In the world of high-level Pokemon GO play, having the best monsters usually comes down to how much stuff you have. The Gimmighoul Gap is the best example of this. To get a Gholdengo, you need 999 Gimmighoul coins. It has always felt like a paywall because, usually, you need a Nintendo Switch to even get close to that number.
However, the Pokemon GO 2026 Lunar New Year event, which begins on Tuesday, February 17, and concludes on Saturday, February 21, is changing the rules. It appears that the developers are essentially giving everyone a fast pass. This is a huge deal for anyone trying to get a top-tier Ghost and Steel type for their Master League team without spending a fortune on extra gear.
Pokemon GO Lunar New Year: Breaking the Switch Tax with Golden Stops
The coolest part of this event has to be the random Golden PokeStops in Pokemon GO. Normally, these stops only appear if someone uses a Golden Lure, which is extremely difficult to obtain. But for the Lunar New Year event, the stops are just turning gold on their own. It is like the Switch Tax just got canceled for a few days.
To increase your chances of winning, consider visiting a location with numerous stops, such as a large park or a downtown area. These gold stops refresh their coins every five minutes. If you just walk in a circle around a few of them, you could probably get a massive chunk of those 999 coins in just one afternoon. Honestly, it beats waiting weeks to sync up a console.
Is the Pokemon GO Lunar New Year Paid Research Worth It?
The Lunar New Year 2026 $1.99 Paid Timed Research is a rare, high-value opportunity because it essentially pays for itself. It rewards 200 PokeCoins, which covers the ticket’s cost in premium currency while adding extra resources. Beyond the coins, the rewards include two Lucky Eggs and an Incense. Their best use is to maximize Gimmighoul hunt during this limited five-day event window.
Best Pokemon GO Strategies: Mastering the Shiny Gimmighoul Roaming Form Hunt
We finally see the return of Shiny Roaming Form Gimmighoul, too. This is the only version available in GO to evolve, so it is the one everyone wants for their competitive collection. You still use the Coin Bag to find them in Pokemon GO, but you have to keep moving. If you just sit on your couch, you are going to miss out.
Spawns from the bag depend on how fast you walk. Try to keep a steady pace of about 3 miles per hour. This ensures you get the most spawns possible within that 30-minute window. Also, pro tip: make sure you have a Mega Gengar at Level 3 active. It gives you way more candy and a better shot at XL candy, which you will definitely need later.
Gholdengo Master League Prep: Lucky Trades and the Stardust Shortcut
Gholdengo is a beast in the Pokemon GO Master League right now, sitting around high rank. The problem is that maxing one out to Level 50 costs a crazy amount of Stardust. This event fixes that by boosting the chance of becoming Lucky Friends or getting Lucky Pokémon when you trade.
If you trade your Gimmighouls now and get a Lucky one, the power-up cost drops by 50 percent. It is a total game-changer. You can turn a massive, months-long grind into a simple week of trading with friends. It is easily the best way to get ready for the San Francisco World Championships without going broke on Stardust.
Pro-Tip: Avoid the Gimmighoul “Lucky Trade” Trap
While the event boosts Lucky chances, Gholdengo’s primary value in the 2026 Master League is its ability to wall Pokemon like Dragapult (which are dominating the EUIC 2026 meta).
The Pro-Tip: Only use your Lucky Trades for Gimmighoul if you already have the 999 coins. If you don’t have the coins, your “Lucky” Gimmighoul will just sit in your storage, wasting a slot that could have been used for a Level 50 Necrozma or Zygarde, which are more immediate “plug-and-play” wins for the current GBL Season. Use the event to farm coins first, then trade for the IVs on the final day (February 21).
Gholdengo’s Steel-typing makes it a prime candidate for the 2026 meta, especially after seeing the importance of specialized counters in P4T0M4N’s historic EUIC win.