Pokemon GO: How to get Gigantamax Gen VIII starter for free

You can get one of the three Gigantamax Gen VIII starters for free in Pokemon GO using the code GOFESTMAX. It was announced during the Pokemon Presents event of July 22, 2025, and will be available for redemption until midnight UTC on August 3, 2025.

For additional context, the Gigantamax Gen VIII starters — Rillaboom, Cinderace, and Inteleon — were available during 2025's Pokemon GO Fest events. As we lead into the Finale, which will also mark the release of Eternatus, you can get one of these for free without having to take them out in battle by completing a Timed Research. Notably, the research story will expire at 9 pm local time on August 24, 2025.

How to redeem code to get free Gigantamax Gen VIII starters in Pokemon GO

The following is the code you must redeem to acquire one of these special creatures:

Check out the current Pokemon GO raid bosses that you can encounter in-game

GOFESTMAX

You can redeem this by following these steps:

Visit the Pokemon GO Web Store.
Sign in to your Pokemon GO account.
Enter the code and press enter.
Open the game on your mobile device and you will receive a notification about successful code redemption.

Also read: Pokemon GO Steel and Scales overview

Rillaboom vs Cinderace vs Inteleon: Best choice for free Gigantamax Gen VIII starter in Pokemon GO

Rillaboom, Cinderace, and Inteleon are the top Gigantamax attackers of their respective types. Therefore, the one you pick will most likely be based on what you have in your collection.

Also read: How to solo defeat Lunala in Pokemon GO 5-star raids

As a rule of thumb, follow this:

If you have G-Max Venusaur and G-Max Charizard but neither Urshifu nor Kingler, go with Inteleon.
If you have G-Max Kingler and G-Max Venusaur but not Charizard, go with Cinderace.
If you have G-Max Charizard and G-Max Kingler, but no Venusaur, go with Rillaboom.

Whichever creature you pick will also have a special season-specific background.

Check out our other Pokemon GO guides:

About the author

Abhipsito is an Esports and Gaming Journalist at Sportskeeda. He has a Master's degree in English Literature from the University of Delhi. A self-identified pop culture enthusiast, he spends his free time thinking, reading, doing theatre, watching films and shows or trying to wiggle his way out of Valorant elo-hell.

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Edited by Abhipsito Das