Pokemon Sword and Shield are hosting another online competition this month, and players will get a special reward for participating. Everyone who takes part in the April International Challenge will receive a shiny Galarian Moltres, making this the only way to get this shiny legendary Pokemon in the games. However, your time to sign up for the competition is quickly running out. Here's when the event takes place and how to claim your shiny Galarian Moltres.
When is the April International Challenge?
Registration is currently underway for Pokemon Sword and Shield's April International Challenge. You can sign up for the event from Mar. 31 to Apr. 14, while the event itself will take place from Apr. 15-17.Â
As mentioned, shiny Galarian Moltres is the reward for this month's competition. You will need to participate in at least three online battles to receive the legendary Pokemon. You will also need to sign up for the competition before the registration period ends to be eligible; you will no longer be able to enter the April International Challenge once the competition is underway.
How to sign up for the International Challenges
To register for the online competition, fire up your copy of Pokemon Sword or Shield during the entry period and follow these steps:
- Press X to open the menu
- Select VS
- Select Battle Stadium
- Select Online Competitions
- Select Search Official Competitions and join that month's International Challenge
Keep in mind that you will not be able to register for a competition once it's live; you must sign up before the entry period ends. As mentioned, you also must participate in at least three battles during the competition to receive the legendary Pokemon. The monster will be distributed via Mystery Gift shortly after the event ends. Note that you'll need to have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to take part in online battles.
Pokemon Sword and Shield launched in November 2019 and have been a big commercial success for Nintendo. According to the company's latest earnings report, the games have collectively sold almost 24 million copies, making them the second-best-selling pair of titles in the series' history. Two new mainline games, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, are slated to launch for Nintendo Switch later this year.