Pokémon GO's Pokopia Celebration event marks the launch of Pokémon Pokopia on Nintendo Switch 2 with a Ditto-themed extravaganza. The event started on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at 10:00 AM local time and runs through Monday, March 16, 2026, at 8:00 PM local time. Two brand-new costumed Pokémon — Hat Ditto and Cap Ditto — headline the festivities, and both can be shiny. There's a lot packed into this six-day window, so here's everything worth knowing.
Quick answer: Complete the Timed Research and both Collection Challenges before 8:00 PM local time on March 16 to guarantee costumed Ditto encounters with a special Pokopia-themed background. All tasks and rewards vanish after that deadline.
Event bonuses active through March 16
| Bonus | Details |
|---|---|
| PokéStop XP | 2× XP for every PokéStop spin |
| First PokéStop XP | 10× XP for spinning a PokéStop for the first time |
| Shiny boost | Increased shiny rate for Sudowoodo and Zorua in the wild |
| New costume Pokémon | Hat Ditto and Cap Ditto debut (both can be shiny) |
| Ditto disguise shakeup | Ditto's disguise pool changes for the duration of the event |
The 10× first-spin XP bonus stacks nicely if you're exploring new areas. It should also remain active during any overlapping Community Day window, though it won't multiply further with bonuses that don't affect PokéStop spins.
New Ditto disguises during the event
Costumed Ditto can hide as any of the following Pokémon in the wild. When you catch one of these species, and it transforms, you'll receive either a Hat Ditto or a Cap Ditto — the costume appears to be random even when two players catch the same spawn. Be aware that Ditto replacing a wild catch means it won't count toward Collection Challenge progress for the original species.
| Ditto disguise | Type |
|---|---|
| Bulbasaur | Grass / Poison |
| Charmander | Fire |
| Squirtle | Water |
| Pikachu | Electric |
| Hitmonchan | Fighting |
| Scyther | Bug / Flying |
| Marill | Water / Fairy |
| Sudowoodo | Rock |
| Combee | Bug / Flying |
| Drilbur | Ground |
| Timburr | Fighting |
| Goomy | Dragon |
Wild Pokémon spawns
The following species appear at increased rates throughout the event. The officially announced boosted spawns are Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pikachu, Sudowoodo, and Zorua. Several additional species — tied to the Collection Challenges and Ditto disguise pool — are also spawning more frequently in practice.
| Pokémon | Shiny available? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bulbasaur | Yes | Also a Ditto disguise |
| Charmander | Yes | — |
| Squirtle | Yes | Also a Ditto disguise |
| Pikachu | Yes | Also a Ditto disguise |
| Hitmonchan | Yes | Collection Challenge 2 |
| Scyther | Yes | Collection Challenge 1 |
| Marill | Yes | Collection Challenge 2 |
| Sudowoodo | Yes (boosted rate) | Collection Challenge 2 |
| Combee | Yes | Collection Challenge 1 |
| Drilbur | Yes | Also a Ditto disguise |
| Timburr | Yes | Also a Ditto disguise |
| Zorua | Yes (boosted rate) | Collection Challenge 1 |
| Goomy | Yes | Collection Challenge 2 |
Raid bosses
Three-star raids feature classic Gen 1 heavyweights, each with a chance to appear shiny or carry a special Pokopia-themed background. The five-star and Mega raid pools also shifted partway through the event window.
| Tier | Pokémon | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| One-star | Pikachu | Full event |
| Three-star | Lapras, Snorlax, Dragonite | Full event |
| Five-star | Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres | Until March 11 |
| Five-star | Zacian (Hero of Many Battles) | From March 11 |
| Mega | Mega Pinsir | Until March 11 |
| Mega | Mega Steelix | From March 11 |
Lapras, Snorlax, and Dragonite from three-star raids have a chance of receiving the event-themed special background. The same three Pokémon earned through the "Win 3 Raids" Field Research task are reported to have a guaranteed background.
Pokémon Pokopia Timed Research tasks and rewards
This is a single-step quest line with ten tasks. You must complete every task and claim every reward before 8:00 PM local time on March 16 — unclaimed rewards disappear permanently.
| Task | Reward |
|---|---|
| Catch 25 Pokémon | 10 Ditto Candy |
| Explore 1 km | Pikachu encounter |
| Spin 10 PokéStops or Gyms | 5 Great Balls |
| Send 5 Gifts to friends | 3,000 Stardust |
| Catch 50 Pokémon | Snorlax encounter |
| Explore 2 km | 10 Pinap Berries |
| Spin 30 PokéStops or Gyms | 10 Rare Candy |
| Complete 15 Field Research tasks | Tangrowth encounter |
| Catch 75 Pokémon | Cap Ditto with special background |
| Explore 3 km | Hat Ditto with special background |
Completion reward: 10,000 XP and 10 Pikachu Pokopia stickers.
The costumed Ditto encounters from this Timed Research come with a guaranteed Pokopia-themed special background. Both can also be shiny.
Collection Challenges
Two Collection Challenges run for the full event duration. Completing each one counts toward the Elite Collector medal and rewards a costumed Ditto with a guaranteed special background.
Pokopia Collection Challenge 1
| Catch | Where to find |
|---|---|
| Pikachu | Wild or "Explore 1 km" Field Research |
| Combee | Wild or seasonal "Hatch an Egg" task |
| Scyther | Wild or seasonal "Hatch an Egg" task |
| Zorua | Wild |
Reward: Cap Ditto with special background.
Pokopia Collection Challenge 2
| Catch | Where to find |
|---|---|
| Marill | Wild, seasonal task, or "Explore 1 km" Field Research |
| Goomy | Wild |
| Hitmonchan | Wild or "Catch 10 Pokémon" Field Research |
| Sudowoodo | Wild, seasonal task, or "Catch 10 Pokémon" Field Research |
Reward: Hat Ditto with special background.
Event-exclusive Field Research tasks
Spin PokéStops during the event to pick up these tasks. The "Win 3 Raids" task is especially valuable — Lapras, Snorlax, and Dragonite earned this way come with a guaranteed special background.
| Task | Possible rewards |
|---|---|
| Catch 5 Pokémon | 3 Poké Balls, 3 Razz Berries, or 1,000 Stardust |
| Catch 10 Pokémon | Hitmonchan, Sudowoodo, or Scyther encounter |
| Catch a Ditto | 1 Rare Candy |
| Explore 1 km | Pikachu, Marill, or Gulpin encounter |
| Spin 5 PokéStops or Gyms | Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle encounter |
| Win 3 Raids | Lapras, Snorlax, or Dragonite encounter (guaranteed background) |
Special backgrounds and shiny costumed Ditto
The Pokopia-themed special background can appear on five Pokémon during this event: Hat Ditto, Cap Ditto, Lapras, Snorlax, and Dragonite. For costumed Ditto caught in the wild, the background is a random chance. Timed Research and Collection Challenge Ditto rewards always come with the background. Lapras, Snorlax, and Dragonite from Field Research ("Win 3 Raids") also appear to guarantee the background, while the same species from three-star raids only have a chance.
Shiny costumed Ditto is possible from any source — wild catches, Timed Research, and Collection Challenges alike. Players have already confirmed catching shiny Cap Ditto with the special background from wild Sudowoodo transforms.
Free avatar item and stickers
A Ditto Eye Mask is available for free in the in-game shop during the event and will remain available afterward. Event-themed Pokopia stickers featuring Ditto paired with Bulbasaur, Pikachu, Snorlax, and Tangrowth can be obtained by spinning PokéStops, opening Gifts, or completing the Timed Research. Ten stickers come as the final Timed Research completion reward.
With the event deadline locked to 8:00 PM local time on March 16, prioritize the Timed Research and Collection Challenges early. The catch counts add up — you'll need 75 total Pokémon caught and 15 Field Research tasks completed just for the Timed Research — so spreading the work across several days makes the grind far more manageable.