January 2021 Community Day

The January 2021 Community Day was the thirty-seventh Community Day event, featuring Machop.

Featured Pokémon
Machop had increased spawn rates in the wild and from Incense or Lure Modules:

There were also five chances per day to be photobombed by Machop:

Exclusive move
In order to obtain Payback, Trainers had to evolve Machoke into Machamp after the start of event and up to 2 hours after the end of event. Trainers cannot use TMs to obtain the attack.

Field Research event tasks
There were several Field Research tasks exclusively for the duration of the event.

Special Research
Straight to the Top, Machop! is a Special Research campaign for Machop Community Day. It cost $1 to access the Special Research, or for free if the Trainer had bought the Pokémon GO Tour: Kanto ticket before January, 2021, 11:59 p.m. PST. The Machamp in this research would know Payback if it was caught during event hours.

... Oh! TRAINER, you caught me by surprise. I was just thinking about some movies I’ve seen recently. What, you didn’t take me for a movie guy? Haha! Well, while the world of Pokémon is my greatest passion, I’ve been trying to explore my interests outside of research and Pokémon as well. Self-discovery is important for personal growth in all walks of life. It can also be quite fun! I’ve learned that I really enjoy watching a film to pass the time now and again. Also, a lot of movies feature Pokémon! Don’t you love it when your interests overlap? I saw an incredibly thrilling action movie the other day. It was about a fighter who, against all odds, becomes a professional boxer alongside his trusty Machop. Life had him on the ropes, but he just kept punching back! Talk about inspiring. Did you know that Machop love to work out and build their muscles? They’re never satisfied, even when they train hard all day long! I wish I had that energy when I do fieldwork! Speaking of Machop: Did you notice that more of them are appearing in the wild? That’s what reminded me of that movie in the first place!

Could you head out and learn more about Machop? Hey there, TRAINER! Great job catching all those Machop. I wonder if you’ll grow as close as the two characters in that movie. The main character started in a pretty tough place, but his Machop kept him motivated and inspired. Then, he was given an incredible opportunity to compete against other fighters. My favorite part was when his Machop evolved into Machoke! Isn’t the relationship between a Trainer and their Pokémon wonderful? Machoke are truly remarkable Pokémon, too. A Machoke’s muscular body is so powerful, the Pokémon must wear a power-save belt to regulate its motions. As it happens, you should have enough Machop Candies now to evolve Machop into a Machoke of your own. It’s almost like you’re living out that movie yourself!

Wow—that’s one muscular Machoke! Great work evolving it. Sometimes, Machoke will head to fields and mountains to exercise and train. Isn’t that dedication amazing? It reminds me of a training montage in that film. The Trainer and his Machoke traveled to the mountains to train together. Watching their friendship blossom almost moved me to tears! The way they encouraged each other reminded me why I love Pokémon, especially when the Machoke evolved into Machamp! Oops, there I go again… Anyway, Machop and Machoke are very impressive Pokémon, but Machamp is on an entirely different level. Its four arms react more quickly than it can think, so Machamp can execute several punches at once! Hoo-hah! That was the movie Machamp’s signature move. Haha, who knew I’d become such a film buff? Get it? Buff? Moving right along… How about you do a bit of research on Machamp? Your Machoke seems pumped to get stronger. Let’s try evolving it into Machamp and see what happens!

Wow, TRAINER! I saw you approaching with your newly evolved Machamp, and I almost couldn’t believe my eyes. It was just like the end of that movie! The Trainer ended up winning the tournament, and he couldn’t have done it without his Machamp by his side. Movies are so powerful! Especially ones about Pokémon and their Trainers. I suppose you and Machamp don’t need to watch that particular film, though—you practically lived it today! It’s been inspiring to witness, and I hope to carry that inspiration with me as I grow closer to my own Pokémon. You never know what you’ll discover about yourself when you try new things—just like how you never know which Pokémon you’ll end up forming a lifelong friendship with until you catch them! Thanks for coming along with me on this journey, Trainer. I wish you and your Machamp well, and I’ll see you next time. Let’s GO!

Shop special offer
Following items were available from the January Community Day Box item bundle in 2021.