Pokémon GO Unveils Exciting Battle League Update for New Season

Pokémon GO has officially announced its upcoming Battle League season, set to kick off on September 3. The announcement included details on the new cups, participation requirements, rank-up rewards, and other essential information for trainers.

It's been an eventful week for players, as Pokémon GO revealed the Max Out Season, running from September 3 to December 3. Responding to player feedback, the game will introduce more Galar region Pokémon, which will appear more frequently in the wild. This season will also feature the highly anticipated debut of Dynamax forms, fresh Community Days, and a new rotation of Pokémon available through spawns, eggs, and Field Research. Additionally, Niantic has shared news about the Battle League, outlining what players can anticipate in the coming months.

The new season of the Battle League, Pokémon GO's competitive PvP mode, will start on September 3 at 1 pm PDT (GMT -8). Players will be able to participate in 11 new cups, including the Galar Cup: Little Edition, which only allows Pokémon from the Pokémon Sword and Shield Dex with a maximum of 500 CP. The Catch Cup: Great League Edition is limited to Pokémon caught during the Max Out Season, with a CP cap of 1,500. The Retro Cup will exclude Dark-, Steel-, and Fairy-type Pokémon, while the Sunshine Cup will restrict entries to Normal-, Grass-, Ground-, and Fire-type Pokémon, excluding Charizard.

GO Battle League: Max Out Start Date:

Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at 1 pm PDT (GMT −8)

At the start of the season, players can expect the following:

- End-of-season rewards will be available on the Battle screen.

- GO Battle League ranks will be reset.

- Rank-up requirements will remain unchanged from the previous season.

GO Battle League: Max Out Schedule

Each league will begin and end at 1 pm PDT (GMT −8) on the specified dates:

September 3 - September 10

- Great League, Galar Cup: Little Edition

September 10 - September 17

- Ultra League, Galar Cup: Little Edition

September 17 - September 24

- Master League, Psychic Cup: Great League Edition  

- 4× Stardust from win rewards (excluding end-of-set rewards)

September 24 - October 1

- Great League, Ultra League, Master League  

- 4× Stardust from win rewards (excluding end-of-set rewards)

October 1 - October 8

- Great League, Galar Cup: Great League Edition

October 8 - October 15

- Ultra League, Sunshine Cup

October 15 - October 22

- Master League, Halloween Cup: Little Edition  

- 4× Stardust from win rewards (excluding end-of-set rewards)

October 22 - October 29

- Great League Remix, Halloween Cup: Great League Edition

October 29 - November 5

- Great League, Ultra League, Master League  

- 4× Stardust from win rewards (excluding end-of-set rewards)

November 5 - November 12

- Great League, Master Premier  

- 4× Stardust from win rewards (excluding end-of-set rewards)

November 12 - November 19

- Ultra League, Willpower Cup

November 19 - November 26

- Master League, Retro Cup  

- 4× Stardust from win rewards (excluding end-of-set rewards)

November 26 - December 3

- Great League, Ultra League, Master League, Catch Cup: Great League Edition  

- 4× Stardust from win rewards (excluding end-of-set rewards)

By progressing through the ranks, Pokémon GO players can secure guaranteed encounters with Pokémon like Galarian Yamask, Haunter, Jangmo-o, Dragonite, Frigibax, and the fan-favorite Pikachu Libre. Additionally, standard encounters will be available based on rank, with three-star raid bosses appearing for those reaching rank 20. The Max Out Battle League will feature a new Timed Research accessible through a pass, with avatar items becoming available as trainers advance. Changes to gameplay will include a reduction in the switch timer from 60 to 50 seconds, adjustments to various attacks, and new abilities for Pokémon such as Hariyama and Togetic.

In addition to the new cups, rewards, and balanced attack changes, the Max Out Season Battle League will host the GO Battle Weekend: Max Out event on November 2-3, from 12 am to 11:29 pm local time. As with previous Pokémon GO seasons, this weekend event will offer themed Timed Research and a 4x Stardust bonus for winning battles. For $1 USD, players can purchase a Timed Research ticket that offers 30,000 Stardust, three Rare Candies, and a Star Piece as rewards upon completion.