Everything We Know About Pokemon GO’s Raikou Raid

There’s a new raid happening this weekend featuring the legendary electric-type cat, Raikou, and we have the start times, rewards, and the details if players have the opportunity to catch a shiny version of Raikou

There’s a particular raid happening this weekend in Pokemon GO, featuring the legendary electric-type cat, Raikou. The Pokemon is going to appear for a short time in Pokemon gyms all across the world at specific times. We’re going to break down those start times, how to get involved in the raid, and how likely it is you can acquire a shiny variation of Raikou.

Everything We Know About Pokemon GO’s Raikou Raid

When Do the Raids Start?

The Raikou raids kick off this Saturday, on June 29. Players only have a single day to attempt to acquire the legendary Pokemon. Additionally, there’s a particular time-slot for the raid. It’s going to happen from 4 to 7 PM, in your local time. It won’t all happen at the same time, worldwide. You need to make sure you’re jumping on those gym raids when it’s 4 PM in your timezone, and you only have three hours to complete as many as you can.

How Do You Get Involved in the Raids?

To take part in these special Raikou raids, players need to acquire an item called a Raid Pass. The Raid Pass gives players access to battling Raikou with other players. There are several ways for players to earn a Raid Pass, and there are two different ones. There’s a standard raid pass that players grab from spinning Pokestops for free, and the other is the premium Raid Pass that players can purchase from the Pokemon GO in-game store for 100 Pokecoins.

Usually, players can only acquire one free raid pass per day. However, to encourage player involvement, Niantic announced they’re going to give away five free Raid Passes for players before the Raikou event. Make sure you grab these, so you’re adequately prepared to have as many chances as possible to acquire Raikou.

What are the Rewards for Raiding?

Those who complete the Raikou raid are going to have the opportunity to capture the legendary electric-type. Players are not going to have an easy time of it, and they’re going to need Premier Balls to catch the Pokemon. Premier Balls are exclusively used in raids and drop after completing one. After a raid event ends, this unique item disappears from the player’s inventory. There’s no need to worry if you don’t see them in your backpack after the raid wraps up this weekend.

Is There a Shiny Raikou?

Yes, there is a Shiny Raikou. However, there’s no proper formula for players to rely on or use when they’re chasing after this legendary creature. The shiny version is going to spawn at any of the gyms randomly. Players are going to have to get lucky if they’re seeking a shiny Raikou, and the chances are meager of running into one. If you’re saving your raid passes at the opportunity to catch one, you may do better going with one of the standard ones than sitting a Raid Pass only to have the event expire before using it.

The Raikou Raid event happens tomorrow on June 29, from 4 PM to 7 PM in your local area. Make sure you’re ready to go with a couple of friends, or else you’ll have to hope others in your area show up to help you take down the legendary Pokemon.