How to get Marshadow in Pokemon GO, and can it be shiny?

Marshadow has been confirmed to arrive in Pokemon GO, but how can you get it, and can it be caught in its shiny form? Many trainers will be wondering in the lead-up to Marshadow's arrival in the mobile title during GO Fest 2024, taking place on May 30 - June 2 in Sendai, Japan, June 14-16 in Madrid, Spain, July 5-7 in New York City, and July 13-14 for the global portion of the event.

According to Niantic, there will only be two ways to get Marshadow in Pokemon GO upon its release. Trainers will need to either attend one of the real-world GO Fest events and purchase a ticket for it or purchase a ticket during GO Fest Global. Both events will provide ticket-holders with access to a Special Research questline where a single encounter with Marshadow will be rewarded.

---

How to get Marshadow in Pokemon GO

Although Marshadow may appear later on, the only way to obtain it at the moment is to participate in one of GO Fest 2024's real-world events by purchasing a ticket and making your way to Sendai, Madrid, or New York City or by purchasing the $14.99 (or equivalent) GO Fest Global ticket to gain access to a Special Research story.

By completing the Special Research tasks in Pokemon GO, you'll be able to collect several rewards as well as a single capture encounter with Marshadow. If you participate in more than one of the GO Fest 2024 events and purchase tickets for them, subsequent completions of the Special Research will result in obtaining Marshadow Candy instead.

Pokemon GO Fest 2024's tickets have varied pricing and time windows to take advantage of. However, buying any of these tickets will unlock access to the Special Research. It's also important to note that once players unlock the Special Research, they can complete it at their own pace even after GO Fest 2024 has concluded, though the event will likely make completing tasks much easier.

---

Can Marshadow be shiny in Pokemon GO?

Will shiny Marshadow be available in Pokemon GO? (Image via Niantic)

While Marshadow was confirmed for GO Fest 2024, Niantic did not mention shiny Marshadow's availability. This is likely supported by the fact that Marshadow can only be encountered once from its Special Research questline, which doesn't exactly lend itself to triggering an incredibly small shiny appearance chance.

However, fans shouldn't despair, as it's likely that more opportunities to encounter Marshadow will emerge in the future. Moreover, Niantic may announce shiny Marshadow's appearance later, perhaps during a future event. This is speculation, of course, but this kind of scheduling has occurred before when it comes to Niantic introducing mythical Pokemon.

For the time being, fans will simply have to keep an eye on Niantic's news feed via its social media channels. When shiny Marshadow reaches the mobile title, it's highly unlikely the developers will remain quiet about it.