A new Max Raid event is happening now in Pokemon Sword and Shield. As part of the Pokemon 25th anniversary festivities, Gigantamax Pikachu is appearing in Max Raid battles again until today, February 28, and you’ll have a chance to encounter a Shiny Gigantamax Pikachu in five-star Raids. Not only that, but The Pokemon Company will also be giving out a special reward if players can defeat a lot of Pikachu before the event ends.
As was the case with the recent Cramorant Max Raid event, the overarching goal of this particular event is to defeat more than 1 million Pikachu. If players can hit that goal, The Pokemon Company will give away 100 Armorite Ore and 100 Dynite Ore, which are used as currency for certain items and services in the Isle of Armor and the Crown Tundra areas.
Gigantamax Pikachu was previously an exclusive bonus for players who had Let’s Go, Pikachu save data on their Switch. Game Freak later made it available through a Max Raid event, but the Pokemon has rarely appeared in Sword and Shield, making this a good chance to get one if you’ve previously missed it.
The Gigantamax Pikachu Max Raid event runs until 3:59 PM PT / 6:59 PM ET on February 28. Before you can participate, you’ll first need to refresh your Max Raid dens. You can do so either by connecting your game online or by going into the Mystery Gift menu and selecting Get the Wild Area News.