Pokemon Go Valentine’s Day event: 2023 start date, Mega Gardevoir & Timed Research tasks & rewards

Luca Di Marzo
Pokemon Go Mega Gardevoir

The Pokemon Go Valentine’s Day event is finally here and the 2023 event delivers Mega Gardevoir and other interesting content like a Limited Research Day.

Pokemon Go players can celebrate Valentine’s Day with an in-game event that highlights the debut of Mega Gardevoir. As with any Pokemon Go event, there is plenty of content to explore including a Limited Research Day and several challenges.

What’s more, players will have several opportunities to catch shiny Pokemon during the Pokemon Go Valentine’s Day event, so here’s everything you need to know.

Pokemon Go Valentine’s Day event start date

The Pokemon Go Valentine’s Day event got off to a start on February 8, 2023. The official Pokemon Go blog post reveals that the event started at 10 AM local time.

The event will come to a close on February 14, 2023 at 8 PM local time. This gives Pokemon Go players a week to explore the Valentine’s Day event.

Pokemon Go Mega Gardevoir debut

Mega Gardevoir will appear in Pokemon Go for the first time ever and as such is the main attraction of the event.

Players will find Mega Gardevoir in Mega Raids as well as featured attacks for Gardevoir and Gallade.

Evolving Kirlia into one of Gardevoir or Gallade during the Valentine’s Day event will allow it to learn the Synchronise Charged Attack.

Pokemon Go Luvdisc Limited Research Day date & encounters

Two Luvdisc in Pokemon GoLuvdisc will join Mega Gardevoir as the focus of the Valentine’s Day event.

On Saturday, February 11, 2023, from 2 PM to 5 PM local time, “Limited Field Research tasks will be available when you spin Photo Discs at PokéStops.

You’ll have to complete them in order to encounter Luvdisc.

These are the encounters you can expect:

  • Slowpoke*
  • Lickitung*
  • Miltank*
  • Lileep*
  • Feebas*
  • Spritzee*
  • Fomantis
  • Alomomola*

Pokemon Go Lovely Wishes Timed Research tasks & rewards

Here are the tasks and rewards for the Lovely Wishes Pokemon Go Timed Research challenge:

Lovely Wishes Step 1 of 2

  • Catch 5 Pokémon – 15 Poké Balls
  • Spin 3 PokéStops or Gyms – 10 Great Balls
  • Power up Pokémon 5 times – 2 Silver Pinap Berries

Rewards: 500 XP, 500 Stardust, and 1 Lucky Egg

Choose Path before Step 2 of 2:

Pokemon Go players will need to choose one of three paths. Each path grants a specific bonus that will remain active until the Valentine’s Day event comes to a close:

  • Catching Pokémon – Receive double the XP for catching Pokémon during the event
  • Using Daily Adventure Incense – 30 minutes of Daily Adventure Incense per day
  • Pokémon Candy – Double Candy rewarded for catching Pokémon

Based on the path you choose, the final challenges and rewards will also change.

Lovely Wishes Step 2 of 2

Catching Pokémon Path:

  • Catch 10 Pokémon – Frillish encounter
  • Catch 25 Pokémon – Frillish encounter
  • Catch 8 different species of Pokémon – Frillish encounter
  • Earn 25,000 XP – Frillish encounter
  • Send 25 Gifts to friends – Frillish encounter

Rewards: 1 Lure Module and a Frillish encounter

Daily Incense Path:

  • Catch 10 Pokémon – Frillish encounter
  • Catch 25 Pokémon – Frillish encounter
  • Catch 8 different species of Pokémon – Frillish encounter
  • Use Daily Adventure Incense to help catch 15 Pokémon – Frillish encounter
  • Send 25 Gifts to friends – Frillish encounter

Rewards: 25 Ultra Balls, a Lure Module, and a Frillish encounter

Pokémon Candy Path:

  • Catch 10 Pokémon – Frillish encounter
  • Catch 25 Pokémon – Frillish encounter
  • Catch 8 different species of Pokémon – Frillish encounter
  • Use 25 Pinap Berries to help catch Pokémon – Frillish encounter
  • Send 25 Gifts to friends – Frillish encounter

Rewards: 1 Lure Module and Frillish encounter

Pokemon Go Valentine’s Day challenge & event bonuses

Pokemon Go players will have a new global challenge to tackle throughout the event. This shared challenge can unlock bonuses for players around the world through joint cooperation.

“Work with other Trainers around the world by sending Gifts to your friends. If Trainers send enough Gifts, they’ll unlock a bonus for all Trainers for the remainder of the event!”

The challenge goal is to send 100,000,000 gifts worldwide. If completed, the following bonuses will activate:

  • 3× Transfer Candy for the remainder of the event
  • 2× Transfer Candy XL for Trainers level 31 and up for the remainder of the event

In addition, players will also have the opportunity to secure the following bonuses throughout the event:

  • Lure Modules will last two hours when activated
  • 2x Stardust when opening gifts
  • Furfrou’s heart trim form will become available during the event
  • Timed Research to access shiny Frillish for the first time
  • Special Frillish avatar top and glasses for your avatar

Pokemon Go Valentine’s Day event encounters, Eggs & Raids

Keep in mind that Pokemon with a * indicate that their shiny variations can be found.

Pokemon Go players who complete the Field Research tasks related to the Valentine’s Day event can encounter one of the following Pokemon:

Field Research encounters

  • Pikachu*
  • Eevee*
  • Ralts*
  • Luvdisc*
  • Hippopotas*
  • Frillish (female)*
  • Frillish (male)*
  • Litleo*
  • Chansey*
  • Spinda with a heart pattern*
  • Combee*
  • Audino*
  • Alomomola*
  • Morelull

As always gym Raid battles will allow Pokemon Go players to encounter even more Pokemon and here are all of the possibilities:

One-Star Raids:

  • Chansey*
  • Shinx*
  • Natural Form Furfrou*
  • Espurr*

Three-Star Raids:

  • Nidoqueen
  • Nidoking
  • Lickitung*
  • Miltank*
  • Gallade

Five-Star Raids:

  • Tapu Lele*

Mega Raids:

  • Mega Gardevoir*

The Pokemon that can hatch from 7km eggs throughout the Pokemon Go Valentine’s Day event are as followed:

Pokemon Go Eggs

  • Lickitung*
  • Smoochum*
  • Happiny*
  • Frillish (female)*
  • Frillish (male)*
  • Alomomola*

Most importantly, Pokemon Go players will want to know which Pokemon will spawn in the wild throughout the Valentine’s Day event.

Wild encounters

  • Nidoran♀*
  • Nidoran♂*
  • Skitty*
  • Volbeat*
  • Illlumise*
  • Woobat*
  • Frillish*
  • Red Flower Flabebe
  • Blue Flower Flabebe
  • Yellow Flower Flabebe
  • Natural Form Furfrou*
  • Morelull
  • Chansey*
  • Audino*
  • Alomomola*
  • White Flower Flabebe
  • Orange Flower Flabebe

Blue Flower Flabebe will be available in the Asia-Pacific Region. Meanwhile, Red Flower will appear in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Last but not least the Yellow Flower Flabebe will appear in the Americas.


For more Pokemon, check out our other guides:

How to heal Pokemon in Pokemon Go | How many Pokemon are there? | How to battle a Fashion Challenger in Pokemon Go Fashion Week | Best Pokemon for PvP battles in Pokemon Go | How to get revives in Pokemon Go | Pokemon Go best attackers ranked | How to get Master Ball in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet | Are Pokemon Scarlet & Violet getting DLC?

Image Credit: Niantic / The Pokemon Company