Pokemon GO community disappointed with new Shadow Pokemon debuting in Team GO Rocket Takeover (June 2023)

As part of Pokemon GO's Season of Gems, Team GO Rocket has returned during this month's Solstice Horizons event with a new Team GO Rocket Takeover. The sinister group has re-emerged with updated teams of Shadow Pokemon to defeat and capture, including Giovanni's Shadow Regirock and shiny Shadow creatures like Aerodactyl, Aipom, and Geodude.

Although plenty of Pokemon GO fans will likely head out to battle and catch these corrupted species beginning on June 21, 2023, some are less than thrilled with the picks for this Rocket Takeover.

Popular Pokemon GO streamer FleeceKing recently asked trainers for their thoughts on the latest Team GO Rocket-centric event, and the reception wasn't exactly as positive as Niantic may have hoped.

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Pokemon GO trainers rip into the latest Team GO Rocket takeover

In FleeceKing's initial remark on the new Team GO Rocket Takeover, he stated that Aerodactyl was a nice inclusion, but the arrival of Shadow creatures like Geodude and Aipom were effectively useless in the battle meta.

This was echoed by many trainers online, with a few lamenting that Giovanni's latest Shadow Legendary Pokemon was a member of the Regi family once again.

Pokemon GO has received quite a bit of criticism over the past months (or even years) for a lack of diversity when it comes to Pocket Monsters that can be acquired in events. Free global events often offer up creatures that many fans don't necessarily care about.

Meanwhile, desired species like Legendary/Mythic Pokemon have been placed behind what many players consider paywalls, requiring trainers to spend real money on event tickets or passes to acquire them.

It now appears as though the latest slate of Pocket Monsters that can be obtained in the Team GO Rocket Takeover has failed to meet expectations.

Since Pokemon GO's latest Rocket event includes Shadow Aerodactyl as part of Cliff's team lineup, many trainers remarked that they would likely just focus on defeating him. In their eyes, Aerodactyl and its shiny form are the only real draw for this takeover event unless players are newer and haven't acquired some of the other species provided.

Part of the distaste appears to be leveled at the relative uselessness of Geodude and Aipom in Pokemon GO's battles compared to Aerodactyl. Elsewhere, Giovanni returning with Shadow Regirock has been considered to be more of the same, as Giovanni hasn't offered new Legendary Shadow Pokemon in quite some time.

All in all, Niantic surely has other things to worry about controversy-wise when it comes to relations with the game's community. However, adding a bit more diversity and better Pocket Monster selections during events like the Team GO Rocket Takeover would certainly go quite a way toward mending fences in some regards.

Adding Shadow Raids and the ability to capture shiny Shadow Pokemon was certainly a welcomed step by Niantic. However, there is still plenty of work to be done to truly bring the edge of innovation and variety that fans have been hungry for over the years.