Why are there rings and portals in Pokémon Go?

Pokémon Go players might be looking up into the sky and wondering what’s going on right now. During the Ultra Unlock Part 3: Sword and Shield event, many Pokémon from the Galar region appear worldwide because of these portals. Where did the rings and portals come from, and why are they in Pokémon Go?

The primary reason for the many rings and portals is because of the mythical Pokémon, Hoopa. It appeared during the last day of Pokémon Go Fest 2021 in mid-July when it brought in multiple legendary Pokémon from across the entire game for Pokémon Go Fest players to fight against them.

Now, for the Sword and Shield event, Hoopa is causing even more chaos by bringing Pokémon originally discovered in the Galar region. These Pokémon include Falinks, Skwovet, Wooloo, and the legendary Pokémon Zacian. Other Galarian Pokémon, like Galarian Zigzagoon, Galarian Stunfisk, Galarian Darumaka, and others, have already been in the game for over a year now. Still, they’re also spawning at an increased rate in the wild, raids, and in 7km eggs.

Basically, the rings and portals in the sky are a flavored backdrop to the current event happening in Pokémon Go. We can expect them to continue to remain in the sky until the event ends on August 31 in your local area. These do not do anything, and you cannot interact with them.