turns into a ramp. If you stand the top...
apple pro tell logo

Apple Launching Five New Products Today

Thursday November 5, 2026 12:59 am PST by
Apple is launching five new products on Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. The following new products will be available from today: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...
iOS 28 AI

Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28

Sunday November 8, 2026 7:42 am PST by
Apple has made a change to its development process for iOS 28, macOS 28, and corresponding software updates, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, he said Apple separates development of each year's new operating systems into three major stages. Typically, he said each stage consists of four weeks of coding followed by a four-week "convergence" period where...
Latest Stories
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
6 hours ago
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
16 hours ago
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
18 hours ago
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
2 days ago
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
2 days ago
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
2 days ago
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
2 days ago
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
3 days ago
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
3 days ago
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
3 days ago
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
3 days ago
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
3 days ago
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
3 days ago
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
3 days ago
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
3 days ago
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
3 days ago
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
3 days ago
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
3 days ago
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
3 days ago
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
3 days ago
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
3 days ago
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
3 days ago
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
3 days ago
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
3 days ago
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
4 days ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
4 days ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
4 days ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
4 days ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
4 days ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
4 days ago