Pokémon Go’s next Team Go Rocket Takeover is here, and with comes a new wave of Shadow Pokémon and other content as you battle Giovanni and his cronies. This World of Wonders: Taken Over event also brings two big Legendary twists to pair with Special Research and Raids.
Running from March 27 at 12am to March 31 at 11:59pm local time in Pokémon Go, the World of Wonders: Taken Over event brings everything you know about Rocket Takeovers and layers new content on top of it. This includes a handful of new Shadow Pokémon added to NPC teams and Shadow Raids, boosted encounters, and fresh Research tasks—spread across three types. Here’s a full overview of World of Wonders: Taken Over.
Full Pokémon Go World of Wonders: Taken Over event content guide
The World of Wonders: Taken Over takeover event, which will run from March 27 to 31, centers around Team Go Rocket and Shadow Pokémon being more readily available. This means new Shadow Pokémon will be added and NPCs, such as Giovanni and his Go Rocket Leaders, will have slightly different teams for you to battle.
Those new Shadow Pokémon will appear as part of those new NPC teams, meaning you have to win a battle to rescue them—though some Pokémon will also be appearing more frequently in the wild or as part of updated Shadow Raids. The biggest new additions for this event are Shadow Groudon on Giovanni’s team, Shadow Mewtwo returning to raids, and Shiny Sandile being added for the very first time.
All Pokémon Go World of Wonders: Taken Over boosted spawns, Shadow Raids, and Eggs
Here’s the full list you can expect to see in the Pokémon Go World of Wonders: Taken Over as wild encounters, raid bosses, or 12km Egg Hatches. We added an asterisk (*) next to their name to indicate if they have a chance to spawn in their Shiny version—but you can only encounter them if you’re lucky.
New Shadow Pokémon appearing in World of Wonders: Taken Over event
The following Pokémon are appearing as Shadow Pokémon for the first time during this event.
- Pidgey
- Groudon
- Darumaka
- Gothita
- Solosis
Pokémon Go World of Wonders: Taken Over wild encounters
- Murkrow*
- Sableye*
- Purrloin*
- Scraggy*
- Zorua*
- Vullaby*
- Deino*
- Inkay*
Pokémon Go World of Wonders: Taken Over Shadow Raids
| Raid Level | Pokémon |
| One-star Raids | Poliwag* Drowzee* Barboach Foongus |
| Three-star Raids | Wobbuffet Sneasel* Hitmontop |
| Five-star Raids | Mewtwo* (Only on March 30 and 31) |
Pokémon Go World of Wonders: Taken Over 12km Egg encounters
These Pokémon will hatch from 12km Eggs you collect during this event.
- Larvitar*
- Sandile*
- Pawniard*
- Vullaby*
- Deino*
- Pancham*
- Salandit*
- Varoom*
All Pokémon Go World of Wonders: Taken Over exclusive event bonuses and content
Just like with every Team Go Rocket Takeover event, you are more likely to see Rocket Balloons in the overworld and Grunts at PokéStops. You can also remove the Shadow Pokémon-exclusive move Frustration from any Shadow Pokémon’s moveset by using a Charged TM. There are other pieces of exclusive content featured this time too.
Shadow Groudon has joined Giovanni’s team as part of the new Seasonal Special Research: It’s a Rocket World, which is free for all players and involves the usual tasks of defeating all of the Go Rocket Leaders before facing the Rocket Boss. A set of free World of Wonders: Taken Over Timed Research is also available, which will net you some nice bonus XP and items.
This Takeover also features paid content with an exclusive Timed Research set—Chasing Team Go Rocket—locked behind the $2 ticket.
