Pokémon Go’s next big thing is Pikachu wearing a hat

Pikachu outside in Pokemon Go
(Image credit: Niantic)

Pokémon Go is teaming up with its tabletop counterpart for a crossover event that will roll out a handful of new features to the mobile game.

The Pokémon Trading Card Game is receiving a Pokémon Go-themed expansion set this July, bringing several of Niantic’s AR pocket monsters to physical cards. According to a blog post, Pokémon Go will be running a crossover event from June 16 to June 30 to coincide with the release, and will debut a handful of new releases for the mobile game.

Chief among them is a new version of Pikachu. The electric mouse will soon be found in the wild wearing a hat. It’s not just any hat, either, but a Pokémon TCG hat – which amounts to a blue baseball cap emblazoned with the two crossed Pokémon trading cards on its front. It'll be joined by bug/water type Wimpod and its evolved form Golisopod, who will also be making their debuts.

Pikachu wearing a baseball cap in Pokemon Go

(Image credit: Niantic)

Challenge accepted

Six collection challenges will go live during the event, tasking you with catching specific pocket monsters that are part of the upcoming Pokémon TCG: Pokémon Go expansion set. The challenges will be of varying difficulties, and reward you with XP, Lures, Incubators, and the chance to encounter Venasuar, Blastoise, Meltan, and Charizard – who’s still one of the best fire-type pokémon in Pokémon Go.

An additional three challenges will launch on June 23, and a bunch of time-limited raids will be available throughout. Any Mewtwo that’s caught in its five-star raid during the crossover event will know the Charged Attack Psystrike as an added bonus.

Pokémon Go hasn’t had a slow past few weeks, with its most recent community day going live on May 21. And it won’t slow down for Amazon Prime members. Anyone who’s subscribed to Amazon’s premium service will be able to bag a bunch of freebies over the next couple of months. Don’t expect a hatted Pikachu to be among them, though.

Callum Bains
Gaming News Writer

Callum is TechRadar Gaming’s News Writer. You’ll find him whipping up stories about all the latest happenings in the gaming world, as well as penning the odd feature and review. Before coming to TechRadar, he wrote freelance for various sites, including Clash, The Telegraph, and Gamesindustry.biz, and worked as a Staff Writer at Wargamer. Strategy games and RPGs are his bread and butter, but he’ll eat anything that spins a captivating narrative. He also loves tabletop games, and will happily chew your ear off about TTRPGs and board games.