The Flying Taxi Taken Over event features the debut of some new (Shiny) Shadow Pokémon in Pokémon GO. During the event and afterwards, Trainers can battle Team GO Rocket members for the chance to encounter a Shiny version of the Shadow Pokémon.
Flying Taxi Taken Over event
The event is scheduled on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. local time. It will continue until Monday, June 29, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. local time. During this event, Team GO Rocket will appear more frequently at PokéStops and in balloons.
Furthermore, you can use a Charged TM to help a Shadow Pokémon forget the Charged Attack Frustration. Pokémon caught via one-star and three-star Shadow Raids during the event will have a wider variance of Attack, Defense, and HP.
New Shiny Shadow Pokémon during the Flying Taxi Taken Over event.
The following Pokémon will be available to catch during the event. These Pokémon may be shiny upon encountering them, if you are lucky.
You will need to battle different Team GO Rocket members to be able to encounter the Shadow Pokémon.
GO Rocket Boss
- Giovanni: Shadow Reshiram
You will need a Super Rocket Radar to find (now only be found at PokéStops), battle, and defeat Giovanni. You can get this item while progressing through the GO Pass: Flying Taxi.
Please note that Purified Reshiram cannot be fused with Kyurem. Only non-shadow and non-purified Kyurem can be fused with Kyurem to form Kyurem White. This is because Shadow Pokémon and Purified Pokémon will not be able to fuse with other Pokémon.
GO Rocket Leaders
- Arlo: Shadow Tyrunt
- Cliff: Shadow Axew
- Sierra: Shadow Amaura
GO Rocket Grunts
New Shadow Pokémon
- Shadow Hoothoot from the Grunt with Normal-type Pokémon.
- Shadow Noibat from the Grunt with Dragon-type Pokémon.
- Shadow Rookidee from the Grunt with Flying-type Pokémon.
- Shadow Seel from the Grunt with Ice-type Pokémon.
All these new Shadow Pokémon may be a Shiny one when you encounter them after defeating certain Team GO Rocket members.
Please remember that the GO Rocket Grunts may have previously released Shadow Pokémon in their line-ups.
READ ALSO: Shiny Shadow Pokémon available in Pokémon GO
Flying Taxi Taken Over event: Guaranteed Hundo CP for the (Shiny) Shadow Pokémon
The table lists the hundo (or perfect CP) for these Shadow Pokémon
| Shadow Pokémon | CP in non-boosted weather | CP in boosted weather | boosted weather condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Reshiram | 910 CP | 1500 CP | Windy and Sunny |
| Shadow Tyrunt | 368 CP | 607 CP | Partly Cloudy and Windy |
| Shadow Axew | 308 CP | 508 CP | Windy |
| Shadow Amaura | 307 CP | 506 CP | Partly Cloudy and Snow |
| Shadow Hoothoot | 152 CP | 251 CP | Partly Cloudy and Windy |
| Shadow Noibat | 150 CP | 247 CP | Windy |
| Shadow Rookiedee | 150 CP | 247 CP | Windy |
| Shadow Seel | 219 CP | 360 CP | Rain |
READ ALSO: Guaranteed Shadow Hundo Pokémon by CP in Pokémon GO
Best Strategies for the Flying Taxi Taken Over Event
To make the most of this Team GO Rocket takeover, preparation is key. Here are the top tips to maximize your rewards during the event:
- Stock Up on Charged TMs: This event is your window to remove the frustration from your Shadow Pokémon. Prioritise high-tier meta choices like Shadow Reshiram, Shadow Tyrunt, and Shadow Axew.
- Farm GO Points Early: Take full advantage of the Event GO Pass. Since the daily limit for GO Points is completely removed starting Saturday, June 27, clear your schedule for the weekend to power through your rankings and claim the Super Rocket Radar.
- Optimize Your Weather Boosts: If you are hunting for perfect IVs (Hundos), keep an eye on your local weather. Battling Giovanni for Shadow Reshiram during Windy or Sunny weather will net you a much higher baseline encounter CP (1500 CP vs 910 CP), saving you a massive amount of Stardust and Candy down the road.
- Keep Your Mysterious Components Clean: Ensure your bag has space for Mysterious Components so you don’t miss out on assembling Rocket Radars to hunt down Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra.
Which Shadow Pokémon Are Worth Purifying?
While the general rule in Pokémon GO is to keep high-tier Shadow Pokémon for their 20% attack bonus, candy and stardust costs can be steep. Here is a quick breakdown of which event debuts you should keep as Shadows versus which ones you can safely purify:
- Shadow Reshiram (Never Purify): As a Shadow, Reshiram becomes an absolute titan in Fire-type Raids. Purifying it lowers its damage output. This ruins its PvE viability. Keep it a Shadow.
- Shadow Tyrunt & Shadow Axew (Keep as Shadow): Both Shadow Tyrantrum and Shadow Haxorus boast incredible attack stats. They serve as budget-friendly, hard-hitting raid counters if you lack top-tier Legendaries.
- Shadow Amaura (Purify for PvP): Aurorus relies heavily on its bulk. Since the Shadow template lowers defense, a non-shadow or Purified Aurorus often performs more consistently in the Great League and Ultra League.
- Safe to Purify: Pokémon like Shadow Hoothoot, Shadow Rookidee, and Shadow Seel are mostly trophy catches or niche PvP picks. Purify these if you need to progress your “Purifier” medal or want cheap hundos for your Perfect Pokédex.
Other event details
- Field Research Tasks
Complete the event-themed Field Research tasks to earn Fast TMs, Charged TMs, and Mysterious Components.
- Event GO Pass
Trainers will automatically receive GO Pass: Flying Taxi on Tuesday, June 23, at 10:00 a.m. local time. You can collect GO Points and rank up to get additional rewards through Monday, June 29, at 8:00 p.m. local time.
Additionally, from Saturday, June 27, at 12:00 a.m. to Monday, June 29, at 7:59 p.m. local time, there’s no daily limit for how many GO Points you can earn!
READ: Flying Taxi event: Squawkabilly Debut in Pokémon GO
