How to find Rotom in Pokémon Go

Starting with Pokémon Go Tour: Sinnoh, you can obtain nearly every form of Rotom in Pokémon Go, though there is a twist in how to encounter the appliance-loving ghost in its regular form—and it involves a secret code. 

Dating back to Pokémon Go Fest 2020, Niantic has slowly added Rotom in its various appliance forms to the game. Rotom-Heat and Rotom-Fan are still on backorder from Shopping Mall Nine in Unova, but at least you can catch Rotom in its regular form to celebrate the Sinnoh event. Here is how you can get it for yourself, starting with Go Tour: Sinnoh. 

How to catch Rotom in Pokémon Go: Full catch guide

With Rotom appearing for the first time during Pokémon Go Tour: Sinnoh, you can currently only encounter it through Timed Research tied to the event. 

The Ghost in the Machine Timed Research is available globally for all players from Feb. 16 to 25. You need to enter a secret code that was released live to players at Go Tour: Sinnoh – Los Angeles to unlock the research first before completing the tasks and earning an encounter with Rotom. There is also a chance you can catch a Shiny Rotom. 

Every other Rotom form that has been released in Pokémon Go has been tied exclusively to events or Go Snapshot content. Rotom (Regular) will likely remain locked to these encounter methods too as Niantic continues to roll out the various appliances for special occasions. It’s similar to how Spiritomb is mostly locked to Timed Research during special events.