RDAB Wrapped 2025!

Trainers, your RDAB Wrapped 2025 is here!

What. A. Year!

This year saw over 8,000+ trainers adventure around Doncaster over 12,000 times!

Now that’s Raiding Doncaster and, beyond!

This year, you came together en mass!

The big 3 events this year were:

1.Doncaster GOWA with est 7,000 attendees

2.GO Fest 2025 with est 500 attendees

3.Doncaster Max Finale with est 300 attendees

You loved Jangmo-o community day, but Karrablast & Shelmet wasn’t really your thing.

Total votes cast: 515

1. Jangmo-o — 86 votes (39.3%)

2. Eevee — 57 votes (26.0%)

3. Rookidee — 55 votes (25.1%)

4. Vanillite — 52 votes (23.7%)

5. Pikipek — 43 votes (19.6%)

6. Sprigatito — 41 votes (18.7%)

7. Flabébé — 30 votes (13.7%)

8. Totodile — 26 votes (11.9%)

9. Pawmi — 24 votes (11.0%)

10. Quaxly — 21 votes (9.6%)

11. Ralts — 19 votes (8.7%)

12. Machop — 18 votes (8.2%)

13. Solosis — 16 votes (7.3%)

14. Fuecoco — 15 votes (6.8%)

15. Karrablast & Shelmet — 12 votes (5.5%)

Your favourite events of the year are in… can you guess the top spot?

Favourite events / meet-ups 202 votes cast

1. GOWA — 75 votes (37.1%)

2. GO Fest — 31 votes (15.3%)

3. Gigantamax Days — 28 votes (13.9%)

4. Max Finale — 20 votes (9.9%)

5. Raid Days — 19 votes (9.4%)

6. Community Days (bundled) — 17 votes (8.4%)

7. Pokémon GO Safari: Valencia — 5 votes (2.5%)

8. Other events / socials — 3 votes (1.5%)

9. Unova Tour — 3 votes (1.5%)

10. Hatch Days — 1 vote (0.5%)

THE “community” moment was…

1. “The City on the Move” (Hundreds walking, raiding, routes & raid trains across Elmfield & Town Fields) 52 votes — 27.5%

Honorable mentions for the community moment:

2. “People Came From Everywhere” (Travelling from across the country, first Doncaster meet-ups, reconnecting) 28 votes — 14.8%

4. “Everyone Belongs Here” (Kids, parents, and older players all playing together — cross-generational) 21 votes — 11.1%

8. “Pink Pony Club” (GOWA social, social mentions karaoke, joy, safe space vibes) 10 votes — 5.3%

189 votes cast

1. “The City on the Move” (Hundreds walking, raiding, routes & raid trains across Elmfield & Town Fields) 52 votes — 27.5%

2. “People Came From Everywhere” (Travelling from across the country, first Doncaster meet-ups, reconnecting) 28 votes — 14.8%

3. “One Big Group Photo” (Massive crowd photos together) 25 votes — 13.2%

4. “Everyone Belongs Here” (Kids, parents, and older players all playing together — cross-generational) 21 votes — 11.1%

5. “The Corn Exchange Crowd” (Huge groups playing together outside the Corn Exchange) 14 votes — 7.4%

6. “THAT Shiny Moment” (Shiny hunts, cheers, shared excitement) 13 votes — 6.9%

7. “We Beat It Together” (Teaming up to defeat difficult bosses) 11 votes — 5.8%

8. “Pink Pony Club” (GOWA social, social mentions karaoke, joy, safe space vibes) 10 votes — 5.3%

9. “Leveling Up Together” (Helping others grind levels) 5 votes — 2.6%

10. “Professor Willow Everywhere” (Cutouts, standees, photo moments) 5 votes — 2.6%

11. “Everything Else That Mattered” (Other moments) 5 votes — 2.6%

It’s not all good… the worst event as voted by you was…

Total votes: 197

1. Eternatus Max Finale (over-monetised, Max Battles, remote limits, cost) 36 — 18.3%

2. Dialga & Palkia Event(s) (repeat raids, bonus days, broken shiny rates, fatigue) 28 — 14.2%

3. Hatch Days / Egg Events (poor rewards, bad shiny rates) 27 — 13.7%

4. Unova Tour 16 — 8.1%

5. Bugged Gigantamax / Max Battle Days (Garbodor, Snorlax issues) 13 — 7.1%

6. GO Fest Global (spawns, legendaries, repetition) 10 — 5.1%

7. Dynamax Legendaries (4-player lobby limit, no private lobbies) 9 — 4.6%

8. December Community Day Weekend (too short, weak shiny boost) 8 — 4.1%

9. Raid Days / Raid Weekends (too few raids, poor rotations) 7 — 3.6%

10. Weather-Affected Events (rain, snow, cold, accessibility) 5 — 2.5%

11. Zacian & Zamazenta Available Too Long 3 — 1.5%

12. Catch Mastery Days 3 — 1.5%

13. Max Mondays 2 — 1.0%

14. Community Day Repeats (Eevee, Pikipek, Machop, etc) 2 — 1.0%

15. Mega Rayquaza (technical issues) 2 — 1.0%

16. Too Many Events Over Summer 2 — 1.0%

17. Ultra Unlock Bonuses 1 — 0.5%

18. Mega Gyarados 1 — 0.5%

19. Level 80 Update Drop 1 — 0.5%

1. Not counted / null: 1

It’s not all doom and gloom! The most anticipated Pokemon debuts for 2026, and beyond are…

Total responses counted: 152

1. Arceus — 26 (17.1%)

2. Paradox Pokémon (Roaring Moon, Iron Valiant, etc.) — 16 (10.5%)

3. Koraidon & Miraidon (Paldea Legends) — 15 (9.9%)

4. Ultra Necrozma — 11 (7.2%)

5. Gigantamax Pokémon — 11 (7.2%)

6. Mimikyu — 5 (3.3%)

7. Shiny Poipole — 4 (2.6%)

8. Terapagos — 4 (2.6%)

9. Wishiwashi — 4 (2.6%)

10. Galar Fossils — 4 (2.6%)

11. Phione & Manaphy — 3 (2.0%)

12. Shiny Zygarde — 3 (2.0%)

13. Shiny Hawlucha — 3 (2.0%)

14. Magearna — 2 (1.3%)

15. Shiny Marshadow — 2 (1.3%)

16. Shiny Dreepy — 2 (1.3%)

17. Silvally — 2 (1.3%)

18. Bidoof (new variants: costume / Dynamax) — 2 (1.3%)

Single-mention Pokemon • Milcery - 1 (0.7%) • Eiscue - 1 (0.7%) • Flamigo - 1 (0.7%) • Wattrel - 1 (0.7%) • Shiny Hoopa - 1 (0.7%) • Shadow Shiny Rayquaza - 1 (0.7%) • Different-coloured Snorlax (Pokémon Sleep) - 1 (0.7%) Cowboy hat Caterpie - 1 (0.7%)

2026 is all about mega moments. Your most anticipated mega pokemon is…

Total responses counted: 174

1. Mega Mewtwo (X & Y combined) — 56 (33.1%)

2. Mega Zygarde — 29 (17.2%)

3. Mega Dragonite — 16 (9.5%)

4. Mega Malamar — 10 (5.9%)

5. Mega Darkrai — 9 (5.3%)

6. Mega Staryu — 7 (4.1%)

7. Mega Raichu — 6 (3.6%)

8. Mega Hawlucha — 6 (3.6%)

9. Mega Heatran — 3 (1.8%)

10. Mega Emboar — 3 (1.8%)

11. Mega Chesnaught — 3 (1.8%)

12. Mega Lucario Z — 2 (1.2%)

13. Mega Greninja — 2 (1.2%)

14. Mega Scolipede — 2 (1.2%)

15. Mega Zoroark — 2 (1.2%)

16. Mega Falinks — 2 (1.2%)

17. Mega Fennekin — 2 (1.2%)

18. Mega Floette — 1 (0.6%)

19. Mega Klefki — 1 (0.6%)

20. Mega Clefable — 1 (0.6%)

21. Mega Giratina — 1 (0.6%)

22. Mega Absol Z — 1 (0.6%)

23. Mega Chimecho — 1 (0.6%)

24. Mega Victreebell — 1 (0.6%)

25. Mega Meganium — 1 (0.6%)

26. Mega Staraptor — 1 (0.6%)

The Pokemon you wish would just. Stop. Spawning is…

Total responses: 112

1. Machop — 14 (12.5%)

2. Starter Pokémon — 9 (8.0%)

3. Sawk — 5 (4.5%)

4. Ralts — 4 (3.6%)

5. Pidgey — 4 (3.6%)

6. Bidoof — 3 (2.7%)

7. Caterpie — 3 (2.7%)

8. Lickitung — 3 (2.7%)

9. Rattata / “rats” — 3 (2.7%)

10. Bronzor — 2 (1.8%)

11. Swirlix — 2 (1.8%)

12. Oddish — 1 (0.9%)

13. Ekans — 1 (0.9%)

14. Grubbin — 1 (0.9%)

15. Drowzee — 1 (0.9%)

16. Mr Mime / Jynx — 1 (0.9%)

17. Mankey — 1 (0.9%)

18. Smoliv — 1 (0.9%)

19. Magnemite — 1 (0.9%)

20. Wimpod — 1 (0.9%)

21. Zigzagoon — 1 (0.9%)

22. Venonat — 1 (0.9%)

23. Weedle — 1 (0.9%)

24. Purrloin — 1 (0.9%)

25. Fletchling — 1 (0.9%)

26. Wooloo — 1 (0.9%)

27. Skarmory — 1 (0.9%)

28. Carbink — 1 (0.9%)

29. Abra — 1 (0.9%)

30. Fidough — 1 (0.9%)

31. Solosis — 1 (0.9%)

32. Heatmor — 1 (0.9%)

33. Lechonk — 1 (0.9%)

34. Snubbull — 1 (0.9%)

35. Spoink — 1 (0.9%)

36. Pawmi — 1 (0.9%)

37. Oricorio — 1 (0.9%)

Your favourite new feature from 2025 is

Total responses: 140

1. Level 80 & New Levels / Level Cap Changes — 37 (26.4%) (New levels, readjustments, long-term goals)

2. Bottle Caps & Hyper Training — 30 (21.4%) (Golden Bottle Caps, Hyper Training, IV upgrades)

3. Max Battles / Dynamax / Gigantamax Raids — 11 (7.9%) (Max Battles, Dynamax Legendaries, Gigantamax raids, Remote GMax)

4. Lucky Trinket — 9 (6.4%)

5. Weekly Challenges / Party Challenges — 8 (5.7%) (Weekly tasks, Global Party Challenges)

6. Doncaster Ambassador Rollout / Official In-Person Meetups — 7 (5.0%)

7. Remote Trading & Friendship Changes — 6 (4.3%)

8. Raid Quality-of-Life (Scheduling & Quick Invites) — 5 (3.6%)

9. Doncaster Campsite / Elmfield Park Gyms — 5 (3.6%)

10. Eternatus & Story-Driven Debuts — 4 (2.9%)

11. GO Pass (Standard & Monthly) — 3 (2.1%)

12. More Wayfarer / Gyms & Stops in Doncaster — 3 (2.1%)

13. Daily Egg — 2 (1.4%)

14. Remote Shadow Raids — 2 (1.4%)

15. Falinks Costume — 2 (1.4%)

16. PokéStop Showcases — 1 (0.7%)

17. Party Feature — 1 (0.7%)

18. Campfire — 1 (0.7%)

19. Check-In Rewards — 1 (0.7%)

20. Free Storage Increases — 1 (0.7%)

21. RSVP Feature — 1 (0.7%)

22. Community Day Lures After Events — 1 (0.7%)

23. RDAB App Rollout — 1 (0.7%)

24. Sudowoodo Costume — 1 (0.7%)

Hyper training was brand new in 2025, and the Pokemon you trained the most are…

Total bottle cap uses counted: 164

1. Zacian — 34 (20.7%)

2. Rayquaza — 31 (18.9%)

3. Mewtwo — 22 (4 armoured) (13.4%)

4. Zamazenta — 20 (12.2%)

5. Groudon — 9 (5.5%)

6. Kyogre — 7 (4.3%)

7. Necrozma — 6 (includes fusions) (3.7%)

8. Dialga — 5 (3.0%)

9. Palkia — 5 (3.0%)

10. Metagross — 4 (2.4%)

11. Machamp — 4 (2.4%)

12. Garchomp — 4 (2.4%)

13. Pikachu — 4 (2 manchester background, 2 costume) (2.4%)

14. Kyurem — 3 (1.8%)

15. Gigantamax Snorlax (Gigantamax) — 3 (1.8%)

16. Zekrom — 2 (1.2%)

17. Yveltal — 2 (1.2%)

18. Salamence — 2 (1.2%)

19. Gengar — 1 (0.6%)

20. Shaymin — 1 (0.6%)

21. Sirfetch’d — 1 (0.6%)

22. Kingambit — 1 (0.6%)

23. Grimmsnarl — 1 (0.6%)

24. Noibat — 1 (0.6%)

25. Gardevoir — 1 (0.6%)

26. Espeon — 1 (0.6%)

27. Latias — 1 (0.6%)

28. Charizard — 1 (0.6%)

29. Venusaur — 1 (0.6%)

30. Slaking — 1 (0.6%)

31. Kubfu — 1 (0.6%)

32. Eternatus — 1 (0.6%)

33. Pidgeotto — 1 (0.6%)

34. Mew — 1 (0.6%)

35. Squirtle (costume) — 1 (0.6%)

36. Qualaval — 1 (0.6%)

We asked the community, if you could add one thing to Pokemon GO what would it be? You said…

Total responses counted: 138

1. Trading Improvements & Global Trading (trading marketplace, higher distance trading, mention of trading, item trading) — 24 (17.4%)

2. Gifting Quality-of-Life (Mass Send / Open / Auto) — 19 (13.8%)

3. Gigantamax / Dynamax Expansion (MORE!!!) — 17 (12.3%)

4. Economy Improvements (More daily coins, Less tickets Passes, Less Monetisation) — 14 (10.1%)

5. Mega Evolution Improvements — 12 (8.7%)

6. Storage, UI & Inventory Management — 11 (8.0%)

7. Bottle Caps & Endgame Progression (More bottle caps, more ways to get them, better endgame features) — 9 (6.5%)

8. More Social / Community Features — 8 (5.8%)

9. More Spawns / Better Spawn Variety — 6 (4.3%)

10. Raids & PvE Quality-of-Life — 6 (4.3%)

11. Egg System Changes — 5 (3.6%)

12. Buddy System Expansion — 4 (2.9%)

13. Integration with Main Series Games — 4 (2.9%)

14. Avatar & Cosmetic Features — 3 (2.2%)

15. Progression & Level Cap Requests — 3 (2.2%)

16. Items & Power-Ups — 3 (2.2%)

17. Event Fatigue / Fewer Events — 2 (1.4%)

18. Misc / Meme Requests — 2 (1.4%)

19. None / No Change — 2 (1.4%)

Total responses: 119

1. Tylae — 29 (24.4%)

2. Mir137 / Mir — 21 (17.6%)

3. Eastwood303 — 16 (13.4%)

4. Matdh — 12 (10.1%)

5. Kieran M — 8 (6.7%)

6. DonnyMike — 5 (4.2%)

7. Desimond — 4 (3.4%)

8. 1TinaH — 3 (2.5%)

9. Ross — 2 (1.7%)

10. Kierangg — 2 (1.7%)

11. XgooseyX — 1 (0.8%)

12. sepiajoker — 1 (0.8%)

13. Scotteh — 1 (0.8%)

14. Ben101010 — 1 (0.8%)

15. Liammurphy — 1 (0.8%)

16. Crbrazzy — 1 (0.8%)

17. MrFreakshow1991 — 1 (0.8%)

18. Zamtap — 1 (0.8%)

19. Shinykhan — 1 (0.8%)

20. Rambo — 1 (0.8%)

21. Jack90dadjokes — 1 (0.8%)

22. Rotherdam — 1 (0.8%)

23. Lilybear / Danny — 1 (0.8%)

24. Chloemaria — 1 (0.8%)

25. Lottie — 1 (0.8%)

26. Diamondwithr — 1 (0.8%)

27. AJ — 1 (0.8%)

To make things fair, we took Ambassadors and Admins out of the equation!

Your trainer of the year award goes to … Eastwood303!

Here’s how you voted:

Over 100 of you gave us direct feedback! We are listening and appreciate it and we will be taking it on board! Here’s a summary of key takeaways from each round of feedback you gave us:

Suggestions for RDAB in 2026:

“Roughly 15% of local players want more social, relaxed, non event focused meet-ups, with gentle expansion beyond the City Centre — whilst the majority are already happy with how RDAB is run.”

Most Requested RDAB Merch & Prizes: “Pins and enamel badges are the runaway favourite followed closely by TCG packs and wearable merch. Players want collectible, flex-worthy items more than novelty prizes.”

Most requested City Perks & Business Partnerships: “Players want easy food and drink perks first, followed by geek or gaming spaces. These are places they naturally visit during or after meet-ups. Players overwhelmingly voted for Greggs. LOL”

The feedback around RDAB this year has doubled from 2024 and has been overwhelmingly positive. Players consistently describe the community as welcoming and have genuine praise around our level of support, inclusivity and diversity.

Families, new players, and long-time trainers alike feel safe, values and excited to attend events, with many highlighting the positive impact RDAB has had on their confidence, mental wellbeing, and social lives. Events are praised for being well-organised and accessible; full of positive energy.

The wider projects that surround RDAB such as the group chats, app and collaborations with businesses and partners is recognised for bringing people together, creating footfall across the city, and offering something meaningful beyond the game itself.

While a small number of practical suggestions have been raised around organisation and digital improvements, the overwhelming sentiment is appreciation, pride, and trust in the team. The message is loud and clear from the vast majority… they are simply asking RDAB to keep doing what it’s doing.

Trainers, Thankyou for your feedback and your kindness this year. We can’t wait to take this into 2026 and keep working on building this community up further.

Happy new year! ❤️💙💛