Pokémon GO has officially revealed Piplup, one of the franchise's most popular newcomers, for the January 2026 edition of the game's Community Day Classic event. The hugely popular mobile monster-catching game has given fans plenty to be excited about over the past few months, debuting a slew of new Pokemon and shiny variants. Pokémon GO is preparing to launch a brand new holiday event later this month, featuring some festive variations of Pokemon like Sudowoodo and Charjabug. But Scopely is now looking past the holiday to one of the 2026 Community Day events.
Community Days are some of the most popular recurring events in Pokémon GOusually comes once a month. Pokémon GOThe three-hour long Community Day events focus on a particular Pokemon and its evolution, with increased spawn rates and special rewards for evolving the event's star Pokemon. Community Days is also one of the best times for players to farm for shiny variants of special Pokemon, with the event offering increased shiny prices for their main Pokemon along with the boosted spawns. Now, Pokémon GOs latest Community Day Classic event features one of the most popular starter Pokemon from the Sinnoh region.
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January 4, 2026, at 14:00–17:00 local time
Pokémon GO has confirmed that Piplup will play in the game's first Community Day Classic event in 2026. Piplup will benefit from increased spawn and shiny prizes during the Community Day Classic event, with special Field Research missions also providing bonuses such as Stardust, Great Balls and extra Piplup encounters. Players who evolve their Piplup all the way to an Empoleon during the event will also receive a special move on their fully evolved Pokemon, with Hydro Cannon as their Charged Attack. The January 2026 Community Day Classic event will be held on the first weekend of January and will run on January 4th from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM local time.
Piplup's increased spawn rate isn't the only benefit players will get when they catch the penguin starter Pokemon. Players will be encouraged to go out and play during Pokémon GO event, with egg hatch distance reduced to just 25% of their normal distance. Incenses will also be boosted during the event to last for three hours instead of the typical one hour duration, although the boost does not apply to Pokémon GO's Daily Adventure Incense. Lure Modules will see their duration doubled during the Community Day Classic as well, with players able to benefit from a Lure Module's increased spawn for one hour.
The upcoming Piplup Community Day Classic will join another Community Day event that will run in January, similarly featuring a starter Pokemon. Pokémon GO's January Community Day event is scheduled for just a couple of weeks later on January 18th, with fans able to find Grookey at increased prices in the wild. The eighth generation starter Pokemon will likewise see the opportunity for players to pick up the Grass Pokemon's elusive shiny variant during January's Community Day. Grookey's evolution will also receive a special move for players who evolve it into a Rillaboom during the event, featuring the Pokémon's signature move, Drum Beating.
Pokémon GOs new Community Day event will start in 2026 after a busy 2025 for the mobile game. Pokémon GO recently held its year-end Community Day event on the first weekend of December, including every Pokémon featured in Community Days in 2025. Scopely also added the long-requested “Forever Friends” status in December, allowing fans to remotely trade with each other around the world after reaching Pokémon GOhighest friendship level. With Pokémon GO continues to implement new Pokémon and highly requested features, players should have a lot to look forward to in 2026.
- Released
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July 6, 2016
- Engine
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Unit
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
