Could there be a new rarest Shiny in Pokémon GO? It seems that Niantic has pulled off a sneaky, unannounced release of one of the most exclusive encounters in the entire game: Pikachu Libre.
Leading up to the new year, reports began to trickle in on social media of Pokémon GO players claiming that they have caught a Shiny Pikachu Libre. This was difficult for many to believe due to the already highly exclusive nature of Pikachu Libre, which can only be obtained once per season of GO Battle League by those who hit the highest rank. This was made easier in the truncated Season Five and then, again, more difficult during the current Season Six. Now, enough reports have come in that it seems official: Shiny Pikachu Libre is now a a thing.
Step aside, Shiny Deino. There’s a new rarest Pokémon in the game.
Shiny Pikachu Libre has the same difference in color palette as the standard Shiny Pikachu, but the draw here is certainly the exclusivity. Not only must one be an elite player, but the sheer odds of that one encounter being Shiny are staggering.
In addition to this, there is more Shiny news of sorts in Pokémon GO. While not unexpected, it’s always nice to see confirmation that new Costumed Pokémon are encounterable in their Shiny forms, especially after Fashion Week’s Top Hat Kirlia debacle. The following Pokémon have been confirmed by players to be appearing Shiny through encounters and/or hatches, depending on the species:
- New Year’s Hat Pichu
- New Year’s Hat Pikachu
- 2020 Glasses Slowpoke
The other current event species including Party Hat Wurmple, Raticate, and Wobbuffet were all featured with their Shiny forms available during the 2020 New Year’s Event, so it’s a given that those will appear Shiny as well in this new 2021 celebration.
Happy hunting, fellow Pokémon trainers!
