Pokémon Sleep is getting its biggest crossover yet: starting 17 August at 4:00 a.m. local time, the app teams up with Pokémon Horizons: The Series for a week-long collaboration that brings four new Pokémon into the game — including the long-awaited debut of Captain Pikachu and the Tinkaton line. The event runs until 24 August at 3:59 a.m., and Singapore players on iOS and Android can jump straight in.

Who Is Captain Pikachu — and Why Does This Collab Matter?

Captain Pikachu is the partner Pokémon of Friede, the enigmatic trainer who leads the Rising Volt Tacklers crew at the heart of Pokémon Horizons: The Series. Cool-headed and intensely loyal, he is one of the most distinctive Pikachu to appear in the franchise in years — and for fans watching Horizons on Netflix, seeing him show up as a helper Pokémon in Sleep is genuinely exciting. He marks the first crossover between the current anime series and the mobile sleep-tracking game.

Also debuting are Tinkatink, Tinkatuff, and Tinkaton — the Fairy-type evolutionary line closely associated with Dot, another core member of the Rising Volt Tacklers. All three are Snoozing sleep-type Pokémon, and this is their first appearance in Pokémon Sleep anywhere in the world.

New Pokémon and Where to Find Them

Starting 17 August at 3:00 p.m. UTC, the Tinkatink line and Pikachu (Captain) will appear across several research areas:

• Tinkatink, Tinkatuff, Tinkaton — Greengrass Isle (Regular & Expert), Cyan Beach (Regular & Expert), and Old Gold Power Plant
• Pikachu (Captain) — Greengrass Isle during the event; accessible via Incense at other areas until 31 August

For berry collectors: the Tinkaton line gathers Pecha Berries, while Pikachu (Captain) gathers Grepa Berries. After the event ends on 24 August, Pikachu (Captain) remains permanently available at Greengrass Isle — so if you miss him during the event week, you can still track him down there later.

Event Bonuses: How to Make the Most of the Week

For the full duration of the collab (17–24 August), all Researchers get:

• Helper Pokémon main skills ×1.25 more likely to trigger
• ×1.25 Sleep EXP for Helper Pokémon
• ×1.25 Dish Strength (×2.5 for Extra Tasty dishes)
• At least one hungry Pokémon guaranteed in your first sleep session of each day
• All sleep types are encountereable regardless of your own sleep type

There are also mid-event boosts to watch for: on 21–23 August, Drowsy Power gets a ×1.3 multiplier, and on 23 August dish strength jumps to ×3.75 for Extra Tasty dishes — a good night to cook your best recipe.

Professor Neroli Crosses Over to the Anime Too

The collab runs in both directions. The Pokémon Horizons episode airing in Japan on 21 August features a guest appearance by Professor Neroli — the sleep research professor from Pokémon Sleep, voiced by Natsuki Hanae — who visits Liko, Roy, Dot, and Ult to offer sleep-related advice. It is rare for a mobile game character to cross over directly into an anime episode, and it underscores how seriously The Pokémon Company is treating the Sleep app as a long-term franchise property.

Note that the Pokémon Horizons anime is currently streaming on Netflix, though as we covered earlier this year, not all regions — including Singapore — have had simultaneous access to every new arc. Check your local Netflix library for current availability.