Shiny Zacian not available in Pokemon GO right now

Many Pokemon have their shiny variations available in Pokemon GO, but Zacian is currently not one of them.

The Legendary that first appeared in Pokemon Sword and Shield quicky became a fan favorite in the main franchise's battle modes. With its inclusion in the mobile title's Raid rotation, its power is once again on full display.

However, trainers will have to settle for its basic form. Niantic has been known to keep shiny versions of Pokemon in their back pockets for special events. When it comes to Zacian, that special event hasn't arrived yet.

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Why Zacian cannot be encountered in its shiny form in Pokemon GO

A shiny Pokemon is a rare version of a normal Pokemon. Many trainers have made it their mission to capture the shiny form of every creature that the franchise has introduced.

The odds of finding one are extremely low, but that's the beauty of the hunt for some trainers. Nothing will stop them from searching far and wide for an alternatively colored variation of their favorite Pokemon.

Niantic has made that hobby a bit difficult since the beginning of Pokemon GO. They do not always include a shiny version when a Pokemon first arrives in the game. Instead, they keep it locked until an in-game event that usually focuses on that Pokemon.

According to Niantic's actions, this special occasion or in-game event hasn't arrived yet for Zacian. Players can currently battle the Pokemon in Raids, but there is zero chance that it will be in its shiny form.

This is the second time that Zacian will be featured in five-star Raids. Players will have until August 31, 2022, to catch it.

The developers have also not given any indication as to when the shiny version of Zacian may arrive in the game. They tend to keep these things under wraps until a GO Blog post arrives, surprising everyone that a shiny form will be available.

This has left some trainers questioning Niantic's methods. Of course, the developers probably want to keep popular shiny versions locked to increase player interest when the time finally comes for the shiny form to be added.

There have been instances where a Pokemon has been introduced in Pokemon GO only for its shiny version to be unavailable for years. Hopefully, that isn't the case with Zacian and its Sword and Shield counterpart Zamazenta.

All trainers can do at this point is simply wait until Niantic pulls the trigger. In the meantime, they can load up powerful regular Zacians through Raids and prepare for the eventual opportunity to catch a shiny one.