Pokémon GO Unveils 3 Events, Including July 25 Rayquaza Meteorite Hunt

Q: With a free Meteorite guaranteed, how will players earn the Mega Energy needed to finally evolve Rayquaza?

Players will need to get Rayquaza Mega Energy through the paid Ozone Ascension Timed Research, because the free research only guarantees a Rayquaza encounter and a Meteorite. Niantic’s event details, as reflected in the announcement and supporting information, make clear that the $4.99 premium research includes Rayquaza Mega Energy, along with a second Meteorite and another Rayquaza encounter. By contrast, the free limited-time research mentions no Mega Energy reward, only the item needed to teach Rayquaza Dragon Ascent and unlock its Mega Evolution. That means the free path appears to solve only part of the problem: it gives players the rare Meteorite that was previously hard to obtain, but not the energy required to actually Mega Evolve Rayquaza. Based on the information released so far, there is no confirmed free in-event source of Rayquaza Mega Energy. Unless Niantic adds another earning method before the event begins, players who do not already have stored Rayquaza Mega Energy from earlier gameplay may have to buy the premium research to complete the evolution. That is why the current announcement has prompted uncertainty among players: the event makes Mega-Rayquaza more accessible than before, but full access still appears to depend on whether a player has existing Mega Energy or pays for the extra research.

2 articles · Updated · GoNintendo · Jun 26

Pokémon GO announced three events led by Ozone Ascent on July 25-26, when free Timed Research will award a Meteorite, a Rayquaza encounter and other rewards.
That Meteorite matters because Rayquaza cannot Mega Evolve with Mega Energy alone; trainers must first teach it Dragon Ascent using the item.
July 21 brings Willow’s Birthday Research from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time, adding a new costumed Pokémon through Field Research, Timed Research, snapshot surprises and raids, with chances for Shiny and special-background versions.
Japan also gets a Pokémon GO Stamp Rally running July 1 to Aug. 31, 2027 at Pokémon Center locations, where each stop offers a unique stamp and a Pikachu encounter tied to that location.