Your Pokemon GO team leader just got a new redesign but the game’s community is not responding well to the trainer appearances.
At the start of a budding Pokemon GO player’s adventure, they’re asked to choose a team to support. Team Mystic, Valor, and Instinct go head to head worldwide, and trainers from opposing teams will battle it out to control gyms all across the globe.
Usually though, the teams put aside their differences to take on challenging raid battles or complete global events as a community. And now, Pokemon GO players are once again united, in their hatred of the team leader redesigns.

Leaders Blanche (Mystic), Candera (Valor), and Spark (Instinct) all have new appearances in Pokemon GO. And even when they’re not horrifyingly glitched, players seem to view them as a huge downgrade overall.
Blanche, Candela, & Spark Get New Looks in Pokemon GO
No matter what team you’re on, you’re in for a shock when you boot up Pokemon GO. Blanche, Candela, and Spark, the in-game team leaders all have new redesigns, and they’re proving unpopular.

To see your new team leader, you simply need to press the Poke Ball button, select Battle, and scroll down to Training to challenge one of the in-game trainers.
Each of the three leaders is noticeably more casual in appearance, but many fans are pointing towards Blanche in particular as being a massive downgrade.
The response to Candela and Spark is a little more positive across the board, but many trainers aren’t a fan of the redesigns at all.
It’s clear that the leaders have moved from elite trainer getups to something a little less iconic. And in their new art, they look less like leadership material.
And something that only seems to be making matters worse is that a new glitch is turning the team leaders into ghoulish entities.
Pokemon GO Team Leader Glitch Makes Trainers Look Horrifying
In a new glitched set of appearances, all 3 trainers have extended necks, but Blanche and Spark’s designs are particularly frightening. This bug appears to be fixed now, but it gave players quite a fright when opening their game for the first time.
Perhaps Niantic was just getting in the Halloween mood a little early this year. And with some great ghost-themed spotlight hours dropping in Pokemon GO this month, the new team leaders might just be getting spirit of the holiday.

Already, players are petitioning Niantic to bring back the original appearances of all three leaders. We’ll have to wait and see whether or not the developer decides to listen to fans on this one.
Don’t miss the return of Giratina in the Pokemon GO October Legendary and Mega Raid schedule this month.
And we’ve got everything you need to know about the Evolving Stars event including dates and all the new Pokemon coming to the game.
Sunday 6th of November 2022
So sad to see the changes, I have to just look away. What look where they trying for? Feel like even the facial structure and clothing changes were perhaps an attempt to create a certain look to relate to a certain group Wonder who signed off and said 'wow' this is exactly what will catch ''em all
Monday 31st of October 2022
A Blanche y Candela me gusta sus look pero spark se ve ridículo con esa ropa me gustaba su otro atuendo :'(
Thursday 13th of October 2022
I legit shed a tear when I saw that Spark's new wanna-be hipster look wasn't a hoax. They even dulled his hair color a bit, like he hasn't had a shower in a week... Seriously, what POSSIBLE issue could there have been with their awesome battle leader gear? I wouldn't have minded a change if they hadn't turned into suburban softies turned coffee-shop zombie hipsters. They could change the look if it was still COOL, with the crisp, clean designs and battle-ready pokemon feel.
Thursday 6th of October 2022
I see this as a gimmick with the Ultra Beasts/Rhi/Professor Oak returning from “elsewhere” and looking different as well storyline. Could be a Pokémon Scarlet & Violet tie-in as well. These looks could just be how the Team Leaders looked before achieving their “higher statuses.”
Saturday 15th of October 2022
@RoB, the leaders didn't go to ultra Space with Willow. There is no logical reason to change them.
I reinstalled for Litwick day and Blanche's new design made me throw up in my stomach. Just...no.
Sunday 2nd of October 2022
The leaders look absolutely stupid, disagree if you want but the realist look is too much. The simple cartoon/anime look suites them better. I might as well quite the dang game because they look terrible. Spark looked welcoming before that’s a big reason I joined Pokémon go… but now he does not give me the same feeling. Please bring back the ones before!!