Pokemon GO Taken Over Event Guide (August 2025)

A new Taken Over event is starting in Pokemon GO, and players will have another chance to challenge the Team Rocket Leaders and their lineups, to rescue their Shadow Pokemon. These powerful creatures cause tremendous damage and are not to be taken lightly. That includes the powerful Shadow Giratina, who has been enslaved by Giovanni.

The Delightful Days: Taken Over event will run from August 11, 2025, at 12 AM to August 17, 2025 at 11:59 PM (Local Time), and with that information in their hands, players can also consult this guide, which offers additional information on Giovanni, his lineup during the event, and the best counters to face the Team Rocket Boss in this challenging encounter. Plus, some new Shiny Pokemon are debuting in this event, so players will also learn all about them and how to get them.

How To Beat Giovanni in Pokemon GO Delightful Days: Taken Over Event

A new Special Research featuring the Rocket Radar to track down the Team Rocket Leaders will be active during the Pokemon GO Delightful Days: Taken Over event. Players will need to face and defeat all three Rocket Leaders Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra, to unlock the Super Rocket Radar and discover the location of Team Rocket's Boss Giovanni.

Rocket Radar and Super Rocket Radar Pokemon GO

Giovani's Lineup during this Taken Over Event will consist of Shadow Persian, Shadow (Nidoking, Kangaskhan, or Rhyperior), and Shadow Giratina. Players are advised to form a team that has Machamp to counter Shadow Persian, Mega Rayquaza/Black Kyurem/Mega Garchomp to counter Shadow Giratina, and Swampert or Excadrill to counter Nidoking and Rhyperior.

Lower-budget teams could also pick up Lucario (with Force Palm and Aura Sphere) to counter Persian and Kangaskhan, Garchomp/Shadow Garchomp (with Mud Shot and Earthquake) to counter Nidoking and Rhyperior, and Mega-Gengar (with Lick and Shadow-Ball) to counter Shadow Giratina.

It is also important to mention that Giovanni's Lineup might vary slightly from what is exposed above, and this guide will be updated accordingly depending on those changes.

During this event, players will also be able to use a Charged TM to change the Frustration Charged Attack from any Shadow Pokemon.

Shiny Salandit and Shiny Shadow Kyogre Debut in Pokemon GO

Shiny Salandit and Shiny Shadow Kyogre debuting in Pokemon GO

There are two Shiny Debuts during this Taken Over event in Pokemon GO. One of them is Shiny Salandit, which will be hatching from 12-km eggs starting August 11, 2025. Players who are enthusiastic about spending some Incubators and are able to obtain eggs during the event, will have a slim chance to get one of the coolest Shinies from Generation 7. If they happen to hatch a female Shiny Salandit, they will be able to evolve it into Shiny Salazzle, as male Shiny Salandit doesn't evolve.

The other one is Shiny Shadow Kyogre, which will debut in Shadow Raids, also starting on August 16, 2025, from 6 AM Local Time, and lasting until Saturday, August 17, 2025 at 10 PM Local Time. Trainers have this rare chance to get themselves a Shiny Shadow Kyogre, but they will need to fight tooth and nail alongside their strongest Pokemon to beat this Shadow-powered Legendary.

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