Gigantamax Cinderace takes over six-star Max Battles on Saturday 3 October 2026, from 2 to 5 p.m. local time, during Pokémon GO Max Battle Day. Its Shiny form appears for the first time. Eight times the Max Particles, 20 Remote Raids and a US$4.99 ticket round out the day.
Three hours is short for a battle that needs a group. Here are the exact times, what the bonuses and the ticket are worth, and above all which Pokémon to bring to take Gigantamax Cinderace down without wasting your Max Particles.
When is Gigantamax Cinderace Max Battle Day?
On Saturday 3 October 2026, from 2 to 5 p.m., in local time: a player in London, New York or Sydney each starts at 2 p.m. where they are. Two bonuses start at midnight the same day, and the Remote Raid increase runs from 5 p.m. PDT on Friday 2 October to 8 p.m. PDT on Saturday 3 October.
| Bonus | When | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Gigantamax Battles at every Power Spot | 2 to 5 p.m. | Cinderace everywhere, more active Power Spots, faster refreshes |
| 8× Max Particles from Power Spots | 2 to 5 p.m. | Your stock fills up in a few visits |
| Max Particle collection limit raised to 1,600 | 2 to 5 p.m. | 100 more than the usual 1,500 cap |
| 2× Max Particles from exploring, 1/4 distance | Midnight to 5 p.m. | A morning walk refills you before the start |
| Up to 3 Special Trades | 3 October | Handy for trading a Shiny Cinderace |
| 20 Remote Raids a day instead of 10 | 5 p.m. PDT, 2 Oct, to 8 p.m. PDT, 3 Oct | Battle with friends in other cities |
Local time unless stated otherwise. Bonuses announced by Pokémon GO for Max Battle Day.
Is the US$4.99 ticket worth it?
Only if you plan to play all three hours. The ticket unlocks Timed Research that rewards 1 Max Mushroom, 25,000 XP and 6,400 Max Particles, and it doubles the XP from every Max Battle. It costs US$4.99 or the equivalent pricing tier in your local currency.
The 6,400 Max Particles are the main argument: they are the fuel for Max Battles, and the 1,600 collection limit stops an active player quickly. A box in the Pokémon GO Web Store offers the same ticket plus 800 Max Particles for the same price. For a Trainer who will only spend half an hour outside, the free bonuses are more than enough.
How do Gigantamax Battles work?
A Gigantamax Battle brings together up to 40 Trainers, split into groups of four or fewer, around a Power Spot, the purple platforms that pop up on the map. You can also join remotely with a Remote Raid Pass. A six-star Max Battle is out of reach for a single player.
A group Gigantamax Battle in Pokémon GO, here against Gigantamax Charizard: it works the same way against Cinderace.
Each group does better with clear roles: two damage dealers, one healer and one sturdy Pokémon to absorb the boss's attacks. During Max Battle Day, every Power Spot hosts Gigantamax Battles and refreshes more often: finding a fight will be easy, pulling together a coordinated group less so.
Keep the Max Mushroom from the ticket for a tough battle, where a damage boost makes the difference. And Max Particles are only spent if you win: a lost battle costs you nothing.
What are the best counters to Gigantamax Cinderace?
Cinderace is a pure Fire type, weak to Water, Ground and Rock. The two best attackers are Gigantamax Inteleon and Gigantamax Kingler, which hit two of its weaknesses without running into a resistance. Gigantamax Blastoise and Dynamax Excadrill round out a team nicely.
For tanking, battle guides agree on Dynamax Regirock, Omastar, Suicune, Blissey, Latias, Latios and Vaporeon. Blastoise remains a safe pick in both roles: with Water Gun and its Dynamax defense and attack moves raised to level 3, it lasts while hitting the boss's weakness.
Blastoise and Vaporeon are not only useful in battle, by the way: you can find them engraved in 3D inside a Blastoise crystal LED Poké Ball or a Vaporeon LED Poké Ball on a wooden stand, to keep your two favorite tanks in sight.
Watch Pokémon GO's Tips and Tricks on Gigantamax Cinderace on YouTube
Shiny Gigantamax Cinderace: what to know
This is the headline of the day: Shiny Gigantamax Cinderace debuts in Pokémon GO. The announcement gives no encounter rate. The only strategy is to fit in as many battles as possible over the three hours, using the faster Power Spot refreshes and the 20 Remote Raids.
A Cinderace caught from these battles can then Gigantamax in your own teams. Beyond that, Cinderace is the final evolution of Scorbunny and Raboot, the Fire-type starter from the Galar region: a fast, footwork-driven Pokémon that carries its fireball all the way into its giant form.
The Pokémon GO autumn calendar is busy. Before this Max Battle Day, the Harvest Festival and the arrival of Shadow Zekrom already fill the schedule, after the Charmander wearing Friede's goggles event. Our whole light-up Poké Ball collection is here between two sessions.
And the following week brings a complete change of pace: the Zorua Community Day on October 10 swaps group battles for a disguise hunt, with the Unova fox copying your Buddy Pokémon all over the map.
Image credits: Pokémon GO, Scopely and The Pokémon Company (Max Battle Day key art, Gigantamax Battle key art, Gigantamax Cinderace 3D model, Tips and Tricks video thumbnail, Cinderace, Inteleon and Kingler artwork).
