If you've ever opened up Pokémon GO on a Tuesday evening and been confused at the seemingly random spawns appearing all around you: you've encountered a Pokémon GO Spotlight Hour. Spotlight Hours occur every Tuesday, from 18:00 to 19:00, and feature a different Pokémon every week.
To further sweeten the deal, each week also offers a bonus; from doubling the amount of candy you get for catching a Pokémon, to sprinkling twice as much Stardust over your catches as usual. While the Pokémon won't be as powerful as the current raid bosses, you'll be able to encounter a lot more of them.
The number of constantly changing Pokémon GO Spotlight Hours, and the fact they change every single week, means that it can be a lot to keep track of. That's where we come in. We'll keep you in the loop with all the upcoming spawns and rewards, so you know whether this week's event is worth your time. Of course, you'll also need to keep an eye on what Pokémon GO Field Research tasks and rewards are in rotation to load up on catch-based tasks and maximize your rewards
Pokémon GO Spotlight Hour: August 2022
| Date | Pokémon | Bonus | Can Be Shiny? |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2 | Hisuian Voltorb | Double Stardust | No |
| August 9 | Nidoran (female) | Double catch XP | Yes |
| August 16 | Joltik | Double candy | No |
| August 23 | Nidoran (male) | Double transfer candy | Yes |
| August 30 | Pidove | Double evolve XP | Yes |
There aren't many special events in Pokémon GO this month, but the spotlight hours are still looking good. While there aren't many exciting Pokémon to look out for, shiny chances are up as usual. That includes a solid Pidove shiny that you should definitely look out for. Even better, each of the spotlight Pokémon has a different event boost, so you can really race through candy and XP if you grind them all.
How to prepare for Pokémon GO Spotlight Hour
Preparations for Pokémon GO Spotlight Hours depend on the bonus. As they stack, popping an item that typically doubles your gains can effectively quadruple your typical yield, making Spotlight Hours a great time to rack up huge amounts of XP, Candy, and Stardust in the right circumstances. Grab a Lucky Egg if there is an XP bonus, or a Star Piece is extra Stardust is on the cards.
You can also save up rare Pokémon like legendaries if there's a Double Transfer Candy bonus coming up - so long as you've got the space.
If there's a Pokémon spawning in the Spotlight Hour that you particularly want candy for, don't forget to Mega Evolve a Pokémon and set it as your buddy. So long as the Mega Pokémon shares a typing with the Pokémon in the Spotlight Hour, you'll get one bonus candy for every catch you make. Set up an Incense and possibly some Lures, and you're in for a bona fide catch-fest.
That's all you need to know about Pokémon GO Spotlight Hours, so be sure to check back next month to see what's in store.
A previous version of this guide was written by Ben Sledge.