Pokemon GO: Eevee evolutions and Special Items update

The most common question asked by Pokemon GO users since the dawn of the game involves Eevee. How do I evolve Eevee to get the evolution I want? Originally we'd been relying on three names to get each of the three different Eeveelutions – now there's a couple more. Our most recently updated list of Eeveelutions includes Umbreon and Espeon, and we've got some news on the "how to get Special Items" for evolutions as well.

Callbacks to Television

Pokemon GO news has been explosive lately with the release of 80+ new monsters into the greater live AR world. As such, we've been keeping up with the codes that make the game to get as close to the action as possible. We're reporting back to you after massive code-picking sessions – sessions we initiate each time there's a tiny update to the game courtesy of Niantic.

The names remain the same – and remember, make SURE you do not have any hidden spaces before or after the name. To make any one of these names work, you can't have used that same name before. If you've already used Sparky, you can never use Sparky again – so choose wisely.

To make Eevee evolve into any one of the 5 different Eeveelutions, just change Eevee's name before hitting the evolve button. On the left is the name you'll want to change Eevee's to, and on the right is the result.

• Sparky turns into Jolteon• Rainer turns into Vaporeon• Pyro turns into Flareon• Sakura turns into Espeon• Tamao turns into Umbreon

This is just one way to attain each of the five different evolutionary iterations of Eevee. Of note is the fact that neither Espeon nor Umbreon will ever appear accidentally! There's another method to attain either one of these Pokemon beyond the first naming convention (which, again, only works for each of the two once!)

Friendship

Much like the Nintendo DS and Gameboy games of the past, Pokemon GO's Buddy System allows users to befriend their Pokemon. Instead of a Friendship meter of sorts, users now attain Pokemon Candy after walking with their Pokemon buddy for long distances. There's a hidden method for Eevee which allows Buddy Pokemon to bring about Espeon or Umbreon.

To make either evolution happen – not limited to a single time, here – the user must begin by adding Eevee as a Buddy Pokemon. Once Eevee is a buddy Pokemon, the user must walk for two full Candy cycles. For Eevee, that means:

Eevee Buddy Candy

• 5km per 1 Candy

• 5km = 3.1-miles

• 2x is 10km or 6.2-miles

The user will attain 1 Pokemon Candy at the end of each 5km span. The second candy attained will allow the user to move on to the next step. The next step is evolving Eevee either during the day or at night.

The user will know if it is night or day depending on the lighting in the game. If the lighting in the game is dark blue, it's night. If the lighting in the game is bright sky blue, it's day.

The user must evolve the Eevee they walked 10km (in a row)* during the day to get Espeon or at night to get Umbreon. *It's important to note that the user must leave Eevee on their person as a Buddy for the entire 10km in a row – switching out for a different Buddy partway through the 10km will require that Eevee to start over again from the start.

To decide whether or not to choose a certain Eevee to do any of these tricks, see our Eevee Evolution Chart as of early 2017. This chart will be updated as necessary!

Special Items

While earlier considerations were made to release Special Items that'd affect the way Eevee evolved, nothing has become of it. Our source with information on the subject (who wishes to remain anonymous) suggests that the Special Items we see in the game now will be all that's released for quite a while into the future. No need to complicate things further!

* Sun Stone + Gloom = Bellossom* Sun Stone + Sunkern = Sunflora*π King's Rock + Poliwhirl = Politoedπ King's Rock + Slowpoke = Slowkingø Metal Coat + Onix = Steelixø Metal Coat + Scyther = Scizor∆ Up-Grade + Porygon = Porygon2Ω Dragon Scale + Seadra = Kingdra

For more information on Special Items – how to get them and when they'll appear – see our most recent update. How to get Special Items in Pokemon GO: Some Guidance.

Have a peek at our archive of updates on both Special Items and the Eeveelutions of Eevee in the timeline below. There's also a treasure trove of inside looks and tips about Pokemon GO in our Twitter portal for this subject specifically. Have a peek at @TeamPokemonGO to continue on this adventure into the wide world of Pokemon ...GO!