Lack of Shadow Rayquaza frustrates Pokemon Go players during Adventure Week

Em Stonham
Matori from Team Rocket Pokemon anime.

Adventure Week: Taken Over is coming up in the Pokemon Go calendar, and it’s looking like an exciting time for Team Rocket fans – but not everything has gone down well.

While not everyone has been sold on the Adventure Week celebrations, many are excited for the opportunity to speed through tricky leveling stages and encounter interesting Shadow Pokemon, both of which are key bonuses for the upcoming event.

However, one specific part of the announcement has left some of the community frustrated. Adventure Week: Taken Over will take place from August 8 – 12, and it features a Shadow Lugia Raid Weekend along with Shadow Cresselia as the reward for completing Special Research and defeating Giovanni, with the latter reveal proving controversial amongst trainers.

Popping up in an event graphic shared on r/TheSilphRoad, the appearance of Shadow Cresselia was a sticking point for many Pokemon Go players.

One frustrated player asked, “WTFYM CRESSELIA?!?” Others were in agreement, clearly disappointed to see the Lunar Pokemon in the line-up. Another Pokemon Go player added, “Right? Oh joy, one of my least favorite raids is back to bore me again.”

Some users shared their dismay that Shadow Rayquaza wouldn’t be making an appearance in this event, expressing, “They really are doing everything in their power to not release Shadow Rayquaza, aren’t they?”

Another attempted to explain Rayquaza’s absence, theorizing, “Maybe because of the makeup Rayquaza raid hour this upcoming Saturday? That’ll be too much Rayquaza in the lapse of two weeks haha.”

Despite the lack of fan-favorite Shadow Pokemon and the “offensive” ticket price, a portion of players were still generally excited about the upcoming event. One such viewer shared, “I just hit level 44 on Lucario Raid day, so I’m happy to get a jump start on defeating Rocket Leaders!”

Whether you’re excited about Adventure Week: Taken Over or feeling put off by the lack of Shadow Rayquaza, make sure to check out our full event guide so you can make the most out of this Team Rocket take-over.