The Pokémon Company has announced the next limited-time event for Pokémon Pokopia: Zorua's Hide-and-Sneak Contest. The event kicks off July 19 at 5:00 a.m. local time and wraps up July 27 at 4:59 a.m., giving players just over a week to track down one of the most mischievous Pokémon in the franchise.
What the hide-and-sneak contest actually involves
The premise is exactly what it sounds like. Zorua visits your town and players have to find it, playing a full hide-and-seek game against the little trickster. Prizes and a brand-new in-game trophy are up for grabs for those who track it down.
Here's the thing: Zorua won't show up just anywhere. The Pokémon Company confirmed that Zorua can only visit towns with a rebuilt Pokémon Center, so if yours isn't up yet, that's the first thing to sort out before July 19.
The co-op angle is worth paying attention to. Players can meet up in another player's world or on a Cloud Island to run the contest together, and the fastest completion time across all participants becomes the town or Cloud Island's best record. That competitive leaderboard element gives the event a bit more staying power than a simple one-and-done encounter.
No new Pokémon this time around
Unlike the previous Jirachi event (you can check the full Wish Upon a Jirachi event details and start times for comparison), Zorua's Hide-and-Sneak Contest doesn't appear to introduce any new Pokémon to the roster. The focus here is squarely on the event mechanics and rewards rather than expanding the available Pokémon pool.
That's a reasonable trade-off. Zorua is a fan favourite with a personality that maps perfectly onto a hide-and-seek format, and the co-op record-chasing gives players a reason to coordinate rather than just solo the event and move on.
A busy few months ahead for Pokopia
This event lands during what is shaping up to be a packed stretch for the game. Pokémon Pokopia launched in March to strong player reception, and The Pokémon Company confirmed last month that multiple expansions are in the pipeline. The first free update arrives in August and opens up the ocean floor with the Dive move, letting players build underwater towns and plant grass on the seafloor alongside new Pokémon.
A paid expansion adds Bubbly Basin, a new underwater town with outfits, furniture, and more Pokémon. A second paid expansion follows later in 2026, with a third and final expansion slated for 2027. The game is clearly being treated as a long-term platform rather than a one-off release.
For players still getting their towns up to speed before the Zorua event, the Pokémon Pokopia guides cover everything from Pokémon specialties to photo ops to help you make the most of what the game has to offer before the next event window closes.
