A Pika-promo becomes a Pika-problem

Plus, the party just arrived in Pokémon GO

Author

Cooltrainer Ace
October 19, 2023 • Estimated Read Time: 8 minutes

Happy almost-weekend, Cooltrainers! Your boy Ace is back with the latest Pokémon news. I deliver with more style than a Luxury Ball, faster than a Quick Ball.

Here’s this week’s rundown (estimated read time, 5 minutes):

  • The Van Gogh Museum shuts down Pokémon scalpers.

  • Greavard the good boi comes to GO.

  • Introducing Party Play in Pokémon GO.

Photo copyright EPA, BBC

A Pika-promo becomes a Pika-problem

Sometimes Team Rocket isn’t the only group ruining all the fun in the Pokémon world.

The images showed a literal mob of people buying every Pokémon-themed item in the gift shop, to resell at a mark up and to also acquire the coveted Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat promo card that came with each purchase.

Scalpers then resold them for exorbitant prices online. The promo extended to the Pokémon Center website, where orders of any Van Gogh-Pokémon collaboration product also got you one of the Grey Felt Hat Pikachu cards. Those sold out almost in an instant.

On Tuesday, The Pokémon Center announced that any qualifying TCG purchase of $30 or more would include a Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat card (while supplies lasted). Spoiler: they didn’t last long.

The hype grew and, this week, the museum finally had enough. They said in a statement that the promo card created an “undesirable situation” that "led us to take the difficult decision to remove the Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat promo card from the museum."

The promo cards were reported by the BBC to be available for purchase online, but a quick search of the museum shop this morning didn’t turn up any Pokémon products for this Cooltrainer.

It’s a shame that people looking to make a quick buck online tainted an otherwise amazing collaboration. Please do not support these actions by purchasing the Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat promo card through third-party sellers.

Pokémon GO Halloween Part I

The deadest good boi is coming to GO! Greavard and Houndstone, the dead dogs of Paldea, debuted at 10 a.m. today in Part I of the 2023 Pokémon GO Halloween event. The event runs today (Oct. 19) through Thursday, October 26, 10 a.m. local time.

Note: Another event, Incense Day: Skorupi takes place this Saturday, Oct. 21, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time. Get the details here.

Wild Encounters: Ekans, Zubat, Alolan Meowth, Gastly, Spinarak, Misdreavus, Poochyena, Shuppet, Drifloon, Litwick, Phantump (all shiny unlocked). This is the first time Phantump is available as a shiny!

Haunter is the only shiny locked wild encounter. Sandygast is the rare encounter (also shiny locked).

Field Research Encounters: Misdreavus, Phantump (both shiny unlocked),

Event Bonuses

  • A remix of the Lavender Town music in-game each night (side note: I wrote a thread about the scientific reason it’s so creepy).

  • Timed research: Greavard

  • 7 km Eggs: Munchlax, Riolu, Galarian Yamask

  • Five-Star Raids: Guzzlord ( (until Oct. 20 @ 10 a.m.), Darkrai

  • Mega Raids: Mega Gengar (until Oct. 20 @ 10 a.m.), Mega Banette

  • Additional Candy for successfully catching Pokémon with Nice Throws, Great Throws, and Excellent Throws.

  • Additional Candy XL for successfully catching Pokémon with Nice Throws, Great Throws, and Excellent Throws.

  • Trainers level 31 and above will receive additional Candy XL for hatching Eggs.

  • 2x Candy for hatching Pokémon.

Pokémon GO is here to party

Break out the solo cups! The party don’t start til Pikachu walks in. A new feature, Party Play, is here in Pokémon GO. Up to four trainers (level 15 and above) can play and compete in challenges together, including appearing on the map—think Union Circle from Scarlet & Violet.

Here’s how it works:

Host a party

  1. Open Pokémon GO and navigate to your Trainer profile.

  2. Tap the new Party tab.

  3. Tap Create.

  4. You’ll be given a numerical code or QR code that you can share with up to three nearby Trainers.

  5. Tap Start and let the party begin!

Join a party

  1. Open Pokémon GO and navigate to your Trainer profile.

  2. Tap the new Party tab.

  3. Tap Join Party. You will be prompted to either scan the host’s QR code or manually enter a numerical code.

  4. Wait for the host to start the party! Once the party begins, you’ll be returned to the map.

Party Challenges, Party Power, and more

  • After a party is formed, the party will receive a pop-up asking which Party Challenge they want to take on.

  • Party Challenges can be focused on spinning PokéStops, battling in raids, catching Pokémon, and more.

  • Completing them gets you in-game rewards.

  • When challenging a raid with your party, a new bonus will be available: Party Power. Party Power doubles the damage of your next Charged Attack and charges with every Fast Attack.

  • More party members means Party Power charges faster!

  • Check your party’s progress and details via the Party tab of your Trainer profile.

  • Bookmark your favorite activities to quickly view them via the Favorite section of your Activity Summary.

Card of the Week

Artist Tomokazu Komiya must have accidentally eaten a Foongus before he designed this card. I absolutely love the vibrant colors. Brute Bonnet’s yellow eye is nightmare fuel. Get your own psychedelic mushroom monster when the Paradox Rift expansion arrives on November 3.

Random encounters around the internet

Sponsored Message

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Did I mention the Gryphon Riders Trilogy is an international bestseller? And all three books in the series are included? Fans of Harry Potter and Eragon will love won’t want to miss this.

Obscure Pokémon Fact of the Day (from u/Mx_Toniy_4869)

Until next time,
Cooltrainer “Party Hardy” Ace