Mimikyu appears to be next in line

New datamined information suggests that Pokémon GO is about to add one of its most requested missing Pokémon: Mimikyu. The discovery has not been officially confirmed by Niantic, because apparently the game prefers to keep its best surprises in the code first.

The leak points to Mimikyu being included as part of the free GO Pass tied to the upcoming event, A Shockingly Good Time. That event had already been announced with electric-type encounters such as Pikachu, Magnemite, and Pawmi. The datamine now suggests Mimikyu is also in the mix.

Where Mimikyu may show up

According to the data, Mimikyu would be available as a reward at level 30 and level 60 in the Pokémon GO Pass connected to the event.

While that detail is not official, it is enough to get fans talking, and Pokémon GO players are never shy about discussing missing Pokémon, especially when one of the most popular ones is finally making a move.

April 1 may be doing double duty

There may also be another route for Mimikyu to appear. Players have noticed that Pikachu is set as the Spotlight Hour Pokémon for April 1, and some suspect that the timing is not accidental. Since April 1 is April Fools' Day, a Mimikyu appearance would fit the joke almost too neatly.

That theory gets a little more fuel from the GO Pass listing, which refers to the Pokémon as "Mimikyu (Mimikyu_Disguised)". That wording could mean Mimikyu will initially be presented as a standard Pikachu encounter before revealing itself. Could be a clue, could be a placeholder, could be the game having a small laugh at everyone’s expense. For now, it remains unconfirmed.

One of the last Gen 7 holdouts

If the leak is accurate, Mimikyu’s arrival would close one more gap in Pokémon GO’s Gen 7 roster. By the end of 2025, the remaining Generation 7 Pokémon still missing from the game were Magearna, Minior, Mimikyu, Pyukumuku, Silvally, Type: Null, Wishiwashi, and Zeraora.

Zeraora has already been announced for a future release and is expected to arrive during Pokémon GO Fest in Tokyo on May 29. The rest of the Gen 7 holdouts have not yet been officially dated.

The long wait is part of the awkward little balancing act Pokémon GO has to manage. Niantic needs to release new Pokémon slowly enough to keep people interested, but not so slowly that fans start wondering whether the rest of the Pokédex was misplaced.

Gen 7 is not even the oldest gap in the game, either. Pokémon GO is still missing three Generation 4 Pokémon: Manaphy, Phione, and Arceus. There are also plenty of Gen 8 and Gen 9 Pokémon still waiting their turn, which has understandably frustrated some players, especially since Generation 7 launched 10 years before Pokémon GO and Pokémon Diamond and Pearl are now celebrating their 20th anniversaries.

Another leak points to a new device

Mimikyu is not the only recent leak making the rounds. Another datamined feature reportedly called the Explorer Gadget has also appeared in the game’s code.

The device is said to function somewhat like a Pokémon GO Plus+, but without needing a separate physical accessory. If the leak proves accurate, the Explorer Gadget would allow players to:

  • Automatically spin PokéStops
  • Automatically throw Poké Balls at nearby Pokémon
  • Keep working even while the game is closed

There is a catch, naturally. The feature is reportedly limited to one use per day, and there is no official release date yet.