What Is Primal Reversion Mechanic In Pokémon GO?

Pokémon GO developer Niantic has been introducing Trainers to the arrival of several new pocket monsters and seasonal events since the start of the Mythical Wishes season in December 2022. Now, with the next Pokémon GO tour set to begin next month, the developer has something rather big arriving in-game.

Following the launch of the Vivillon family, its unique Postcard mechanic, and the release of XXS and XXL sized Pokémon, the developer will introduce a brand new in-game mechanic: Primal Reversion. We’ve detailed what Trainers should know about the Primal Reversion mechanic and what Pokémon they can catch in Pokémon GO.

How Does Primal Reversion Work In Pokémon GO?

Niantic explained in a recent Pokémon GO blog post on 18th January 2023 what Primal Reversion is and how you can “harness the power of Legendary Pokémon.” This occurrence happens when specific Pokémon are transformed using naturally powered energy which provides them with boosted stats, new in-game appearance, and more.

You’ll need to collect Primal Energy, similar to Mega Energy and Evolutions; you can use Primal Energy to perform the Primal Reversion on your chosen Pokémon. Once they’ve “evolved” into their Primal form, this state will last for around eight hours before reverting to their standard form.

• Related: How To Get Lucky Pokémon In Pokémon GO

As such, the more frequently the Pokémon experiences Primal Reversion, the less Primal Energy it requires to perform. You can acquire Primal Energy when completing specific Research tasks and participating in Raid encounters to be rewarded with Primal Energy.

Which Pokémon Can Use Primal Reversion In Pokémon GO?

Only two Legendary Pokémon from the Hoenn region will have this mechanic available, as you can encounter Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon in-game. When you have Primal Kyogre or Primal Groudon in your line-up or as a Buddy Pokémon, you can earn additional bonuses, which include increasing their Primal levels every time they undergo Primal Reversion.

This directly corresponds to the bonuses available to Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon, which enhances the bonuses you can receive. If you have Primal Kyogre or Primal Groudon, you can earn the following bonuses in-game:

• If Primal Kyogre is in your line-up, Bug, Electric, and Water-type Pokémon will gain ATK bonuses during Raids
• If Primal Kyogre is your Buddy Pokémon, catching Bug, Electric, and Water types earns you bonus XP and Candy
• If Primal Groudon is your Buddy Pokémon, catching Fire, Grass, and Ground types earns you bonus XP and Candy
• If Primal Groudon is in your line-up, Fire, Grass, and Ground-type Pokémon will gain ATK bonuses during Raids

Additionally, Niantic will add a new category for Pokémon that transformed into their Primal forms will be added to your Pokédex. Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon will be featured in a new Raid encounter called Primal Raids, available for the Pokémon GO Tour: Hoenn – Las Vegas between 18th and 20th February 2023.

A themed Field Research, Primal Surge Field Research, will be available for the GO Tour: Hoenn – Las Vegas and the following GO Tour: Hoenn – Global to further their chances of encountering Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon. Once you’ve encountered Primal Kyogre in Primal Raids, it will know the Origin Pulse Charged Attack, and Primal Groudon will know the Precipice Blade Charged Attack.