Pokémon Go Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield research quest - How to complete each quest task and field research task explained

'Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield' quest steps and rewards in Pokémon Go

Here you'll find every quest step and reward for the Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield research quest in Pokémon Go. Due to being a timed research quest, you must complete it before Tuesday, 31st August to collect every reward and, if you don't, then they will vanish forever.

This section does contain spoilers, so read at your own risk!

Thank you to Amiibofan101 for the help with this information.

'Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield' Stage 1 of 5

• Send 5 Gifts to friends - 5 Great Balls
• Catch 8 Pokémon - 5 Razz Berries
• Defeat 2 Team Go Rocket Grunts - Pikachu encounter

Rewards: 888 XP, 10 PokéBalls and 5 Ultra Balls

'Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield' Stage 2 of 5

• Power up Pokémon 5 times - 10 Super Potions
• Catch 10 Pokémon - 5 Revives
• Battle in the Go Battle League - Meowth encounter

Rewards: 888 XP and 10 Ultra Balls

'Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield' Stage 3 of 5

• Evolve 2 Pokémon - 5 Pinap Berries
• Catch 5 Normal-type Pokémon - Galarian Meowth encounter
• Defeat 4 Team Go Rocket Grunts - Butterfree encounter

Rewards: 888 XP, 15 PokéBalls and 5 Ultra Balls

'Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield' Stage 4 of 5

• Use 10 Berries to help catch Pokémon - Skwovet encounter
• Catch 8 different species of Pokémon - Galarian Farfetch'd encounter
• Win a raid - Gengar encounter

Rewards: 888 XP, 10 Great Balls and 5 Ultra Balls

'Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield' Stage 5 of 5

• Earn 12 hearts with your buddy - Wooloo encounter
• Catch 8 different species of Pokémon - Galarian Stunfisk
• Win a raid in under 60 seconds - Snorlax encounter

Rewards: 25 PokéBalls, 5 Ultra Balls and 1 Rare Candy

Field research for the Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield event in Pokémon Go

You'll be able to collect a variety of exclusive field research tasks by spinning PokéStops or Gyms throughout the Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield event in Pokémon Go. These research tasks can only be collected during the event, but, if saved in your field research collection, can be completed once the event ends.

Here are the Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield field research tasks:

• Earn 5 hearts with your buddy reward - Wooloo encounter
• Use 7 Berries to help catch Pokémon reward - Skwovet encounter
• Spin 10 PokéStops or Gyms reward - 5 PokéBalls
• Take a snapshot of a wild Pokémon reward - 2 Pinap Berries
• Defeat 3 Team Go Rocket Grunts reward - Galarian Farfetch'd encounter
• Win 2 raids reward - Falinks encounter

Thank you to SilphScience from reddit for the help with this information.

Everything else you need to know about the Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield event in Pokémon Go

The main draw of the Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield in Pokémon Go is the release of seven Gen 8 Pokémon.

Falinks, Wooloo and Skwovet will all be available through a number of means - from simply appearing in the wild to completing field research tasks - so you can make a good start on your Galar Pokédex. If you gather enough candy, you'll be able to evolve a Wooloo into a Dubwool and a Skwovet into a Greedent.

The legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta in their Hero of Many Battles forms will also be making appearances in five-star raids! It's important to note, however, that the raid pool for this event will change on Thursday, 26th August at 10am (local time).

From Friday, 20th August at 10am (local time) to Thursday, 26th August at 10am (local time), you'll be able to battle Zacian in its Hero of Many Battles form in five-star raids.

You'll also be able to battle Galarian Slowpoke, Galarian Farfetch'd, Unown U and Galarian Zigzagoon in one-star raids. Meanwhile, in three-star raids, you'll find Galarian Weezing, Lapras and Machamp. In Mega Raids, you'll find Mega Beedrill.

From Thursday, 26th August at 10am (local time) till Wednesday, 1st September at 10am (local time), Zamazenta will be available in five-star raids in its Hero of Many Battles form.

Unown U will continue to appear in one-stars during this time, but it will be joined by Galarian Meowth, Galarian Ponyta and Galarian Darumaka. Gengar, alongside Snorlax and Galarian Stunfisk, will also be in three-star raids. Mega Pidgeot will also be in Mega Raids.

It's important to note that Falinks was removed from the three-star raid pool for this event due to a bug.

The 7km egg pool will be fully focused on Galarian variants during the Ultra Unlock Part 3: Sword and Shield event. This means you'll have the chance to hatch the following Pokémon from 7km eggs collected from gifts during this event:

• Galarian Meowth
• Galarian Ponyta
• Galarian Slowpoke
• Galarian Farfetch'd
• Galarian Zigzagoon
• Galarian Darumaka
• Galarian Stunfisk

A range of Pokémon, including Galarian Darumaka and Trubbish, will also be appearing more frequently in the wild throughout this event.

Finally, Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield offers you the chance to catch the shiny forms of Galarian Meowth, Galarian Farfetch'd, Galarian Weezing and Galarian Stunfisk for the first time.

The Max Out Season is here and includes a new global event, Wild Area, and the current 2024 Halloween event brings us Morpeko and the Halloween cup. You can now catch Dynamax Pokémon through Max Battles. First, however, you need to visit Power Spots to collect Max Particles and complete the To the Max! quest. Don't forget to try out Routes, Gift Exchange and Party Play while you're hunting down rare Pokémon, fighting in the Go Battle League or competing in PokéStop Showcases.

Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield date and time in Pokémon Go explained

The Ultra Unlock 2021: Sword and Shield event will run from Friday, 20th August at 10am (local time) till Tuesday, 31st August at 8pm (local time) in Pokémon Go.

It's important to remember that the raid pool will change on Thursday, 26th August at 10am (local time), so you have until then to catch the legendary Zacian! This second raid pool, which includes Zamazenta, will be available till Wednesday, 1st September at 10am (local time).

The timed research quest will, however, vanish once the event ends, so, if you want to earn its rewards, you must complete it before this deadline.

Have fun catching the new Gen 8 Pokémon!