Posted in: Games, Mobile Games, Niantic, Pokémon GO | Tagged: go fest 2020, pokemon, pokemon go, Team GO Rocket, Team Rocket

Shadow Articuno, Moltres, & Zapdos May Return At Pokémon GO Fest

Until now, it was thought that Pokémon GO players would only have one chance to obtain each Shadow Legendary from defeating the Team GO Rocket boss, Giovanni. Since the introduction of Giovanni back in November 2019, Niantic has rolled out monthly Rocket Research that culminates in a showdown with the villainous boss. Every month features a different Legendary Pokémon, beginning with the Legendary Birds: Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. This was followed by the Legendary Beasts: Raikou, Entei, and Suicune, the final of which was released last week after delays due to lockdown. The only way to catch two of one species of Legendary Pokémon was to avoid completing the battle one month, so that the showdown with Giovanni could be done twice the next month. However, dataminers from the popular Silph Road website have found information in the code that confirms the return of the Legendary Birds at GO Fest 2020. Instead of through battle with Giovanni, who will have Shadow Mewtwo as his Legendary, it will be through defeating the Team GO Rocket leaders (Sierra, Cliff, Alro) that Pokémon trainers will be able to encounter and catch Shadow Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres.

The datamined text, which is always subject to change, was found to read:

TEXT: The team leaders and I have been scoping out the Team GO Rocket members traveling via balloon and have discovered that the Team GO Rocket leaders are using Flying-type Pokémon.

TEXT: Sources are telling me that they might have captured some Legendary Pokémon and turned them into Shadow Pokémon!

TEXT: Candela, Blanche, and Spark can handle the Team GO Rocket leaders from here while you prepare to face the boss. It's extremely interesting to see the Team GO Rocket Leaders commanding these Shadow Legendary Pokémon which are usually reserved for the boss himself.

While it isn't confirmed, this new method of obtaining the Shadow Legendaries, in theory, may lead to players being able to get multiple Shadow Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres at GO Fest 2020. Currently, as long as a Rocket Radar is enabled, all players have to do is find the Team GO Rocket leaders through Pokéstops in order to battle them. Unlike the Super Rocket Radar through which Giovanni can be found, the Rocket Radars are in the game's shop. There is always the chance that Niantic will create a mechanic that prevents the leaders from giving out Shadow Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres more than once… but that was not found in the code.

Stay tuned to Bleeding Cool as we report on the road to Pokémon GO Fest 2020, which is now less than a week away.

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