Explore whether the Pokemon GO Growing Up event ticket is worth buying, with data-backed insights on rewards, timing, and value.

Deciding whether to buy the Growing Up event ticket in Pokemon GO means weighing actual rewards against the time and effort required. You are offered exclusive access for $4.99, but that cost only makes sense if you plan to commit during the event window.
Let’s go through the details and help you decide clearly.
What You Get With the Pokemon GO Growing Up Event Ticket

Buying the ticket gives access to Timed Research that includes:
- One Incubator (worth 150 PokeCoins in the in-game shop)
- 15 Pinap Berries (used to double catch candy)
- 3,000 Stardust
- Guaranteed Pokemon encounters: Magikarp, Swablu, Lucario, Wimpod, Tandemaus, and more
- An exclusive avatar pose
None of these items are game-breaking, but the Incubator alone carries some value if you hatch often. Lucario is a useful Fighting-type in both PvE and PvP, and encounters through Timed Research are generally easier than relying on random spawns.
The Stardust reward is modest — 3,000 doesn’t go very far with power-ups, but combined with catches and other event bonuses, it might stack up if you are consistent.
What’s Free for Everyone?
You don’t have to pay to get value from this event. From May 2, at 10:00 a.m. to May 7, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. local time, the following bonuses apply to all players:
- 2× XP for evolving Pokemon
- (If you evolve 50 Pokemon during a Lucky Egg, that’s 100,000 XP or more.)
- 2× Candy from hatching Eggs
- (This helps if you are working on legendaries or hard-to-find species.)
- Increased chance to hatch Shiny Wimpod
- Higher chances of finding shiny Magikarp, Swablu, and Wimpod in the wild
- More XXS and XXL Pokemon seen in wild encounters
Some species appear more frequently too:
- Magikarp, Wailmer, Swablu, Foongus, Dedenne, Cutiefly, Wimpod, Rookidee, and Nymble
Should You Purchase Pokemon GO Growing Up Event Ticket?
Ask yourself a few direct questions:
- Will I play enough to finish Timed Research before May 7?
- Do I need the Incubator, or do I already have some?
- Am I looking for Lucario or shiny Tandemaus?
- Do I value an avatar pose or added Stardust?
If your answer to most of these is yes, then the $4.99 ticket could bring value.
If not, focusing on free features might be more rewarding.
Final Thought
The Growing Up event offers generous features for all players. The ticket adds extra layers for those who want more, but only if they can commit time within a limited window. If you are short on time or only playing casually, the core gameplay during the event already provides solid incentives.
Focus on what suits your playstyle. Whether or not you choose the ticket, there’s enough in this event to keep your screen lighting up with catches, evolutions, and egg hatches.
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