Pokemon GO Update: The Easter Event We've Been Waiting For

The Pokemon GO news world should not be surprised to find that this week there's chatter around the possibility of a major Easter Event. The folks at Niantic are likely ruminating over the exact set of temporary bonuses they should release during the next event – double-xp, half-distance eggs, and half-distance Pokemon Buddy Candy notwithstanding. To make certain we're making the most of the time we're about to have, we've created a set of "need to know" points for Pokemon GO players of all sorts. Whether the event coming up next ends up starting tomorrow or three weeks from now, it's important that we keep these bits and pieces in mind.

Now that Special Items (Evolution Items) come every 7 days to players of all kinds, it's important to be aware of what each item does. Each of these items has their own effect, affecting a set of Pokemon as they evolve into their stronger selves. This set of evolutions may change in the future.

* Sun Stone + Gloom = Bellossom* Sun Stone + Sunkern = Sunfloraπ King's Rock + Poliwhirl = Politoedπ King's Rock + Slowpoke = Slowkingø Metal Coat + Onix = Steelixø Metal Coat + Scyther = Scizor∆ Up-Grade + Porygon = Porygon2Ω Dragon Scale + Seadra = Kingdra

These items are no longer the rarest items in the universe – though they're close. Rarity of each of these items compared to one another appears to be random. Previously it appeared that the Sun Stone, King's Rock, and Metal Coat were slightly more common due to their 2x Pokemon connections. Now, after thousands of Pokestop spins and hundreds of Special Item appearances, it's turned out that these items are – for all intents and purposes – equally rare to one-another.

For those players headed toward Springtime with a bike – watch your speed. Going above 15 miles per hour sometimes sets off the Pokemon GO speed meter. When the speed meter is lit up, distances do not count for Eggs or Buddy Candy. On the other hand, there is a way to attain both distances whilst going faster than the speed limit.

1. Spin Pokestop2. Open Pokemon Journal.3. Ride bike down hill super fast!4. Stop bike at another Pokestop without crashing.5. Close Pokemon Journal.6. Spin Pokestop.7. Attain distance.

To attain extra-long distances in a vehicle, or going down a hill (with full protective gear on) at high speed, begin by spinning a Pokestop. Once the stop is spun, open up the Pokemon Trainer Journal. Move a decent distance at considerable speed, stop for a moment, close the Pokemon Trainer Journal, and spin another Pokestop. Distance will be recorded between the stops without penalty.

Niantic has officially kept the Shiny Magikarp in the game after the Water Festival Event of yesterweek. Easter Week might well bring about another Shiny Pokemon – but which it'll be, we do not yet know. We've had a tip from a yet-unproven source which suggests that it'll be Exeggcute – which would make a lot of sense given the double-whammy of a Pokemon that Pokemon is for this season.

1. Exeggcute is a Grass-Type Pokemon.

2. Exeggcute is a bunch of eggs.

3. There isn't yet a real Easter Bunny Pokemon in the game.

4. Exeggcute isn't overly common, nor is it super-rare.

If we see either Exeggcute or Exeggutor appear with newly deepening colors and a shiny new set of icons turned on in the code in the next week, we'll know what's going on. The same goes for you, Tangela, you mysterious made-of-grass monster.

For more information on what might be appearing at the next Pokemon GO Event, have a peek at our article Water Event Postmortem and Shiny Easter Secrets. Watch out for shiny Magikarp, and have a peek at our @TeamPokemonGO Twitter portal for additional secrets, updates on the early side, and the occasional Pikachu backflip gif.