Why Litleo cannot be shiny in Pokemon GO as of January 2022

Litleo is known as the Lion Cub Pokemon and evolves into the Pokemon Pyroar. It arrived in Pokemon GO during the Kalos Celebration Event in December of 2020.

A Fire/Normal-type Pokemon, Litleo isn't much of a fighter in Pokemon GO when it hasn't evolved. Regardless, it has received plenty of attention in the years since its introduction, and is even included in the upcoming Lunar New Year event this year.

With an increase in its appearance, some players are likely curious if Litleo has a shiny form that can be obtained. At the moment, the answer is no. However, that won't be the case once February begins.

---

When will Litleo's shiny form appear in Pokemon GO?

Litleo's official art, including its shiny form (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Despite shiny Litleo not being obtainable in Pokemon GO this January, it will soon be introduced. From February 1 at 10:00 AM to February 7 at 8:00 PM local time, shiny Litleo will appear for the first time ever during the Lunar New Year event.

It will appear more often in the wild alongside Pokemon such as Growlithe, Meowth, and even the new Hisuian variant of Voltorb from Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

Alongside many of the Pokemon appearing more often in the wild during the event, lucky players may encounter shiny Litleo. However, this isn't the only method to encounter the Pokemon's shiny variant during the event, as there are many other methods.

Overall, Litleo will appear more often in the wild, be featured as a 1-Star raid boss, hatch from 7-kilometer eggs, and appear as a reward for both field-research and timed-research tasks.

---

Shiny Litleo is expected to become permanent after Pokemon GO's Lunar New Year event

Although the Lunar New Year will introduce shiny Litleo, it's reasonable to assume that the shiny form of the Pokemon will be available after the event has concluded.

Niantic doesn't make a habit of making shiny forms temporary, and removing the form so quickly after the event would likely spark significant backlash from fans. Instead, players can likely expect Litleo's shiny form to remain in Pokemon GO.

If trainers miss out on capturing shiny Litleo during the event, there's nothing to be worried about, as the form will almost certainly continue to appear.

However, capturing Litleo at standard spawn rates will make encountering its shiny form significantly more difficult, so prioritizing it during the Lunar New Year event presents the best opportunity at the moment.

In particular, Litleo will appear as the Spotlight Hour Pokemon on February 1 between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM local time, maximizing the chances players may encounter its shiny form.