The latest Team GO Rocket Takeover event is coming to Pokemon GO in October 2023!
Once every season in Pokemon GO, the villainous Team GO Rocket takes, bringing new Shadow Pokemon, Research, and more.
Here are all of the details for the GO Rocket Takeover in the Adventures Abound season of Pokemon GO!
Pokemon GO October 2023 Team GO Rocket Takeover Start & End Time
The Team GO Rocket Takeover starts at 10 AM local time on Thursday, October 26 and ends at 8 PM local time on October 31.
- Event Start:
- Event End:
It is running at exactly the same time as Part 2 of the 2023 Pokemon GO Halloween event. This means that you’ll also be able to catch some spooky costumed Pokemon while you are searching for Team GO Rocket!
October 2023 Team GO Rocket Takeover Bonuses
The following bonuses will be active for the whole of the Team GO Rocket Takeover:
- Team GO Rocket will appear more frequently at PokeStops and in balloons
- You can use a Charged TM to help a Shadow Pokemon forget the Charged Attack Frustration
New & Returning Shadow Pokemon
Shadow Regigigas is making its Pokemon GO debut as Giovanni’s new Shadow Legendary Pokemon. Players will be able to catch this new Shadow Legendary ‘Mon by completing the new Team GO Rocket Special Research story and defeating Giovanni!
Meanwhile, Shadow Lugia is finally returning to Pokemon GO. However, this time, it’ll be a 5-Star Shadow Raid boss from 10 AM local time on October 28 until 8 PM local time on October 29, 2023.
GO Rocket Grunt Shadow Pokemon
Team GO Rocket Grunts will use the following Shadow Pokemon after the start of the October 2023 Team GO Rocket Takeover:
- Shadow Gastly
- Shadow Rhyhorn
- Shadow Barboach
- Shadow Cranidos
- Shadow Shieldon
- Shadow Drilbur
- Shadow Litwick
Unfortunately, only one of these Shadow Pokemon can be shiny – Shadow Grimer.
All Shadow Raid Bosses in October 2023 Team GO Rocket Takeover
The following Shadow Pokemon will be in Raids during the Team GO Rocket Takeover event:
| 1-Star | Shadow Gastly | Shadow Grimer | Shadow Litwick |
| 3-Star | Shadow Nidorina | Shadow Nidorino | Shadow Golbat |
| 5-Star | Shadow Lugia (October 28 and 29 only)  |
Updated 12km Egg
The October 2023 Team GO Rocket Takeover event is also updating which Pokemon you can hatch from 12km Strange Eggs. The following Pokemon will be in the 12km Egg pool:
- Larvitar
- Sandile
- Pawniard
- Vullaby
- Deino
- Pancham
- Salandit
| Pokemon | Standard Version | Shiny Version |
| Larvitar |  |  |
| Sandile |  | Not available |
| Pawniard |  |  |
| Vullaby |  |  |
| Pancham |  |  |
| Deino |  |  |
| Salandit |  | Not Available |
What’s more, you can hatch the shiny versions of all of the possible 12km Egg hatches apart from Sandile and Salandit!
New Team GO Rocket Research
The October 2023 team GO Rocket Takeover event is adding two new kinds of Research for players to complete:
- New Team GO Rocket Special Research Story, which awards you Shadow Regigigas
- New Field Research Tasks that award a Mysterious Component
In addition to the new Research for the Team GO Rocket Takeover, Part 2 of the Pokemon GO Halloween event is also adding more Research and Field Research to complete. Make sure to keep an eye out for that too!