Rejoice! Pokemon GO Has Resurrected One Its Best Activities - MCE Notices | California State Portal

Pokemon GO has announced that Spotlight Hour will be returning, starting in the month of June. Since launching in 2016, Pokemon GO developer Niantic has made a number of changes to the game, some of which have been more welcome than others. Mobile games often struggle to stay alive and relevant for more than a few years, but Pokemon GO continues to thrive a decade after launching. That 10-year period has had some bumpy moments, as players have often clashed with the developers over the game’s direction.

Niantic’s frequent attempts to preserve the game and keep things heading in a positive direction don’t always land with the Pokemon GO audience. Sometimes that means popular features are removed or altered, often without explanation. That can be frustrating for players, but the constant tinkering is usually to keep things from getting stale. That’s also becoming increasingly important, as Pokemon GO has nearly added every Pokemon from the mainline games.

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Pokemon GO Spotlight Hour Schedule

June 18 – Swinub (2x Candy on Transfers)
June 25 – Wingull (2x Stardust on Catches)
July 2 – Pidgey (2x XP for Evolving a Pokemon)
July 16 – Zubat (2x XP on Catches)
July 23 – Eevee (2x Candy on Catches)
July 30 – Bidoof (2x Candy on Transfers)

Spotlight Hours used to be offered weekly, before the feature came to a temporary end back in March. Pokemon GO brought Spotlight Hours back in April, but only as part of an event where they were held daily, and lacked bonuses. Niantic is now restoring Spotlight Hours to their former glory, with weekly events that begin June 18 from 6 PM to 7 PM local time. This also means Spotlight Hours will be moving to Thursdays, rather than the traditional Tuesday. Bonuses will also make a comeback.

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Niantic has not offered any explanation about why it took so long for Spotlight Hours to return, but fans already seem pretty happy, regardless. The bonuses can be a pretty big deal for some players, especially for those that have been waiting to transfer Pokemon when there’s the opportunity to get bonus Candy. In all the Spotlight Hour events announced for this summer, players might encounter a Shiny version of the corresponding Pokemon. Shiny Crobat’s unique coloration is worth seeking out, so players might want to put in some effort to find a Shiny Zubat during its Spotlight Hour.

Pokemon GO Mega Skarmory flying near a gym

These Spotlight Hours should also help to fill up a busy summer for Pokemon GO. Frigibax will star in a Community Day event on June 20, while Skarmory Super Mega Raid Day takes place June 27. The biggest event of the summer is Pokemon GO Fest, and players can look forward to a global celebration on July 11 and 12. In addition to several other festivities across those two days, Mega Mewtwo X and Y will finally be available.

Find the odd one out before the timer hits zero.

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The return of Spotlight Hours is at least some evidence that Niantic does listen to Pokemon GO players. While the company doesn’t always bend to fan demands, it does seem like there are efforts to do so when possible. It remains to be seen whether Spotlight Hours will consistently appear in the game following those that have been announced, so players will have to wait to see what August brings.