A new Raid has appeared in Pokémon GO! Announced on Friday, October 14th, 2022 via the official Pokémon GO blog and official Pokémon GO social media channels, Trainers can now participate in Elite Raids. One big question though – what are Elite Raids?
Elite Raids are a new type of Raid Battle and as the name implies they’ll pack an extra challenge. Plus, instead of appearing with a countdown time of one hour or less, Elite Raid Eggs take 24 hours to hatch. When the Raid Egg does hatch, Trainers will only have 30 minutes to battle the Pokémon that hatched out of the Egg in hopes of defeating it for a catch encounter. Not only that, but these Raids can only accept in-person Raid Passes (which means no Remote Raid Passes).
Note: While Elite Raid Eggs take 24 hours to hatch, there have been instances where this isn’t the case. Due to Elite Raids taking place the day after Community Day, the appearance of some Elite Raids has been staggered so there are enough locations where the Bonus Raid Battles after Community Day event can take place.
Check out our guide below for this month’s Elite Raid as well as where you can get the necessary Raid Passes to participate in these Raids:
How to get a Raid Pass in Pokémon GO
Trainers who wish to partake in the event will have to use a Raid Pass at a Gym with an active Elite Raid. There are currently three Raid Pass types:
- Raid Pass (orange) – The daily free Raid Pass. You can get one free in-game daily by spinning a Gym’s PokeStop.
- Premium Battle Pass (green) – A Raid Pass that can be purchased with PokéCoins (Pokémon GO’s premium in-game currency). One costs 100 PokéCoins and can also be found in special bundles or included as bonus items for paid ticket events and more. This pass can also be used in Pokémon GO’s GO Battle League for premium rewards.
- Remote Raid Pass (blue) – A special Raid Pass that can be purchased with PokéCoins. As of May 23rd, 2022, they will not be included in the weekly box bundles for 1 PokéCoin. Prices have also increased – an individual Remote Raid Pass is 100 PokéCoins whereas the 3-pack is 300 PokéCoins. Remote Raid Passes have also been distributed as Research Breakthrough rewards and more. The Remote Raid Passes cannot be used for Elite Raids.
Note: Raid Pass and Premium Battle Pass items can only be used within 80 meters (262 feet) of a Gym.
How many Raid Passes can you get in a day?
Technically, there is no limit to how many Raid Passes you can acquire each day, but there is a limit depending on which Raid Pass type:
- Raid Pass (orange) – You can only get one per day for free by spinning a Gym’s PokeStop.
- Premium Battle Pass (green) – You can have as many Premium passes as you can purchase and hold in your inventory.
- Remote Raid Pass (blue) – You can only hold up to three at a time, but can buy more after using one.
What time is today’s Elite Raid?
Saturday, December 10th, 2022’s Elite Raid can take place at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., or 5 p.m. your local time. It depends on the Elite Raid Egg and where it has appeared.
What Pokémon is featured in today’s Elite Raid?
The Pokémon for Saturday, December 10th, 2022’s Elite Raid is Hoopa Unbound. This Pokémon was previously featured in the previous two Elite Raid events.
Can Hoopa Unbound be shiny?
No, Hoopa Unbound’s shiny version is currently unavailable in Pokémon GO.
Are there any bonuses happening during today’s Elite Raid?
After successfully defeating an Elite Raid, specific wild Pokémon spawns would be active for 15 minutes. These spawns included Pokémon nearby the Gym where the Elite Raid took place (notably Meinfoo, Wooloo, Noibat, and Rufflet) and Legendary Pokémon that were tied to nearby PokéStops. The following Legendary Pokémon appear after defeating an Elite Raid Egg from a specific hour:
Note: Given that this Elite Raid features Hoopa Unbound again, it’s assumed that the same Legendary Pokémon will appear.
- 11 a.m. your local time: Articuno
- 2 p.m. your local time: Zapdos
- 5 p.m. your local time: Moltres
There were issues with the Kanto Legendary birds in the previous Elite Raid events, so it’s unclear if they’ll appear again and/or if the issues will be fixed. If not, please be aware that the catch encounter rates for these Legendary birds will be incredibly low.
Will there be future Elite Raids?
Yes, Niantic has stated that Trainers can “[l]ook forward to another Elite Raid appearing during the Season of Light!” As for when, we’ll just have to wait and see.
More Pokémon GO guides
Looking for more help with Pokémon GO? Check out our other guides!
Pokémon GO’s Season of World of Wonders’ 2024 Pokémon Europe International Championships event guide
Written by Jennifer Burch
Illustrator, designer, writer and big Nintendo geek, you can find Jennifer with an N3DS within reach 24/7. As the oldest of three, she has survived many Mario Party, Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart sessions intact in addition to getting her brothers hooked on some really weird games. (Cubivore anyone?)
