The wait is over—Volcanion, the mythical Fire/Water-type Pokémon, has officially arrived in Pokémon GO! For years, this steam-powered legend has been missing from the mobile game’s roster, but GO Fest 2025 finally changed that. Whether you’re a collector, battler, or just someone who loves rare Pokémon, Volcanion is a must-have for your Pokédex.
In this complete guide, we’ll walk you through how to get Volcanion in Pokémon GO, including:
- Where and when to find Volcanion
- How the “Full Steam Ahead” Special Research works
- What to do if you missed the GO Fest 2025 event
- Volcanion’s best moveset for raids and PvP
- And whether shiny Volcanion is available yet
Let’s dive into everything you need to know about catching Volcanion in Pokémon GO.
🔥🌊 What Makes Volcanion So Special?
Volcanion stands out as the only Pokémon with a Fire/Water dual typing. This unique combo gives it both offensive flexibility and some rare resistances:
- Resists Fire, Ice, Steel, Bug, and Fairy-type attacks
- Deals powerful STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) damage with Hydro Pump, Steam Eruption, and Overheat
Its max CP exceeds 4,000, and it boasts strong stats across the board, making it viable in both raids and PvP battles.
Whether you’re looking to dominate Team GO Rocket battles or want a strong anti-Grass/Steel attacker for raids, Volcanion delivers.
🎟️ How to Get Volcanion in Pokémon GO (GO Fest 2025)
The only current way to obtain Volcanion in Pokémon GO is through GO Fest 2025, which ran from June 28 to June 29, 2025. During this limited-time event, ticket holders gained access to a Special Research line called “Full Steam Ahead.”
Let’s break it down step-by-step:
✅ Step 1: Buy a GO Fest 2025 Ticket
You needed to purchase a GO Fest 2025 ticket from the in-game shop. Without the ticket, players couldn’t access the Special Research or encounter Volcanion.
- Price: Usually around $14.99 USD (regional prices may vary)
- Where: In-game Shop > Events tab
- Bonus: Ticket also granted other perks like increased spawns, raid passes, and event-themed encounters
❗ If you didn’t buy a ticket before the event ended, Volcanion is currently unavailable for your account (but more on future options later).
✅ Step 2: Complete the “Full Steam Ahead” Special Research
Once logged in during event hours (10 AM – 6 PM local time), the Special Research automatically unlocked for ticket holders. The quest consisted of six steps, with tasks like:
- Spinning PokéStops
- Catching specific Fire- and Water-type Pokémon
- Evolving Pokémon
- Battling in raids
- Hatching eggs
- Earning buddy hearts
Each stage rewarded items like:
- Rare Candy
- Incense
- Premium Battle Passes
- Volcanion-themed avatar items
✅ Final Reward: A guaranteed Volcanion encounter—no randomness or catch rate barriers!
✅ Step 3: Catch Volcanion
Once you reached the final stage of “Full Steam Ahead,” Volcanion appeared as a Special Research encounter.
- It cannot flee during the catch attempt
- Use Golden Razz Berries and Excellent Curveball Throws to earn extra XP
- Consider using a Poké Ball Plus or Go Plus+ for fast catching
After catching, Volcanion is permanently added to your Pokédex and can be powered up, traded (with restrictions), or used in battles.
💡 Can You Get Volcanion Without a GO Fest 2025 Ticket?
If you missed the event or didn’t buy a ticket, you can’t currently get Volcanion. However, Niantic has a history of releasing Mythical Pokémon again later through alternate means.
Here’s what to expect:
🔁 Future Special Research
- Volcanion may return in a free Special Research quest, similar to how Niantic re-released Mew, Celebi, and Shaymin.
- This typically happens 6–12 months after the Mythical’s debut.
🔄 Elite Raid or Event Feature
Niantic could add Volcanion to Elite Raids or make it a reward during future GO Fest reruns, community quests, or anniversary events.
🔔 Stay updated by following Pokémon GO’s official blog or in-game notifications.
🔄 Is Volcanion Tradeable?
Yes—but with some caveats:
🛑 Trade Restrictions
- Volcanion is a Mythical Pokémon, so it’s only eligible for Special Trades
- You can only do one Special Trade per day
- It costs a large amount of Stardust, especially if the Pokémon is not registered in the recipient’s Pokédex
🤝 Requirements
- Must be Best Friends with the person you’re trading with
- Both players must be physically near each other
- Volcanion must not be your only copy if you’re planning to part with it
💡 Most players won’t be willing to trade away their Volcanion so soon after the event, so your chances may be slim in 2025.
✨ Is Shiny Volcanion Available in Pokémon GO?
No, shiny Volcanion has not been released in Pokémon GO yet.
Niantic typically delays the release of shiny variants of Mythical Pokémon for:
- Special anniversaries
- Ticketed events (like GO Tour or GO Fest reruns)
- Limited-time Masterwork Research lines
Expect shiny Volcanion to appear in 2026 or beyond, possibly tied to another paid research opportunity.
🥊 Volcanion in Raids & PvP – Is It Any Good?
Absolutely. Volcanion is not just a novelty—it’s a powerhouse that performs well in both raids and PvP formats.
📈 Volcanion’s Stats
- Max CP: 4,108
- Attack: 252
- Defense: 216
- Stamina: 190
- Typing: Fire / Water
- Weaknesses: Electric, Rock, Ground
- Resistances: Fire, Bug, Fairy, Ice, Steel
Its typing grants it six resistances, and it can counter many meta threats, especially Grass and Steel types.
🔥 Best Moveset for Volcanion
To maximize Volcanion’s performance, use this combo:
✅ Fast Moves:
- Incinerate (Fire) – Best overall damage
- Water Gun (Water) – Better energy generation but less power
✅ Charged Moves:
- Overheat (Fire) – Powerful Fire-type nuke
- Hydro Pump (Water) – Strong STAB Water move
- (Coming Soon: Steam Eruption – when released, it will be Volcanion’s signature move and a likely meta-changer)
🛡️ Shield baiting isn’t Volcanion’s strong suit, so time charged moves carefully in PvP.
🧪 Volcanion in Raids
Volcanion works great as a Fire-type attacker, especially against:
- Ice-types like Regice or Glaceon
- Steel-types like Metagross, Genesect, or Kartana
- Grass-types like Virizion or Celebi
Boosts to watch:
- Sunny weather – Buffs Fire-type attacks
- Rainy weather – Buffs Water-type attacks
⚔️ Volcanion in PvP
Volcanion holds its own in:
- Ultra League – where its resistances help it outlast popular picks like Charizard, Registeel, and Swampert
- Master League – where it can surprise common Dragon and Steel types
Recommended team roles:
- Use Volcanion as a closer or switch, not a lead
- Pair it with Pokémon that resist Electric or Ground (e.g., Togekiss, Garchomp)
💡 Remember: its dual typing is unique, so it can fill multiple roles in team compositions.
🧠 Pro Tips for Using Volcanion
- Don’t power it up immediately – wait for potential moveset changes like the release of Steam Eruption
- Check IVs before investing Stardust
- Label it “Mythical” or “GO Fest 2025” in your tags for easy sorting
- Keep your one free Special Trade per day reserved if you’re hoping to get Volcanion from another player
📝 Final Thoughts: Is Volcanion Worth the Hype?
Yes—Volcanion is one of the best Mythical Pokémon released in years. Its unique typing, strong stats, and dual-type movesets make it valuable across multiple aspects of Pokémon GO gameplay.
Whether you’re a raid strategist or a PvP enthusiast, Volcanion brings something new to the table. And even if you’re just a collector, its rarity alone makes it worth grabbing whenever it’s available.
If you missed GO Fest 2025, don’t worry—Niantic almost always reintroduces Mythical Pokémon through future events. Just stay informed, save your Stardust, and be ready when the next opportunity strikes!
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