What is the Pokémon Go Ghost in the Machine Research?

Niantic seemingly likes to be sneaky with how it pushes certain content live during larger Pokémon Go events, but even the developers slip up a bit here and there. One instance of this is the surprising appearance of the Ghost in the Machine Research ahead of Go Tour: Sinnoh.

If you’ve been paying close attention to your events tab during the Carnival of Love, you may have seen a new set of single-page Research called the Ghost in the Machine popping up with no explanation. You can see hints at what it actually is in the margins, but if you aren’t in the loop with Pokémon Go’s upcoming events, here’s an overview of what this mysterious research is and how to complete it. 

What is the Pokémon Go Ghost in the Machine Research? And how do you complete it?

The Ghost in the Machine Research marks the Pokémon Go debut of Rotom’s base form during Go Tour: Sinnoh – Los Angeles and Go Tour: Sinnoh – Global. Before this, only the various Rotom appliance forms were available, starting with Rotom-Wash dating back to Go Fest 2020.

This was teased on the official Pokémon Go blog when Niantic said: “Rotom is causing mischief” during the event. Players who purchased a ticket for Go Tour: Sinnoh – L.A. will be able to decipher the hidden code displayed at the bottom of the Ghost in the Machine Research in the Event tab while present at the Rose Bowl Stadium. It’s not exclusive to L.A. players, however, as Niantic notes, “trainers worldwide can redeem it, too!”

Much like the A Coded Quest Timed Research from Go Tour: Hoenn last year—which featured encounters with Regice, Regirock, and Registeel—the code was dumped online instantly, which means you can complete the Timed Research right away. All you need to do is enter the code, complete a task, and catch a Rotom.