'Pokemon Go' Rayquaza Event: New Legendary Raid Boss Coming Friday

Pokemon trainers of the mobile, augmented-reality variety are in for a treat, as a smattering of new content is coming to the hit phone game “Pokemon Go,” according to Polygon. Fans of the third generation of “Pokemon RPGs,” meaning “Pokemon Ruby” and “Pokemon Sapphire,” should be especially pleased with what developer Niantic is adding to the game on Friday.

Niantic outlined the additions in slightly more detail on the official “Pokemon Go” website. Players will be able to team up and fight Rayquaza, the Dragon/Flying type legendary Pokemon from the third gen games. Rayquaza will be a Raid Battle boss until March 16, so players will be able to find the flying serpent at nearby gyms for a little more than a month.

However, they can still find the legendary water monster Kyogre until Feb. 14. Also, between Feb. 9 and Feb. 13, every Pokemon running around the world will be from the third gen of “Pokemon” games. Niantic gave specific examples, like Metagross, Salamence and Altaria. Anyone who has nostalgia for their old adventures in Hoenn may find something to like during this event.

“Pokemon Go” was a social phenomenon when it launched in the summer of 2016, as hordes of players could be found on street corners around the country at its peak. It lost a number of players over time, but still boasts a strong player count in the mobile space.