Three years ago, an app convinced millions to take their sleep seriously — turning bedtime into a Pokémon research expedition. On 20 July, Pokémon Sleep marks its third birthday, and to celebrate, the Sinnoh region’s beloved starter trio is finally stepping into the game for the first time.
Prelude Campaign: 1.5× Bonuses From 6 July
The countdown kicks off with the Third Anniversary Prelude Campaign, running from 6 July (Monday) at 4:00 AM to 13 July (Monday) at 3:59 AM. Log in each day during this window and you will receive 150 bonus Sleep Points, while all sleep research yields:
- 1.5× Dream Shards
- 1.5× Research EXP
Returning for a cameo during the Prelude: the Hoenn starters — Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip — along with their full evolutionary lines, with increased encounter rates across all research areas. A solid warm-up week for stacking resources before the main event.
Turtwig, Chimchar and Piplup Make Their Pokémon Sleep Debut on 13 July
The main celebration — the Third Anniversary Fest — begins on 13 July at 4:00 AM, introducing nine Pokémon to the game for the very first time:
- Turtwig, Grotle, and Torterra (Grass)
- Chimchar, Monferno, and Infernape (Fire)
- Piplup, Prinplup, and Empoleon (Water)
All three complete Sinnoh starter lines arriving in one event is a significant milestone for the app. The Fest is expected to run through 27 July, based on the two-week anniversary pattern from previous years — though official field locations and any additional Fest multipliers are still to be confirmed ahead of 13 July.
Gen 4 holds a special place for many Singapore Pokémon fans. Diamond and Pearl landed on the Nintendo DS in 2007 and remain among the most beloved entries in the series. Whether you are team Torterra, Infernape, or Empoleon, this anniversary is your moment to finally add your Sinnoh companion to the research team.
Japan Celebrates with a Giant Snorlax in Yokohama
In Japan, The Pokémon Company and Mitsubishi Estate Group are taking the anniversary offline. The real-world event Yokohama Nap Research (横浜でみっけ！ポケモンねがおリサーチ) runs 17 July to 23 August 2026 across two venues in Minato Mirai — Landmark Tower’s Landmark Plaza and MARK IS Minato Mirai (daily 10:00 AM–7:00 PM), as reported by Dengeki Online (Japanese).
Highlights include a massive sleeping Snorlax installation, a free stamp rally across both venues, a limited Pokémon Sleep merchandise shop, themed drinks, and a collaboration with Toyota’s TOTONE — a semi-private, air-cushion recliner developed to support comfortable short naps. Entry to the stamp rally and main event areas is free.
Singapore players cannot make the trip to Yokohama, but all in-game anniversary events are global. The Prelude Campaign opens on 6 July and the Sinnoh starter debut kicks off on 13 July for everyone with the app installed. Watch the official Pokémon Sleep website for full Fest bonus details as they drop — and for more Pokémon coverage, browse GameTrader’s game news section.