Gigantamax Snorlax is Coming to Pokemon Sword and Shield This December

Pokemon Sword and Shield divided the Pokemon community right in the middle. But there's no denying that even with its flaws, Pokemon Sword and Shield are still fun games to play.

Among the many features that Pokemon Sword and Shield introduced to the game is Dynamixing. Some special Pokemon have a special Dynamax form called Gigantamax. The Pokemon Company has recently announced that one new, iconic Pokemon will be receiving a new Gigantamax form.

That's right! The chubby, sleepy Snorlax will be coming this December to Max Raid nests near you, giving you the opportunity to capture a Gigantamax Snorlax for yourself.

What are Dynamax and Gigantamax?

Dynamaxing is a new gameplay feature in Pokemon Sword and Shield. Certain parts of the game allow you to Dynamax your Pokemon, such as in Pokemon Gyms. You can only Dynamax one Pokemon per battle, but Dynamaxing gives your Pokemon a big boost that is usually enough to end battles. A Dynamaxed Pokemon will remain in this form for three turns, where they will have increased stats and gain access to special Max moves.

Gigantamax, on the other hand, is only achievable by specific strains of Pokemon. For example, the Pokemon Meowth has a Gigantamax form, but only Meowth obtained from a Mystery Gift can be Gigantamaxed. All other Meowths you capture in the wild can only Dynamax. As a result, Gigantamax Pokemon are actually quite rare and hard to obtain.

Gigantamax Snorlax is Coming

In Pokemon Sword and Shield's Wild Area, there are Pokemon Dens that house powerful Pokemon. A team of four Pokemon trainers could challenge a Pokemon Den, fighting a Dynamaxed/Gigantamaxed Pokemon together in a Max Raid Battle. Once they've defeated the Pokemon, they all get a chance to capture one for their teams.

Gigantamax Snorlax will start appearing in these Pokemon Dens in the Wild Area starting Dec. 4. Snorlax will be around until January, which gives everyone enough time to catch it.

There's one caveat. To catch Snorlax, you have to connect your copy of Pokemon Sword and Shield to the Internet. This is because Gigantamax Snorlax is part of the Max Raid Battles rare encounters schedule, which is regularly updated when you connect to the Internet. The rare encounters schedule makes sure that there's a different kind of rare Pokemon appearing in Max Raid Battles, keeping things fresh and exciting.

Pokemon Sword and Shield Max Raid Battles Rare Encounters Schedule

Right now, the Pokemon Butterfree, Dreadnaw, and Corviknight are on the clock. They all started appearing as rare encounters since the game's release, and they will stick around until January, exiting at the same time as Gigantamax Snorlax. Although Butterfree and Gigantamax Snorlax could be encountered in both games, that's not the case for the other two Pokemon. Dreadnaw only appears as a rare encounter in Pokemon Sword, while Corviknight appears in Pokemon Shield.

Pokemon obtained from Max Raid Battles are usually stronger than Pokemon obtained in normal ways. They usually have Hidden Abilities, and have maxed out IV values, depending on their star rating. If you're planning to play competitively, use 5-star Max Raid Battles to get the best Pokemon out there without having to breed them.

Pokemon Sword and Shield were published by Nintendo on Nov. 15 for the Nintendo Switch.