Complete guide to unlocking Kanto starter trio rewards with strategic tips for Europe’s exclusive Pokemon Go event
What is the Old Friends New Beginnings Timed Research?
European trainers can now access a special limited-time questline designed to welcome returning players to Pokemon Go.
Niantic has launched a region-specific Timed Research initiative called Old Friends New Beginnings exclusively for European territories. This content serves as both a nostalgic callback to the original Kanto starters and a practical incentive for lapsed trainers to re-engage with the game’s core mechanics.
The quest structure focuses on fundamental gameplay elements: buddy interaction, experience accumulation, and Pokemon enhancement. By completing these accessible tasks, participants receive substantial rewards centered around the iconic first-generation starter trio and their evolved forms.
Geographic availability remains restricted to European countries as of the event launch. Niantic frequently uses regional exclusives to test engagement mechanics before wider deployment, making this a potential preview of future global content.
Access windows run from Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at 10:00 AM through Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at 8:00 PM according to local time zones. The entire event spans approximately 30 days, providing ample but not unlimited completion time.
Complete Task List and Rewards Breakdown
The four-stage research progression delivers increasingly valuable rewards centered on Kanto’s iconic Pokemon.
Stage 1: Starter Pokemon Encounters
- Earn 12 Hearts with your Buddy – Bulbasaur encounter reward
- Earn 3000 XP – Charmander encounter reward
- Power up Pokemon 10 times – Squirtle encounter reward
Pro tip: Complete these tasks in reverse order for efficiency. Powering up costs Stardust, so use low-level Pokemon to minimize resource expenditure. The 3000 XP can be earned through excellent throws or evolving Pokemon during a Lucky Egg session.
Stage 2: Candy Bonuses
Completion Reward: 20 Bulbasaur Candy, 20 Charmander Candy, and 20 Squirtle Candy
Strategic note: These candies represent approximately 40% of what’s needed to evolve each starter to its final form. Combine with Pinap Berries during your encounters to maximize candy accumulation for evolution projects.
Stage 3: Mega Energy Allocation
- Claim Reward – 100 Venusaur Mega Energy
- Claim Reward – 100 Charizard Mega Energy
- Claim Reward – 100 Blastoise Mega Energy
Advanced insight: This energy quantity allows immediate mega evolution of each starter’s final form once. For trainers lacking these mega evolutions, this represents significant PvE and raid battle power escalation.
Stage5: Special Bonus Round
Final Reward: Pikachu encounter and 20 Pikachu Candy
Throughout the event duration, buddy heart accumulation operates at double efficiency, meaning each interaction generates two hearts instead of one. This mechanic drastically reduces the time investment for the first stage’s buddy requirement.
How to Access and Complete the Event Efficiently
European trainers must meet specific criteria and employ strategic approaches to maximize this limited opportunity.
Access Requirements and Verification
Geolocation verification occurs through your device’s GPS services. Ensure location permissions are enabled for Pokemon Go, and avoid using VPNs or location-spoofing tools, as these may trigger anti-cheat systems and disqualify you from participation.
Critical timing detail: The research disappears precisely at 8:00 PM local time on June 28. Unlike some timed research that allows completion after acquisition, this questline must be fully finished before the deadline.
Optimization Strategies for Busy Trainers
1. Buddy Heart Farming: With double hearts active, you can earn 12 hearts in just 6 interactions instead of 12. Combine feeding, playing, and battling for multi-heart gains per session.
2. XP Acceleration: Save evolution sessions for when you have the 3000 XP task active. Use a Lucky Egg before mass-evolving to double your progress toward this requirement.
3. Resource Conservation: Power up 10 common Pokemon like Pidgey or Rattata that require minimal Stardust investment. Avoid wasting resources on Pokemon you actually use for battles.
Common Pitfalls and Avoidance Tactics
Mistake #1: Starting the research too close to the deadline. Begin immediately upon availability to account for real-life scheduling conflicts.
Mistake #2: Not utilizing the double buddy heart bonus. This event-specific mechanic significantly reduces time commitment—plan buddy interactions accordingly.
Mistake #3: Wasting Mega Energy on temporary boosts. Save your 100-energy allocations for when you actually need the mega evolution bonus during raids or difficult battles.
Advanced Player Tips and Strategic Insights
Experienced trainers can leverage this event for long-term resource optimization and collection completion.
Buddy System Mastery
The double heart period presents an exceptional opportunity to advance multiple buddies toward best buddy status. Rotate buddies strategically: earn 3 hearts with one buddy (counting as 6), switch to another, and repeat. This approach can yield progress on 4-5 buddies daily during the event window.
Stardust and Candy Economics
Each starter candy reward (20 pieces) has an approximate market value of 4 Pinap Berries if catching wild versions. The Mega Energy rewards (100 each) typically require multiple mega raids to accumulate—this event provides that energy without raid passes or coordination efforts.
Collection completion strategy: If you lack the shiny variants of these Kanto starters, the encounter rewards provide additional rolls at shiny possibilities. While not boosted rates, more encounters statistically increase shiny acquisition chances.
Future-Proofing Your Resources
The Mega Energy obtained persists indefinitely. Even if you don’t currently have Venusaur, Charizard, or Blastoise ready for mega evolution, this energy will be available when you eventually acquire them. This represents future power waiting to be unlocked.
Event precedent analysis: Regional Timed Research often precedes wider releases. European trainers should document their completion strategies, as these may become valuable when similar content launches globally.
We’ll maintain updates regarding potential expansion to additional regions. Meanwhile, European trainers should prioritize this exclusive content while developing transferable skills for future Pokemon Go events.
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