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Pokémon Go finally gets massive mechanic five years later

Four Pokémon Go gigantamax forms are on the way for a limited time, and you need to team up with 40 other trainers to take them down.

Pokemon Go gigantamax: Charizard on a walk with two real human Trainers in a Pokemon Go Routes promo image

In 2019, Game Freak introduced a new in-game mechanic known as gigantamaxing, increasing the size of various’ mon in Sword and Shield to add a new dynamic to battles with gym leaders. Five years later, it’s time to revisit the mechanic with the Pokémon Go gigantamax forms.

While Pokémon Go isn’t the first Pokémon game on mobile to embrace Gigantamax Pokémon – Pokémon Masters and Pokémon Unite both feature it to some degree – it’s still great to see. Considering the first three are coming later this month, my excitement is paramount, though it’s a shame to see them be so short-lived. Charizard, Venasaur, and Blastoise’s gigantamax forms are available from 10am October 26 to 8pm October 27 local time.

The choice for final evolutions of the first three starter Pokémon to be the first gigantamax forms in Pokémon Go seems like an obvious one, but there’s a fourth ‘mon coming to the game between 10am October 31 and 8pm November 3 local time. Honestly, this fourth form is the one that excites me the most. No offense to the other three; they hold a special place in my heart, but it is spooky season, and that means I want to see the huge version of a certain ghost.

One of the original and best ghost Pokémon, Gengar, is the fourth gigantamax Pokémon in Pokémon Go, and I’d be lying if I said this doesn’t make me happy. For those unfamiliar with it, gigantamaxing is a form of dynamaxing from the gen 8 Pokémon games, where not only do your Pokémon get bigger, their appearance changes, too. Gengar essentially becomes all mouth and looks like it’s about to nom up anything that gets in its way.

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The Pokémon also gets access to powerful g-max moves rather than max moves, though those are the only real differences. In-game, you get to team with up to 40 players in a bid to take the giant gen 1 Pokémon down, though be warned, they’re even stronger than the dynamax battles introduced back in September.

Remember, Pokémon Go gigantamax forms are available for a limited time only, so make sure you grab your friends, join a team, and go battle against these behemoth creatures. To see what else is happening in-game, check out our Pokémon Go events and Pokémon Go raids guides, and grab yourself some freebies with our Pokémon Go codes list.