Pokémon GO announces Minior debut tied to meteor showers

Minior, the Meteor Pokémon, is set to debut in Pokémon GO, featuring a unique mechanic tied to real-world meteor showers. The Pokémon exists in two states: Meteor Form, which offers higher Defense and lower Attack, and a Core Form, which offers higher Attack and lower Defense. The transition between forms occurs when its health drops below 50% during battles against Team GO Rocket, team leaders, or in the GO Battle League.

Minior cores come in seven distinct colors: red, orange, yellow, green, light blue, blue, and violet. Players can encounter Minior in the wild and receive increased Stardust during specific annual meteor showers, with different core colors debuting during each event:

• Orionids: October 19 – October 24 • Leonids: November 14 – November 19 • Geminids: December 11 – December 16 • Eta Aquariids: May 3 – May 8 • Southern Delta Aquariids: July 28 – August 2 • Perseids: August 10 – August 15

During these shower periods, the in-game sky will feature shooting stars from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. local time, increasing the likelihood of wild encounters.