Pokémon Sleep’s big revenue strategy returns with first Legendary event of 2025

The Pokémon Company’s mobile sleeper hit Pokémon Sleep is gearing up for its first Legendary event of 2025, bringing a battle between dreams and nightmares on March 31st.

Legendary dream Pokémon Cresselia and the nightmare-bringer Darkrai will debut during a two-week special event aptly named Cresselia vs Darkrai. Over this period, limited-time missions will be available and certain Pokémon will be afflicted by nightmares, but they can be saved with Cresselia’s power.

Cresselia’s Lunar Blessing skill will also help to restore in-game energy and net players extra berries when teamed up with other Psychic-type Pokémon.

However, players will first have to encounter Cresselia – with a chance of finding the Legendary after completing sleep research in Greengrass Isle, Snowdrop Tundra or Lapis Lakeside. Alternatively, they can guarantee a dream encounter by purchasing Cresselia Incense through the in-game item exchange.

Pokémon-specific incense like this marks an important part of Sleep’s monetisation model, sold to ensure players encounter their desired Pokémon.

Legendary revenue

Pokémon Sleep’s three Legendary events thus far have each triggered a significant spike in player spending, though it’s been over six months since the last event in September 2024.

Like the upcoming Cresselia vs Darkrai, the first Legendary event, titled Raikou Research, took place over two weeks with limited-time missions and Raikou Incense made available to guarantee an encounter.

According to AppMagic estimates, Pokémon Sleep generated $5.6 million over the course of the event, between March and April 2024, marking a 45% increase over the $3.9m earned over the two weeks prior.

Entei Research followed on May 20th with the same formula and triggered a day-one spending spike of 190%. This was also Sleep’s most lucrative day of 2024 with $845,000 in gross player spending.

Over $5.8m was generated during the event’s two-week run, up 61% from $3.6m across the two weeks prior.

Lastly, September’s Suicune Research event triggered a 154% spending surge on day one and went on to generate $5.1m, an increase of 65% compared with the $3.1m earned over the previous fortnight.

Overall, these Legendary events have generated $16.5m and have contributed to some of Sleep’s largest revenue spikes. Those six weeks alone also account for more than 10% of the game’s lifetime revenue, which recently surpassed $150m.

Sleep’s least lucrative period yet has followed in the absence of any further Legendary events, though the upcoming Cresselia vs Darkrai event, more than six months in the making, may yet prove to be Sleep’s latest dream.