Pokemon GO fans will soon be able to do battle with the nefarious Team Go Rocket again, as the pesky villains are set to return.
The longtime bad guys of the Pokemon franchise have appeared before, but have been absent for a little while - something Niantic has suggested won't remain the case for very long.
Pokemon GO: Team Rocket Returning This Summer
As explained on the official Pokemon Go blog, "Team Go Rocket has been quiet lately". Cryptically, Niantic then hinted that "we really don't expect Team Go Rocket to be quiet all summer..."
As we reported back in June, there have been hints that Team Go Rocket will be using hot air balloons to steal Pokemon.
Aside from various in-game hints, dataminers ruined the mystery somewhat - even working out how the balloons will be implemented!
Mysterious balloons have popped up in the sky, and the culprit is Team GO Rocket! With these Team GO Rocket balloon invasions, you can now battle Team GO Rocket anywhere on the map.
We ask that you keep an eye out for balloons in the sky and battle the Team GO Rocket Grunts and Leaders piloting them.
Who knows—you may even find Giovanni! Reports show that they appear once every few hours, but could appear more often during takeovers.
1. Tap a balloon to battle Team GO Rocket: Be ready for a challenge! Tap a Team GO Rocket balloon, pick your battle party, and defeat Team GO Rocket to rescue their Shadow Pokémon. Team GO Rocket balloons will hover near you for a limited time, so be sure to check the map for balloons and tap them before they fly away!
2. Equip your Rocket Radar to encounter balloons with Team GO Rocket Leaders: When you have a Rocket Radar equipped, you can find Sierra, Cliff, or Arlo piloting a Team GO Rocket balloon.
3. Equip your Super Rocket Radar to encounter Giovanni: It appears that even the boss of Team GO Rocket himself can be found riding in a Team GO Rocket balloon! If you activate and equip a Super Rocket Radar, Giovanni’s balloon is certain to appear.
Professor Willow's Scraps
These scraps contain information to do with Team GO Rocket. Check them out.
Team GO Rocket are up to no good again!
Team GO Rocket Hat
Players can purchase a special Team GO Rocket cap for 150 Poke coins.
Being evil never looked so good
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