Pokemon GO: Where to find Pikachu

In Pokemon GO, the Pokemon franchise's enduring mascot enjoys a sizable presence both during regular gameplay as well as during in-game events.

Sporting over a dozen costumes, Pikachu certainly doesn't lack flair. Even without them, its image is iconic and synonymous with the word "Pokemon." For Pokemon GO players hoping to obtain a Pikachu of their very own, there are a number of means to go about this.

While Pikachu can be picked as a starter when starting out in Pokemon GO, there are a number of methods that will allow players to obtain the popular Electric Mouse Pokemon apart from that.

Pokemon GO: Pikachu in the wild, eggs, research tasks, and raids

Fortunately for Pokemon GO's faithful, Pikachu isn't a particularly difficult find. Its popularity and status as an icon ensured Niantic made it available in many ways, and it still appears quite frequently. The three main ways for players to snag their own Pikachu can be boiled down to encounters in the wild, hatching eggs, and raid battles.

In the wild, Pikachu already appears with some frequency during non-event times. Areas considered "industrial," like industrial parks, school campuses, and arid areas that are largely concreted over can help spawn rates of Electric-type Pokemon like Pikachu.

Additionally, players may purchase a Magnetic Lure Module and attach it to a nearby Pokestop. While active, this lure will draw Electric-, Rock-, and Steel-type Pokemon, which can also help in making Pikachu appear for a catch encounter.

Incense may also be helpful, as it causes Pokemon to spawn on the player's location for one hour, but there is no guarantee as to what type of Pokemon will appear.

There's also eggs to consider. In Pokemon GO, placing an egg in an Incubator and moving a certain distance (depending on the egg) will hatch a Pokemon from it. Pikachu has hatched from eggs in the past, but as of May 2021, it doesn't appear to be possible. However, the Pokemon eggs can hatch are changing constantly, and this is subject to change in the immediate future as the month of June approaches.

Pokemon GO's Research Tasks are another solid avenue to find certain Pokemon. Although these are often tied to specific Pokemon, completing these tasks has, at times, led to more Pikachu encounters than they otherwise would've had. This is especially prominent during seasonal events, where fashionable hat-clad Pikachu can appear both in the wild and typically also from research.

Though not a tough battle, Pikachu can also be seen occasionally as a Tier I Raid Boss. As a Tier I, it will only have a few thousand CP, making it very solo-able compared to other raid bosses in Pokemon GO. Beating Pikachu as a raid boss will immediately allow the player to attempt to capture it, giving them a number of Premier Balls depending on their performance in the raid battle.