When is Blacephelon arriving in Pokemon GO?

After little news surfacing surrounding Blacephalon in Pokemon GO for quite some time, it appears trainers finally have their answer. This particular Ultra Beast will arrive in GO during the Ultra Space Wonders event beginning on May 23, 2024, in the Western Hemisphere. It will appear alongside its fellow Ultra Beast Stakataka (in the Eastern Hemisphere) as a new 5-star raid boss.

Both Blacephalon and Stakataka will appear in Pokemon GO raids when Ultra Space Wonders begins but will persist after the event ends on May 28, 2024.

Trainers will be able to battle, defeat, and capture both Ultra Beasts in 5-star raids until June 1, 2024, at 10:00 am local time. Blacephalon may also appear later on in Niantic's calendar, but this has yet to be confirmed.

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Will Blacephalon be good in Pokemon GO?

The information was revealed as part of the Pokemon GO monthly infographic. There are plenty of other things to look forward to in May 2024, including Shadow Suicune and Necrozma.

In the main Pokemon series, Blacephalon is one of many Ultra Beasts, but some of its features stand out. It has high base Attack and Special Attack stats while having low Defense, HP, and Special Defense.

It's a Fire/Ghost-type species with access to a unique signature move, known as Mind Blown, that deals damage that equals half of a target's HP rounded up.

Blacephalon could be a glass cannon creature in Pokemon GO (Image via The Pokemon Company)

While its Mind Blown move may not arrive in GO (or it may arrive in a very different representation), Blacephalon could still have some applications in PvP and PvE, but it will likely need some help. If its stats translate over to Niantic's mobile title, Blacephalon could make for a quality glass cannon attacker that operates somewhat like Chandelure, but it will need a team to protect it.

Since Blacephalon has incredibly low defense and stamina for an Ultra Beast, it will likely need to be paired with Pokemon that are more sturdy and can counter creatures who exploit Blacephalon's weaknesses to Ground, Rock, Ghost, Water, and Dark-type moves. With a well-rounded team, Blacephalon should be quite a high-octane attacker in Pokemon GO.

Blacephalon's Mind Blown move may not work as it normally does in Pokemon GO (Image via The Pokemon Company)

All of this should certainly be taken with a grain of salt though, as Niantic may see fit to change Blacephalon's stats and available moves ahead of its debut. This Ultra Beast could turn out to be one of the better creatures in the game, or it could fall short of the title of Ultra Beast compared to its counterparts.

While it's too early to tell just how Blacephalon will fit into GO's meta, Ultra Beasts haven't disappointed often thus far. There's hope that Blacephalon will continue the trend.