Team GO Rocket has taken over mobile phone screens around the world inPokémon GOonce again as part of the Adventure Week 2024 event. As a result, it’s your job to bring them down a peg or two by completing the new Taken Over Special Research story, which involves completing several Rocket-related tasks, including defeating the villainous Giovanni and purifying Shadow Pokémon.
LongtimePokémon GOplayers will be well aware of Team GO Rocket’s presence in the mobile game. They’re always lurking in the shadows, and every few months, they strike with a special takeover event. During these events, the lineups of Giovanni, Cliff, Sierra, and Arlo get switched up withnew Shadow Pokémon, and there’s always a new Adventure Week: Taken Over Special Research story to battle through.
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Pokémon GO Adventure Week: Taken Over Special Research Tasks
Challenge Team GO Rocket Boss Giovanni
The end goal of the Adventure Week: Taken Over Special Research story is to challenge the group’s boss, Giovanni, in a Pokémon battle. Before you can do that, though, you’ll need to work through several pages of tasks that require you to defeat multiple Team GO Rocket Grunts as well as the three leaders, Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra. There are also tasks involving purifying Shadow Pokémon.
All of this will eventually lead you to aSuper Rocket Radarthat will let you track down Giovanni. He’s one of the most difficult battles you’ll ever face on yourPokémon GOjourney, so make sure you come prepared with a good lineup of counters. you may see all of the steps, tasks, and rewards involved in the latest Team GO Rocket Special Research story below:
Defeat 3 Team GO Rocket Grunts
1 Mysterious Component
For completing all of these tasks, you’ll be rewarded with1500 XP, 500 Stardust, and a Kabuto encounter.
Defeat 6 Team GO Rocket Grunts
3 Mysterious Components
For completing all of these tasks, you’ll be rewarded with2000 XP, 1000 Stardust, and an Omanyte encounter.
2500 XP
Defeat Team GO Rocket Leader Sierra
For completing all of these tasks, you’ll be rewarded with2500 XP, 1500 Stardust, and 1 Super Rocket Radar.
Defeat the Team GO Rocket Boss
6 Max Revives
For completing all of these tasks, you’ll be rewarded with3000 XP, 2000 Stardust, and an Aerodactly encounter.
Claim Reward!
1500 Stardust
For completing all of these tasks, you’ll be rewarded with6000 XP, 5000 Stardust, and 3 Fast TMs.
Although this Special Research story is only available until June 13, 2025, it doesn’t have an expiration date once you’ve claimed it. This means you can complete at your own pace, although be aware that Giovanni’s Shadow Cresselia will likely be switched over to another Shadow Pokémon in the future, so don’t wait too long if you’re eager to catch this Psychic-type Legendary Pokémon.
How To Claim Adventure Week: Taken Over Rocket Special Research Story
Finish Any Current Rocket Quests You Have
The latest Team GO Rocket Special Research story will begiven out automatically once the Adventure Week: Taken Over event begins on Thursday, July 27, 2025. You’ll simply need to log in toPokémon GObefore the Shared Skies season ends on June 15, 2025, to claim it.
However, there are a few conditions you’ll need to meet before it can be unlocked. The main requirement is that you need to have completed the Troubling Situation Special Research story, which is unlocked when you reach Trainer Level 8. You’ll also need to complete any existing Team GO Rocket-themed Special Research stories you have, such as the recent It’s A Rocket World story.
You’ll need to defeat a lot of Team GO Rocket Grunts to finish this Special Research story. Luckily, they offer hints at the type of Pokémon they use. For example, if a Grunt says,“Coiled and ready to strike,“before a battle, that means they’ll be using Poison-type Pokémon on their team. Some of these hints are a little vague, but they should help you plan a team of counters to defeat them.
When it comes totaking down Giovanni, Arlo, Sierra, and Cliff inPokémon GO, they’re going to be a lot harder to beat. Not only are they stronger than your average Grunt, but they also have a more unpredictable lineup of Pokémon. The good news is that you can re-battle them as many times as you need using the same Rocket Radar, so if you’re struggling to win, you can rework your team to counter them better.
