6 January 2026

One Unexpected Pokemon is Suddenly Setting a New Record in 2026

By newsgame

2026 is already primed to be a massive year for the Pokemon series. Not only is it the franchise’s 30th anniversary, but all signs point towards Pokemon Gen 10 finally being released this year. The new year is only just getting underway, but one Pokemon has already kicked off a landmark moment in the franchise’s history by setting a new series record, albeit in an unconventional way.

Alongside the rumored release of Gen 10, allegedly titled Pokemon Wind and Waves, the series is also set to release a brand-new spin-off in the form of Pokemon Pokopia. If this cozy life-sim isn’t enough for Pokemon fans in 2026, this year will also see the release of Pokemon Champions as a new battle simulator available for Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and mobile devices. While more about the series’ plans for 2026 will likely be revealed in the coming months, it’s Hisuian Electrode that has stolen the spotlight early in the year for its role in achieving a series first.

Hisuian Electrode is Breaking a Major Pokemon Tradition to Kick Off 2026

The mobile spin-off game Pokemon Masters EX is home to some of the most unconventional trends in the franchise. As a mobile gacha game, Pokemon Masters EX pairs iconic characters from throughout the series with partner Pokemon that players can recruit as a Sync Pair to use in battle. In a break from the traditional battles of the franchise, Pokemon Masters EX battles are all 3v3 and allow the use of exclusive Buddy Moves, giving gameplay a feel distinct from the rest of the franchise and creating the opportunity for traditions found in the core series to be broken.

pokemon-masters-ex-ball-guy-hisuian-electrode-2

Sygna Suit Ball Guy and Hisuian Electrode are Joining Pokemon Masters EX

Sync Pair	Role	Type	EX Role
Sygna Suit Ball Guy & Hisuian Electrode	Field	Grass	Sprint
Lana & Shiny Dondozo	Support	Dragon	Field

The source of Pokemon‘s record-breaking event in 2026 comes from Pokemon Masters EX and the new addition of Sygna Suit Ball Guy and Hisuian Electrode as a sync pair added back on January 1 for the Fishing Up a New Year event that also includes Lana and Shiny Dondozo as potential banner pulls. Ball Guy has been a recruitable character in Pokemon Masters EX in the past, sporting partners of Amoonguss and Voltorb previously. However, Sygna Suit Ball Guy’s partner Hisuian Electrode has the ability to do something that the mon has never previously been able to do.

Lt. Surge has been available with Electrode as a Sync Pair in Pokemon Masters EX before, but this is the first time Hisuian Electrode has been made available.

Hisuian Electrode Marks the First Case of a Pokemon Introduced After Sword and Shield Being Able to Dynamax

What makes this Hisuian Electrode so special is its ability to Dynamax during battle. The Dynamax mechanic was introduced in Gen 8’s Pokemon Sword and Shield, and is a phenomenon canonically exclusive to the Galar Region due to the Power Spots that sprang up after the defeat of Eternatus during the Darkest Day thousands of years ago. As such, only Pokemon available in Sword and Shield are able to Dynamax in the core series, with no critters introduced after those games having this ability until Hisuian Electrode.

A bunch of wild Pokemon in the game's first area - Pokemon Legends Arceus

Despite being canonically available since the 150-year-old setting of Pokemon Legends: Arceus‘ Hisui Region, the game Hisuian Electrode debuted in was released after Sword and Shield, following the retirement of the Dynamax mechanic from the mainline games. As such, Hisuian Electrode breaks the tradition of new mons lacking the ability to Dynamax by being the first post-Sword and Shield Pokemon to have this ability.

Although Duraludon was introduced in Sword and Shield and has the ability to Dynamax, its evolution, Archaludon, introduced in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet‘s Indigo Disk DLC, can’t Dynamax.

Hisuian Electrode is the 4th Instance of a Pokemon Not Available in Sword and Shield Having the Ability to Dynamax

Breloom
Eelektross
Camerupt
Hisuian Electrode

Although Hisuian Electrode is the first Pokemon released after Sword and Shield to gain the ability to Dynamax via Pokemon Masters EX, three other mons that weren’t available in Sword and Shield were given access to the mechanic in the mobile spin-off as well. Breloom and its Sync Partner Greta were the first to debut a Pokemon unobtainable in Sword and Shield with the ability to Dynamax back in July 2024. In November that same year, Sygna Suit Emmet and Eelektross were released, with this Eelektross being the first of its species with the ability to Dynamax. Most recently, Academy Kabu and Camerupt were released with the ability to Dynamax in November 2025.

pokemon-masters-ex-ball-guy-hisuian-electrode

With Sygna Suit Ball Guy’s Hisuian Electrode making history as the first post-Sword and Shield critter to gain the ability to Dynamax, the door has been flung wide open for other newer mons to follow suit. While the nature of Pokemon Masters EX lends itself nicely to these types of breaks in tradition, the upcoming release of Pokemon Champions could give more mons the power to Dynamax. The game is already confirmed to feature both Mega Evolution and Terastallization, two other battle gimmicks like Dynamax, so it’s likely that Dynamax, Gigantamax, and Z-Moves will also return. For now, Hisuian Electrode gets to shine as an unlikely mon to break the series’ first tradition of 2026, with more likely to come as the franchise’s 30th anniversary approaches.