Pokemon Go Teases First-Ever Appearance of Shiny Meloetta

Pokemon Go just teased that their Pokemon Go Fest 2021 event will serve as the first official appearance of a Shiny Mythical Pokemon. Earlier today, Pokemon Go posted a graphic on their Twitter and Facebook page that shows off the silhouette of Meloetta, the Mythical Pokemon that fans assume will be at the heart of its Pokemon Go Fest event. While the graphic served as a confirmation of sorts that Meloetta would appear at Pokemon Go Fest for players who purchase a ticket, the surprise was that the graphic used shiny symbols in the artwork above and below the silhouette.

Now fans are wondering if Pokemon Go will release the Shiny variant of Meloetta during Pokemon Go Fest. This would mark the first time that a Shiny Meloetta has appeared in any Pokemon game, which would make Pokemon Go Fest a much bigger deal than originally anticipated. While the more likely scenario is that Pokemon Go‘s graphics team got a little loose with its use of assets, Pokemon Go has a history of big releases. The game has debuted several Shiny Pokemon not available anywhere else, including the first non-Japanese appearance of Shiny Mew. So, it’s certainly possible that we could see the first-ever appearance of Shiny Meloetta as some sort of bonus Special Research, similar to how the Pokemon Go Tour: Kanto event featured an “extra” Special Research involving Shiny Mew.

Even if this graphic turns out to be a red herring, Pokemon Go Fest 2021 is still turning into a pretty cool event. The event will feature a mix of free-for-all perks and bonuses available to those who purchase a ticket. The event centers around an in-game music festival, with original music by Junichi Masuda. The event will also include the debut of several Pokemon and the opportunity to catch several Pokemon that usually only appear in specific geographic regions.

Pokemon Go Fest 2021 takes place July 17th and July 18th. Tickets cost $5 and can be purchased from the in-game store.