Legendary Pokemon are indeed coming to Pokemon GO

Which legendary Pokemon would you like to have in the palm of your hand?

Niantic Labs has confirmed that legendary Pokemon will soon be making their way to Pokemon GO, fulfilling a mechanic of the game that has been teased since the very first trailer.

Soon, legendary Pokemon will start appearing at gyms, which players can take down in Raid Battles. Just as with any Raid Battle, if players are successful in taking down the Pokemon they will also have a chance to catch the Pokemon.

Legendary Pokemon can be used in regular battles and Raid Battles, but Niantic specifies that they cannot be used to defend gyms.

The first legendary Pokemon is slated to appear in Chicago on July 22 during Pokemon GO Fest, provided that players around the world are able to catch enough Pokemon to unlock the challenge.

If players in Grant Park are able to take down the legendary Pokemon, it will start to appear in gyms around the world for others to have a chance at catching it as well. And while we don’t know exactly which legendary Pokemon will be available, Niantic’s video announcing them features quite a few, including the three legendary birds and others.

It’s unclear what will happen if players are unsuccessful in taking it down, or if they are unable to even unlock the legendary Pokemon challenge in the first place. It’s doubtful that Niantic would take away the legendary Pokemon they have been working on adding to the game, but perhaps we’ll have to wait longer to access it.

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Either way, Pokemon GO Fest will be our first chance to see legendary Pokemon in action. If you are unable to participate in person, you can still stay up to date on what’s happening via the official live stream on Twitch or on YouTube.