On Monday, Niantic made the announcement that next month's Community Day will feature Swinub. This was an unexpected choice for a featured Pokémon, but it does tell us a bit about what Niantic plans to do with the unreleased cross-generation evolutions and even possible future Community Days.
THE DETAILS
February's Community Day will center around Swinub. It will have the additional bonuses of triple catch Stardust and three-hour Lures. Piloswine's new evolved form, Mamoswine, will be released during or before the event and get a special move. As usual, that move has yet to be disclosed.
Piloswine will need a Sinnoh Stone to evolve. Niantic is helping out by raising the amount of obtainable rewards from Trainer Battles to five for the day of the event, and guaranteeing Sinnoh Stone rewards. If you won't have access to other Trainers to battle against on Community Day, we recommend starting to stock up now by trying for Stones in battles with team leaders and in Research Breakthroughs.
The event is using the times from Totodile's Community Day and Feebas' Limited Research Day. Europe, Africa, India, and the Middle East go first, with their window being from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM UTC on February 16. Greenland and the Americas go next, with their event being from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM PST on February 16. The Asia-Pacific region will once again go last, with their event being from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM JST on February 17.
Piloswine will need a Sinnoh Stone to evolve. Niantic is helping out by raising the amount of obtainable rewards from Trainer Battles to five for the day of the event, and guaranteeing Sinnoh Stone rewards. If you won't have access to other Trainers to battle against on Community Day, we recommend starting to stock up now by trying for Stones in battles with team leaders and in Research Breakthroughs.
The event is using the times from Totodile's Community Day and Feebas' Limited Research Day. Europe, Africa, India, and the Middle East go first, with their window being from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM UTC on February 16. Greenland and the Americas go next, with their event being from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM PST on February 16. The Asia-Pacific region will once again go last, with their event being from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM JST on February 17.
MISSING EVOLUTIONS
When Niantic added the Sinnoh Stone, they were very deliberate with which cross-generation evolutions they released. Electivire, Magmortar, Togekiss, Weavile, Honchkrow, Mismagius, Roserade, Porygon-Z, Gliscor, Dusknoir, and Rhyperior were their selections, and all of them just require an item to evolve in the main-series games.
None of the evolutions that are location-based, move-based, or gender-based were added. Mamoswine falls into the move-based category. As with the list of Pokémon above, Niantic seems to be doing things their way instead of the main-series' way by employing the Sinnoh Stone.
Going off of how Niantic is handling Mamoswine, we expect all the cross-generation evolutions to also need a Sinnoh Stone. That means you'll likely need four additional Sinnoh Stones for Ambipom, Yanmega, Lickilicky, and Tangrowth, plus another four for Leafeon, Glaceon, Probopass, and Magnezone.
Gallade and Froslass, two cross-generation gender-based evolutions, will likely also need Stones. This is not because they are gender-based, but because they also require items in the main-series games. Gender-based evolutions is something Niantic cannot change or do their own way.
None of the evolutions that are location-based, move-based, or gender-based were added. Mamoswine falls into the move-based category. As with the list of Pokémon above, Niantic seems to be doing things their way instead of the main-series' way by employing the Sinnoh Stone.
Going off of how Niantic is handling Mamoswine, we expect all the cross-generation evolutions to also need a Sinnoh Stone. That means you'll likely need four additional Sinnoh Stones for Ambipom, Yanmega, Lickilicky, and Tangrowth, plus another four for Leafeon, Glaceon, Probopass, and Magnezone.
Gallade and Froslass, two cross-generation gender-based evolutions, will likely also need Stones. This is not because they are gender-based, but because they also require items in the main-series games. Gender-based evolutions is something Niantic cannot change or do their own way.
RALTS, TOO?
We've discussed the details of the event, and the likelihood of how Niantic will handle the rest of the cross-generation evolutions. Now let's discuss if Niantic could do this type of event again. February's Community Day will be the first time ever that Niantic uses one of these days to introduce a new species of Pokémon. If all goes well, would Niantic do it again, say with Ralts?
Ralts, a Pokémon that gains an additional evolution in Generation 4, is a highly speculated candidate for a future Community Day. It probably won't happen until at least April, given that the pattern indicates Treecko will star next month. However, Gallade and Gardevoir both seem quite fitting for a Community Day. If Gallade doesn't see the light of day before that event, a Community Day would be quite the way of introducing it.
Ralts, a Pokémon that gains an additional evolution in Generation 4, is a highly speculated candidate for a future Community Day. It probably won't happen until at least April, given that the pattern indicates Treecko will star next month. However, Gallade and Gardevoir both seem quite fitting for a Community Day. If Gallade doesn't see the light of day before that event, a Community Day would be quite the way of introducing it.
Thanks for reading, Trainers!
SOURCE: Niantic | IMAGE CREDIT: Niantic