Can Cutiefly and Ribombee be shiny in Pokemon GO? (April 2023)

Cutiefly and its evolution, Ribombee, will be introduced in Pokemon GO as part of the game's Spring Into Spring event. Beginning on April 4, 2023, trainers will be able to catch Cutiefly in the wild and in raids. They can also evolve the creature into Ribombee by feeding it 50 candies.

As with any new Pokemon introduction in the AR mobile title, trainers are likely wondering if Cutiefly and Ribombee have shiny forms available to capture. Currently, this isn't possible, as Niantic's official announcement made clear that the duo's shiny variants haven't been introduced at this time.

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Why can't Cutiefly and Ribombee be shiny in Pokemon GO yet?

Oftentimes, when Niantic introduces new Pocket Monsters to Pokemon GO, some trainers are surprised when their shiny variants aren't made available right away. Unfortunately, this has become something of a tried-and-true tactic by the developers to entice players to play the game at later dates.

Not every Pokemon has its shiny variant delayed. However, many veterans are well aware of how shinies can be released at a later date at this point in the game's tenure.

Put plainly, while releasing shiny Pokemon alongside their standard counterparts on the same day is generally favored by the community, it isn't particularly conducive to participation.

Using Pokemon GO's Spring Into Spring event as an example, if all players want to do is catch the new shiny variants of Cutiefly/Ribombee, they can log in and do so and then not participate in the rest of the event. This minimizes the time spent in the game by a player, and Niantic obviously wants players to participate in the title as much as possible.

By implementing the two shiny variants at a later date, Niantic can entice Pokemon GO players to participate in any event that they add the shinies to. Regardless of whether it's a Community Day or a full-fledged event, the prospect of catching a new shiny form is hard to pass up for some players, particularly those with a robust collection of shinies already.

If some players are desperate enough to bag these shiny Pokemon, they may also be willing to spend real-world money to acquire Pokecoins to purchase items that could help them. This assessment may seem cynical, but it's something that Niantic has been criticized for by Pokemon GO's community.

Shiny variants of Cutiefly and Ribombee are still likely to appear in the future, but they will do so at a time of Niantic's choosing. It's unclear as to when this will be, but it wouldn't be surprising if a future event this Spring or later in 2023 features the introduction of shiny Cutiefly/Ribombee.

Given Niantic's recent pattern of behavior surrounding shinies, many players are likely counting on the two shiny variants to be introduced when player participation can be maximized for an event.