Pokémon Go 2017 Events: Gen 2, Legendary Birds, Shiny Pokémon, Mewtwo, Region Unlocking Expected

Niantic recently held a Twitter Poll to get players’ opinion on Pokémon Go events expected in 2017. The results were announced on Jan. 12 and 54 percent of the respondents chose a Halloween Celebration, 18 percent chose a Thank You event, while Holiday Season Part 1 and Part 2 got 9 and 19 percent respectively.

While 2016 was full of ups and downs for the game, if we go by the game’s popularity in the last quarter of 2016, it has a good year ahead of it — provided it matches up to players’ expectations.

In the past, players have lost interest in the game due to the lack of regular updates. Niantic is taking care to not make the same mistakes again and the poll is an example of this.

The company has already held its first 2017 event, pushing out the New Year's update as a part of its Christmas event. But while the company themed its 2016 events as holiday events, for players, the events were more about the updates that came with them, such as Baby Pokémon and Santa hat Pikachu.

While Niantic has so far been tight-lipped about the updates it will be pushing out this year, here are five updates that Pokémon Go is expected to get this year:

Gen 2 Pokémon

The Gen 2 Pokémon update will most likely be the biggest Pokémon Go update till date. It is expected to bring out hundred new Pokémon. The flood of new Pokémon could make the game more engaging for many players and give them a lot of options when they go out to capture Pokémon.

Niantic did mess up with the Baby Pokémon update as it offered only a limited number of new Pokémon — failing to match up players’ expectations.

The timeframe for the rollout of Gen 2 Pokémon is not known yet.

Legendary Pokémon

Niantic is finally expected to roll out a Legendary Pokémon update soon. The update is expected to bring along Articuno, Moltres, and Zapdos. All Legendary Pokémon are Bird type Pokémon and are expected to come out as a part of a spring-themed event, which might take place sometime around May 2017.

Shiny Pokémon

Shiny Pokémon are expected to add some new design aspects to Pokémon Go. Shiny Pokémon are expected to have a colored reskin which would be built into the game’s animation. They might even have a 3D version.

The emergence of Shiny Pokémon would make the game easier on the eyes and may even entice players into catching more Pokémon.

While Shiny Pokémon have appeared earlier in the datamine of the game done by the Silph Road Pokémon Go community, there is no timeframe or confirmation from Niantic regarding them so far.

Mew/Mewtwo

Mew and Mewtwo are long-awaited Pokémon for Pokémon Go players. Mew and Mewtwo are special because they are both powerful and can be stacked in gyms. Niantic might have to figure how to include them in the game and is expected to go for a ‘landmark spawn’, which could see players working with each other to capture Mewtwo.

Niantic has already achieved success with Ditto, it’s replicating Pokémon.

Region Unlocking

Nintendo has already given up region locking for Pokémon Go for its new gaming console, the Nintendo Switch.

Tauros, Kangaskhan, Mr. Mime, and Farfetch'd are still limited by region locking — Tauros can only be found in North America, Mr. Mime in Europe, Kangaskhan in Australia and Farfetch'd in Asia.

In 2017, these Pokémon are expected to be finally unlocked and allowed to spawn anywhere in the world.