10 major Pokemon GO highlights of 2023

Pokemon GO has drastically changed over the course of 2023. So many improvements have been made to the game, making it practically unrecognizable from where it was in 2022. The introduction of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's expansion pass had a large impact on some of the events and new encounters in the title during the summer and winter.

With 2023 being one of the biggest years for the Pokemon franchise in general, let's take a look at the changes that have impacted Niantic's spin-off title the most.

Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

10 best moments in Pokemon GO during 2023

1) New Paldea Pokemon

Official artwork for Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

With the Paldea region being all the rage since the release of Scarlet and Violet, Niantic decided to cash in on the hype and release some creatures from the region onto Pokemon GO's live servers.

Though it first started with the starter Pokemon from the region, it has gradually expanded, even including some more niche creatures like Lechonk and Cetoddle.

2) New Mega Evolutions

Mega Rayquaza as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Nine Mega Evolutions arrived in the mobile game in 2023, including some game-changing additions like Mega Rayquaza and Mega Diancie.

Fans also saw the Primal Reversions of Groudon and Kyogre being added to the game. The creatures work very similar to Mega Evolutions but require Primal Energy instead of Mega Energy.

3) World Championships

Some fans may not know that Pokemon GO has become a regular part of the World Championships tournaments hosted in the summer every year. This occasion brings some exciting moments for those interested in the Battle League community.

This time of year is massive for competitive battlers, as Niantic does the last of their fine-tuning to the Battle League to make sure players have fun during the World Championships season. Small changes like moveset additions or attack tweaks can make a big difference in close battles, so many players appreciate these updates.

4) Routes

In July this year, Niantic released the new Routes mechanic that has quickly become loved by the community. These Routes also brought Zygarde and its many different forms into the game.

Over time, Niantic has improved Routes and even introduced a new NPC that rewards trainers who complete these paths with gifts and other rewards.

5) Hatch Days

In 2023, Niantic released a new type of monthly event for players to enjoy. These new Hatch Days are very similar to Community Days, but rather than spawning creatures in the wild, Pokestops will begin dropping 2-kilometer eggs much more frequently with the creature of interest inside.

The spotlight creature also has an increased chance of hatching as a Shiny Pokemon.

6) Pokestop Showcases

Pokestop Showcases were a fairly recent addition to Pokemon GO as a way to give casual players a way to earn some premium rewards if they do not wish to participate in battles.

These contests, which take place at Pokestops, will request a creature of a specific species. The players who enter the best of that species win a variety of rewards, ranging from XP to premium items like Incubators.

7) GO Tour: Hoenn

The yearly GO Tour event was a big one for the community. Though its in-person events were plagued with server issues, it was amazing in the long run.

Not only did players have the chance to catch some rare creatures hailing from the Hoenn region from the third generation, but Primal Groudon and Kyogre were also brought into the game.

8) December Community Day

The final Community Day of the year is arguably the most exciting of the batch. This event features every creature to receive a Community Day this year, giving those who missed out one last chance to get some powerful Shiny Pokemon. In addition, players who fully evolve the Pocket Monsters they receive from this event will receive its special Elite TM move that arrived during the original run.

There are also special raids featuring these returning creatures, which is great for those using Party Play. Special 2-kilometer eggs are also released more often from Pokestops, which hatch into more returning Community Day Pocket Monsters.

9) Autumn Events

Fall is the best time of year for the game, as it brings a bevy of fun events to celebrate different holidays from varied cultures, including Halloween, Dia De Meurtos, and the Festival of Lights. Not only is it nice to see so much representation, but these events also bring some of the rarest and best creatures to the game, like Giratina and Darkrai.

With Ghost-type Pocket Monsters being some of the rarest in the game, the Fall season's events grant many players the chance to catch their fill of these rare specters.

10) Party Play

Along with Pokestop Showcases and Routes, Niantic also introduced proper multiplayer into the game with the new Party Play feature.

Using this feature, players can link up with friends and see each other on the map in real time. They can also take on Party Tasks, which are small missions everyone can complete for rewards.