One of the costumed Pikachu in Pokémon GO is returning for a limited time. The iconic electric mouse has been spotted with several pieces of headwear over the years. As summer approaches, a fan favorite is making a comeback – but only for a select region.
Pokémon GO has been a monumental success since its launch in 2016, with several events bringing in Shinies, costumed critters, and Legendaries. One of the more common Pokémon variants is the hatted Pikachu, which often appears during seasonal events. These hats can range from party hats to the caps Ash wears in the Pokémon anime. Pikachu has also been caught wearing flower crowns, Santa hats, and safari gear. Even the Flying Pikachu from the intro of Pokémon Yellow Version has been obtainable.
Until May 12th at 8 PM local time, Pokémon GO players in the Mediterranean and African regions have the chance to catch Summer Hat Pikachu. The name is somewhat misleading, as the Electric-type is also sporting a pair of summer shades. According to a post by Tadanga2 on Reddit, Pikachu will be appearing "in the wild in your region." Players will also receive a gift box containing 30 Pokeballs. Tadanga2 later clarified they heard the news via an email from the Pokémon GO team.
This post was the source for a bit of confusion among Redditors. The phrase "in your region" lead some to believe it was a worldwide event, even though most of the Northern hemisphere is enjoying the start of spring. It was eventually determined that only Pokemon GO players in countries like Morroco, Lebanon, and even South Africa could catch Summer Hat Pikachu – at least as of this writing.
The initial announcement was met with mixed reactions, judging by the comments on the Reddit post. This is because the broadcasted timing coincided with a Community Day celebrating the Generation 5 starter Snivy. Players were worried that the Pikachu spawn rates would interfere with the catching of Snivy. Others are simply tired of these Pikachu variants and lament the difficulty in catching a "plain" Pikachu. Finally, some Redditors wonder if the Summer Hat Pichu variant will make a comeback alongside its evolved form, Raichu.
Summer Hat Pikachu may return to other regions as the warmer season approaches in the Northern hemisphere. The variant has appeared worldwide twice before, in 2018 and 2019. The appearances were in July and August, respectively. Pokémon GO players will just have to wait to see if this seasonal Pikachu will return to their home turf. For now, though, those in the right part of the world can catch the Pikachu of summer fun – if only for a limited time.
Pokémon GO is available on iOS and Android.
Source: Tadanga2/Reddit