Paradox Pokémon Are Coming to Pokémon Go—And the 9th Anniversary Art Completely Gave It Away

Okay, trainers—if you haven’t seen the Pokémon Go 9th Anniversary artwork yet, you might want to stop everything and go take a look. We’re not kidding. This one image just might be the biggest tease Niantic’s done yet—and it’s not subtle at all. Hidden right in plain sight? None other than what appear to be Paradox Pokémon from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yep, the mechanical beasts and prehistoric nightmares are somehow finding their way into Pokémon Go, and the art all but confirms it. Cue the hype train, because this changes the game… literally.

Wait, Paradox Pokémon in Pokémon Go?

It sounds wild, but the hints are far from vague. As spotted in the latest Eurogamer report, the new celebratory key art shows some very curious silhouettes behind the crowd of Pokémon — and they look very familiar to anyone who’s spent time exploring Paldea. We’re talking what suspiciously looks like Iron Valiant and Great Tusk, the future and past forms of Gallade and Donphan, respectively. They’re just chilling in the background like they didn’t just break time-space rules. Coincidence? Doubtful.

So… what exactly are Paradox Pokémon?

Suppose you’ve been out of the Scarlet & Violet loop (no judgment—we’ve all been head-first into Go Fest events). In that case, Paradox Pokémon are unique forms of familiar species, supposedly from ancient pasts or futuristic timelines. Think prehistoric Jigglypuff with fangs or robotic Delibird with missiles. Yeah, they’re that crazy. Originally introduced in the Generation IX Switch games, they’ve become fan-favourites thanks to their absurd design lore and beefed-up base stats. In short, these guys aren’t just form rehashes—they’re meta-breaking beasts. If Niantic really is bringing them into Pokémon Go, then the PvP scene’s gonna look very different very soon.

What else did the 9th Anniversary artwork reveal?

Aside from the Paradox Pokémon teaser, the art is a love letter to nine years of catching, battling, and strolling. Fans quickly spotted the new starter Pokémon Spritzee, Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble, signalling the full arrival of the Galar species. Yep, Gen 8’s rolling out hard this year—and likely ramping up towards full inclusion before year’s end.

Also seen: Necrozma, who’s been on dataminers’ radar for months, and yet still not properly introduced. Looks like his time to shine might finally arrive—with potential integration into the franchise’s ongoing “Light & Shadow” narrative events.

When could Paradox Pokémon hit live servers?

No exact date yet, but all clues point to August or September. Here’s why: Annual Go Fest events (Tokyo, New York and Global) are notorious for dropping big mechanics—Ultra Beasts, Mega Evolutions, Galar Pokémon—all had their debut during these. So it wouldn’t be shocking for Gruff Great Tusk to crash an Ultra Unlock stage or something similarly dramatic. Expect limited-time raids, exclusive research, and maybe even new forms of Eggs if Paradox Pokémon arrive. Since they don’t technically belong to the main timeline, Niantic may introduce a new “Temporal” tag or mechanic to explain their appearance. One can hope… or speculate wildly, which is basically the same thing.

Platforms, pricing, and restrictions?

Pokémon Go remains free to play on both Android and iOS devices. As for updates, they roll out globally, with timed rollouts depending on events or your in-game location. Nothing in this tease suggests any regional locks… yet. But don’t be surprised if certain Paradox Pokémon, much like Ultra Beasts or regional forms, get geo-limited initially. So if you live near a major city, keep an eye on Pop-Up PokeStops, Community Day teasers, and updates tied to Niantic’s partnership events. They’re likely to be the first test zones once these time-travelling ‘mons land.

Visual and meta impact for Pokémon Go

From a gameplay and aesthetic point of view, Paradox Pokémon are an absolute flex. Bringing in shiny metallic textures, glowing animations, and sci-fi designs adds a distinct flavour Pokémon Go hasn’t tapped into yet.

They won’t just look cool either. Given their small but powerful move pools in the mainline games, Niantic’s going to need to balance these behemoths carefully. Iron Bundle alone could come in swinging with super-speed Ice types, which are already a nightmare for Dragon-heavy teams. We could see revamped PvP tiers, brand-new Special Research lines, and possible Team GO Rocket tie-ins. Reconnaissance drones in cutscenes? Please, Niantic, give us the future-dystopia aesthetic we’ve been waiting for.

Mark your in-game calendars

While Niantic hasn’t outright confirmed the addition of Paradox Pokémon just yet, this kind of teasing is classic Pokémon Go marketing—art leaks, player base goes nuts, and boom—announcement next week. Keep your eyes (and Poké Balls) ready for Go Fest 2025 and any follow-ups Niantic drops during their mid-summer live streams. Trust us, this one’s gonna be historic.