Niantic has announced the next major Raid Day event for Pokémon GO, and this time, it’s all about Mega Gyarados. Scheduled for the final day of August, this special event gives Trainers worldwide the chance to battle and capture one of the franchise’s most iconic Water-type Pokémon—complete with exclusive rewards, boosted Shiny odds, and valuable bonuses.
Event Date and Time
The Mega Gyarados Raid Day will be held on Sunday, August 31, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time. For three hours, Mega Gyarados will take over Gyms in Mega Raids, giving Trainers multiple chances to add this powerhouse to their lineups. In addition, the Remote Raid Pass limit will be temporarily increased to 20, starting on Saturday, August 30 at 5:00 p.m. PDT and lasting until Sunday, August 31 at 8:00 p.m. PDT.
Key Features and Bonuses
Free Event Features
- Mega Gyarados in Raids: The featured Pokémon will appear frequently in Mega Raids during event hours.
- Exclusive Move: Gyarados caught from Raids will know the Charged Attack Aqua Tail, which deals 55 damage in Trainer Battles and 50 damage in Gyms and Raids.
- Shiny Chance: Trainers will have an increased chance to encounter Shiny Gyarados.
- Remote Raid Limit: The Remote Raid Pass cap is raised to 20 for the event window.
- Free Raid Passes: Spin Gym Photo Discs to receive up to five additional free Raid Passes, giving players a total of six in-person passes for the day.
Event Ticket (Optional, $4.99 USD)
For Trainers who want to maximize their rewards, an optional ticket offers even more perks:
- Eight additional Raid Passes from Gym Photo Discs, raising the in-person total to 14.
- Increased chance of earning Rare Candy XL (for Trainers level 31+).
- 50% more XP from Raid Battles. Combined with the Sunkissed Shores event bonus, ticket holders will enjoy 3× XP from Raids during the event window.
- 2× Stardust from Raid Battles.
- Tickets cost US$4.99, can be gifted to friends at Great Friends level or higher, and must be purchased before 5:00 p.m. local time on August 31. They are non-refundable and not purchasable with PokéCoins.
- The Pokémon GO Web Store also offers an Ultra Ticket Box for US$4.99, which includes the event ticket plus a bonus Premium Battle Pass.
Why You Shouldn’t Miss the New Mega Gyarados Raid Day Event
Mega Gyarados is a Water/Dark-type Pokémon, giving it strong utility against Psychic, Ghost, and Fire raid bosses. Its high Attack stats, combined with defensive coverage, make it a staple for both Raids and Gym battles. The exclusive move Aqua Tail improves its performance in PvE battles, making this an excellent chance to catch a competitive-ready Gyarados.
Like all Mega Raids, defeating Mega Gyarados grants Mega Energy, and the encounter itself is with standard Gyarados rather than its Mega form. The faster your group clears the battle, the more Mega Energy you earn. For team prep, remember that Mega Gyarados is weak to Electric, Fighting, Bug, Grass, and Fairy attacks, giving you multiple counter options.
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This Raid Day is the grand finale to a jam-packed August 2025 schedule. Throughout the month, players are seeing Legendary raids featuring Virizion, Lugia, Ho-Oh, and Necrozma, alongside the debut of Dondozo in the Sunkissed Shores event. August also features a Community Day with Rookidee on August 30. By placing Mega Gyarados at the end of the month, Niantic is closing August with one of the most popular Mega Evolutions in the franchise.
