'Pokémon Go' Dec. 30 Update: What time does the starter event for New Year's 2017 begin?

Pokémon Go is celebrating New Year's 2017 with a special Dec. 30 update following its Christmas celebration. The starter event will bring increased spawns for Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle, along with their evolved forms. 

Here's everything you need to know about the Pokémon Go Dec. 30 event before it officially kicks off.

Pokémon Go Dec. 30 Update: What time is the starter event?

Niantic previously confirmed that its New Year's update will begin on Dec. 30 sometime in the afternoon, Pacific time. That means the starter event could kick off as early as 12 p.m. Pacific (3 p.m. Eastern). However, it might not begin until later in the day, potentially starting at 6 p.m. Pacific (9 p.m. Eastern).

It's possible the Dec. 30 update could come to some Pokémon Go players even sooner. One player from New Zealand has already shared an in-app notice for the starter event on Reddit, suggesting it could kick off in that country first and slowly makes its way across time zones to the United States.

Pokémon Go Dec. 30 Update: What does it include?

The Pokémon Go starter event will make it easier to catch the original starter Pokémon, Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. You'll also see increased spawns for their evolved forms, meaning extra chances to snag some Ivysaur, Venasaur, Charmeleon, Charizard, Wartortle and Blastoise.

As an extra bonus, Lure Modules in Pokémon Go will last for an hour instead of 30 minutes throughout the event to make it easier to catch more Pokémon. The event ends on Jan. 8 in the afternoon, according to Niantic. 

Pokémon Go tips, tricks and guides

If you're ready to celebrate your Pokémon Go holiday, you may also want to check out Mic's other Pokémon Go content. Here are guides on how to catch Gen 2 baby Pokémon, the 98 Gen 2 Pokémon that have yet to be added to the game, how to catch Pikachu and his adorable new Christmas hat, our analysis of post-update Chansey and Rhydon, everything you need to know about finding the long-awaited Pokémon Ditto, how to create new PokéStops, how to maximize your chances of catching Pokémon and how PokéStops distribute Pokémon eggs.