Pokemon GO’s Surprise Shadow Regional Form is a Double-Edged Sword

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Pokemon GO's Surprise Shadow Regional Form is a Double-Edged Sword

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that Niantic’s latest move in Pokemon GO leaves me scratching my head more often than not. The return of Galarian Weezing during this Legendary Heroes event is both a delight for collectors and a nightmare for the rest of us.

For fans of the Galar Region, it’s a great time to come back to or start playing Pokemon GO as after a lengthy wait, the missing critters from the 8th generation’s Pokedex are now available to find within the AR mobile game. The latest season of Pokemon GO is titled “Max Out,” and has seen Dynamax enter the game, along with the Galar starters, Legendaries, and the return of the relevant regional forms, such as Galarian Ponyta, that were added back in 2019.

The Max Out event will continue until December 3rd, and as of now, Zacian has been added to raids, with Zamazenta set to join on October 4th. This event, known as “Legendary Heroes,” offers players Timed Research, Collection Challenges, and various incentives to complete tasks before it concludes. Among these bonuses is the temporary return of Galarian Weezing, which was previously unavailable for evolution. However, this addition could prove challenging for players who are already struggling during these trying times.

Why Galarian Weezing’s Return is Great for Collectors But Bad For Other Players

During the “Legendary Heroes” event in Pokemon GO, which runs from now until October 1 at 8 PM local time, players have a limited opportunity to obtain Galarian Weezing. This rare Pokemon has only been available during specific events over the last five years. Since the last time it was easy to get, Koffing can now be transformed into a Shadow Pokemon that you can get from Team GO Rocket grunts. If you have a Shadow Koffing, you can evolve it into a Shadow Weezing during this event window. The addition of Shadow Weezing wasn’t officially announced before the event started, making it an unexpected bonus for players.

The structure of events in Pokemon GO emphasizes a significant issue: there’s little time left to acquire Galarian Weezing, and this window is closing rapidly. Players who aspire to own every Shadow Pokemon might struggle to find a Koffing before it’s too late if they’ve previously transferred any excess ones.

How Galarian Weezing Points Out the Frequency in Which Players Get Left Out

In games like Niantic’s Legendary Heroes series, scenarios similar to these aren’t rare. Over time, players living in rural areas often find themselves disengaging from the game due to a lack of activities available in their vicinity. Additionally, non-social players frequently miss out on raids and trading events. It’s commendable that Niantic is revisiting the temporary evolution of Shadow Koffing, ensuring it remains viable. However, a six-day timeframe for evolving a Pokemon might seem excessive to some, as even Community Days have refrained from such an extended period, instead providing limited-time abilities throughout the entire day.

Players find themselves in a tricky situation, having to quickly discover that Galarian Weezing and its Shadow variant are now obtainable before they disappear, or risk missing out. This sudden introduction of new Pokemon, especially without clear advance notice, leaves players scrambling and potentially empty-handed when the event concludes. It’s not an ideal situation for Niantic to create, nor one that encourages players to eagerly anticipate future events. Ideally, any changes like this in Pokemon GO will be communicated more transparently so that players can prepare and collect their desired evolution or Shadow Pokemon without undue stress.

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2024-10-01 20:33