When is Marshadow coming to Pokemon GO?

When is Marshadow coming to Pokemon GO? After a long wait, trainers will be able to have their first shot at capturing this Fighting/Ghost-type mythical species when GO Fest 2024 takes place in Sendai (May 30-June 2, 2024), Madrid (June 14-16), and New York City (July 5-7) before emerging during the global portion of GO Fest on July 13-14, 2024.

Currently, this is the only way to get the opportunity to catch Marshadow in Pokemon GO. For the real-world GO Fest 2024 events, trainers will be provided Special Research to complete during their time at the event to provide them with a Marshadow encounter. Meanwhile, GO Fest Global players must purchase a USD 14.99 (or equivalent) ticket to gain the research questline.

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Obtaining Marshadow's Special Research during Pokemon GO Fest 2024

Marshadow will first be made available during Pokemon GO Fest 2024 (Image via Niantic)

As noted above, Marshadow will debut in Pokemon GO during GO Fest 2024. Its availability will first be made to players who purchase a ticket and attend GO Fest in person in Sendai (Japan), Madrid (Spain), and New York City (United States) before being made available to players globally who purchase the GO Fest 2024 Global ticket, providing access to its Special Research questline.

Only trainers who purchase a ticket for one of the GO Fest 2024 timeframes below will get the first shot at obtaining Marshadow's Special Research questline:

GO Fest Event	Dates	Time (Morning Park Experience)	Time (Afternoon Park Experience)	Time (City Experience)	Time (GO Fest Global)
GO Fest: Sendai	May 30 - June 2, 2024	9:30 am - 1:30 pm JST	2:30 pm - 6:30 pm JST	9:30 am - 6:30 pm JST
GO Fest: Madrid	June 14 - 16, 2024	9:00 am - 1:30 pm CEST	2:30 pm - 7:00 pm CEST	9:00 am - 7:00 pm CEST
GO Fest: New York City	July 5 - 7, 2024	9:00 am - 1:00 pm EST	3:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST	9:00 am - 7:00 pm EST
GO Fest: Global	July 13 - 14, 2024				July 13 at 10:00 am - July 14 at 6:00 pm local time

By completing tasks outlined by the research questline (as they would for the current season), players will be able to reap plenty of rewards, but more importantly, will be able to encounter Marshadow as a reward, but only once. If trainers can't complete the Special Research before the end of GO Fest, don't worry! The research is permanent, so it can be finished anytime after the event.

Trainers who have obtained and completed the Special Research for Marshadow at one of the real-world GO Fest events will instead receive Marshadow Candy for completing the Special Research again at the other real-world events or during Pokemon GO Fest 2024 Global. Still, this isn't necessarily bad, as the candy can power up Marshadow's CP for future battles.

There may be additional opportunities to catch Marshadow in the future, but for now, trainers will have to willingly dole out some real-world money and attend GO Fest 2024 to complete its Special Research questline. Until Niantic deigns to bring this Fighting/Ghost-type mythical Pokemon back into the mobile title, GO Fest will be players' path to capturing it.

Some players might not think purchasing a ticket is worth capturing Marshadow, which is understandable, but collectors and Pokedex completionists currently don't have any other options.