Complete guide to Pokemon Go Hidden Gems season with new Pokemon debuts, Shadow Raids, and optimization strategies
Hidden Gems Season Overview and Timeline
Pokemon Go’s eleventh seasonal installment, Hidden Gems, officially launches following the Rising Heroes season with exciting new content and gameplay enhancements.
The Hidden Gems season represents a treasure-hunting theme where trainers will discover rare Pokemon and exclusive rewards throughout the summer months.
Season 11 officially commences on Thursday, June 1, 2023, and concludes on Friday, September 1, 2023, providing three full months of exploration and collection opportunities.
This season introduces a beach and gemstone theme, perfectly timed for summer gameplay with increased outdoor activity.
Strategic planning is crucial – mark your calendars for key events and prepare your inventory for optimal gameplay throughout the season duration.
New Pokemon Debuts: Sandygast and Carbink
Sandygast and its evolution Palossand make their Pokemon Go debut during the Water Festival: Beach Week event starting June 6, 2023.
This Ghost/Ground-type Pokemon from Alola region features unique sand castle aesthetics and requires 50 Sandygast Candy to evolve into Palossand.
Carbink, the Jewel Pokemon from Generation 6, also joins the roster though Niantic has not yet announced its specific debut timing.
As a Rock/Fairy-type, Carbink brings unique type combinations to battles and may have future evolution potential when Diancie becomes available.
Pro tip: Focus on catching multiple Sandygast during Beach Week to ensure you have enough candy for evolution and potential shiny hunting later.
Shadow Raid System and Articuno Debut
Shadow Raids return with updated scheduling beginning Monday, June 5, 2023, at 10:00 AM local time.
One-star and Three-star Shadow Raids will appear daily, while Five-Star Shadow Raids exclusively occur on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the season.
Shadow Articuno debuts as the featured Five-Star Shadow Raid boss and will be available in its rare shiny variant for fortunate trainers.
Advanced strategy: Prepare Rock-type counters like Rhyperior, Tyranitar, and Rampardos for Articuno raids, and coordinate with local communities for weekend Five-Star raids.
Common mistake: Don’t waste raid passes on low-tier Shadow Raids if you’re focusing on Legendary encounters – prioritize weekend scheduling.
Community Days and Encounter Opportunities
Four Community Day events are scheduled throughout the Hidden Gems season, though featured Pokemon have not yet been announced.
Based on seasonal theme, potential candidates include Rock, Ground, or Water-type Pokemon that fit the “hidden gems” concept.
Wild encounters will feature seasonally appropriate Pokemon, though Niantic typically doesn’t reveal complete spawn lists beforehand.
Egg pools refresh with new possibilities – prioritize 7km and 12km eggs for potentially rare hatches during the season.
Remember: Pokemon marked with an * may appear as shiny, so always check each encounter carefully.
Optimization tip: Use daily adventure incense during peak spawn hours and focus on biome-specific areas for targeted Pokemon hunting.
Season Bonuses and Reward Systems
Research Breakthrough rewards provide consistent encounter opportunities with various Pokemon throughout the season.
The Hidden Gems season introduces enhanced trading benefits including one additional Special Trade per day beyond the standard limit.
Trainers receive one extra Pokemon Candy for every trade completed, accelerating collection and evolution progress.
Level 31 and above trainers gain Candy XL when trading, providing crucial resources for powering up competitive Pokemon.
Advanced strategy: Use the extra Special Trade for regional exclusives or lucky Pokemon attempts, and trade distance Pokemon for bonus candy.
That covers the essential Hidden Gems season content – prepare your strategy and enjoy three months of treasure hunting in Pokemon Go!
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