Pokemon GO has already gotten a lot of new monsters thanks to the Season of Alola, and with so much time left before it ends, there's bound to be plenty of other new Pokemon on the way. The Alola region may be known for introducing regional Pokemon variants to the series, but Pokemon Sun and Moon added plenty of new Pokemon too. Pokemon GO already has a lot of Alola's regional variants, meaning the Season of Alola is bound to focus on new Pokemon instead. Not only does that mean the Alolan starters and other basic Pokemon are available now, but Legendary Alolan Pokemon are on the way.
Some of Pokemon Sun and Moon's guardian deities have already made it into Pokemon GO, but many fans are probably waiting with bated breath for the signature Generation 7 Legendary Pokemon to join the game: Solgaleo and Lunala. These two don't appear to be around the corner just yet, but they seem like perfect capstones for the Season of Alola. However, Solgaleo and Lunala come with some unique challenges, since they're two of the only Legendary Pokemon to evolve. Before they can join Pokemon GO, Niantic will have to decide how to handle Solgaleo and Lunala's unique evolution line.
Niantic's Solgaleo and Lunala Options
On the one hand, Niantic could handle Solgaleo and Lunala in largely the same way as Sun and Moon: players could obtain a Cosmog through Special Research or a Raid, then spend time and resources to evolve it into a Cosmoem before evolving it into its final form. That comes with some noteworthy complications, however. It's much harder to earn Candy for Legendary Pokemon in Pokemon GO than it is for other Pokemon, and since Candy is the standard evolution resource, earning enough Candy to evolve Cosmog could be a serious pain. Niantic would need to find an alternative way to evolve Cosmog in order to cut down on tedium.
On the other hand, Niantic could simply let players get Solgaleo and Lunala from Raids. Pokemon GO's system of Raids has proven to be a highly efficient way to distribute Legendary Pokemon, and Pokemon Sun and Moon gave players one of these Pokemon first anyway. However, bypassing Cosmog and Cosmoem altogether would create problems for Pokemon GO's Pokedex. The Alola Pokedex can't be completed without Cosmog and Cosmoem's data, after all, so Pokemon GO needs to make them available somehow, or else players won't be able to complete the Pokedex. That would be a massive source of frustration for many fans.
Incorporating Alola's Legendary Mascots
All in all, it would probably be better if Niantic gives players a Cosmog to evolve, rather than simply running Solgaleo and Lunala raids. That would be a better representation of the Sun and Moon experience, and it would allow for a more accurate Pokedex. Niantic should look into alternative ways to let players evolve Cosmog, though, rather than relying on Candy alone. Perhaps players will get a rare item similar to Sinnoh Stones and Unova Stones that triggers evolution for Cosmog and Cosmoem. As for which route Cosmoem takes on evolution, Niantic could simply give players a Solgaleo during the day or a Lunala during the night.
The Season of Alola is already full of Special Research quests, so it wouldn't be surprising if there's eventually a quest that gives fans a Cosmog to train. It's mostly a matter of timing. Pokemon GO could distribute a Cosmog in mid-April, since Cosmog is found on Ula'ula Island and that would coincide with the island's Special Research, or it could wait until May to put Cosmog in the spotlight. Either way, Cosmog seems like the right way to bring Solgaleo and Lunala to Pokemon GO at last. These Legendary Pokemon are unique in a lot of ways, but their evolutionary line is particularly important.
Pokemon GO is available now for Android and iOS devices.