After much anticipation, Pokemon GO developer Niantic has finally announced the game's holiday event for 2017. Not only does the event bring back Santa Hat Pikachu for a limited time, but it will also introduce several new gen 3 ice- and water-type Pokemon.

Pokemon GO will introduce 20 new Gen 3 Pokemon later today at 1PM PST. These Gen 3 characters were first seen in the Hoenn region in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire which released all the way back in 2002.

The list of new arrivals includes: Barboach and Whiscash, Carvanha and Sharpedo, Corphish and Crawdaunt, Feebas and Milotic, Glalie and Snorunt, Lotad, Lombre, and Ludicolo, Luvdisc, Relicanth, Wailmer and Wailord, Walrein, Sealeo, and Spheal.

The promotional image that Niantic has released for the Pokemon GO event also includes Kyogre, the legendary Pokemon from Pokemon Sapphire. Pokemon Ruby's legendary Pokemon Groudon has already been added to the game as a raid boss and so it stands to reason that Kyogre will be added as a legendary raid boss soon. Pokemon GO players had better train up their grass-type Pokemon in anticipation of the potential new Raid boss.

These Gen 3 Ice and Water-types could not arrive at a better time. For Pokemon GO players in the northern hemisphere right now, the weather is downright miserable and it keeps raining and snowing. While that's bad news for players who hate the cold, the game's new dynamic weather system means that these Ice and Water-type Pokemon will show up more frequently. The bad weather will also strengthen these characters' attacks, massively bolstering teams with many water- or ice-types.

Pokemon GO players will be delighted with the arrival of new Gen 3 Pokemon and few fans would turn up their nose at a chance to improve their Pokemon collection. However, some may be disappointed that this list of new characters does not include Delibird. Delibird is an ice and flying-type Pokemon from gen 3 which looks a bit like Santa Claus, making it the perfect new addition for this time of year. Developer Niantic has also offered up plenty of hints that the Pokemon will arrive before the year is out but these teases have yet to bear fruit.

There are still a few days left yet until the end of the year, though, and the Pokemon GO holiday event runs until the beginning of January. Players will just have to wait and see if Niantic plans to release Delibird soon - but in the meantime, these confirmed gen 3 arrivals should provide plenty of entertainment.

Pokemon GO is available now for Android and iOS devices.