Pokemon GO players report missing Shiny Zacian model hours after its release
Shiny Zacian makes its Pokemon GO debut at 10 am local time on September 26, 2024. As usual, players across New Zealand and parts of the Asia-Pacific are the first ones to get this update. However, u/aznknight613 took to TheSilphRoad subreddit to report that the model for Shiny Zacian was missing in the game.
The user said players could find the Shiny variant of Zacian from Pokemon GO 5-star raids, but the creature did not have different colors from its regular variant. They added:
"If you get a shiny you'll see the sparkles and icon, but it won't look shiny similar to when the shiny female Worlds Pikachu was broken before."
Other Pokemon GO players also appeared to have reported the issue as the Niantic Support handle on X quickly acknowledged it.
Edit: This issue has been fixed according to u/Dependent-Custard828's TheSilphRoad post.
Also read: Pokemon GO Zacian raid guide: Weaknesses and best counters
Missing Shiny Zacian model in Pokemon GO reports acknowledged by Niantic
@NianticHelp posted on X, saying the issue of the missing Shiny Zacian model was being investigated. The account also mentioned that the issue was only visual and would not impact any gameplay aspects related to the shiny feature. For example, the sparkling animation, shiny rate of Zacian, and other features like the Shiny PokeDex, and special transfer warnings would not be affected.
Also read: Can you solo defeat Zacian in Pokemon GO 5-star raids?
Like u/aznknight613 said, this is not the first time the Pokemon GO developer has seemingly forgotten to add assets for a shiny Pocket Monster upon release. It also happened during the 2023 World Championships celebrations, where the female version of the shiny event-themed Pikachu appeared in its regular color.
Being a box legendary, Zacian is a highly sought-after creature. This makes its shiny form a highly coveted target for players across the world. Considering it is being made available for the first time, the oversight on the developer's part is causing some discontent among the community.
Also read: Pokemon GO Zacian: Best moveset, counters, and is it any good?
That said, a quick acknowledgment from Niantic Support will likely lead to a quick resolution of the issue, potentially even before Shiny Zacian in Pokemon GO is rolled out to many parts of the world.
Check out our other Pokemon GO guides:
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