Pokemon GO players finally saw the arrival of Team Rocket in the popular mobile AR game yesterday. However, for those wondering why they still haven't encountered Team Rocket, it appears that Niantic had to pull them out on the same day of their arrival.
The classic Pokemon villains began invading certain PokeStops yesterday, where players can engage them in battle. However, due to Team Rocket's short stay, most players didn't even notice their disappearance. While the exact reason for their mysterious disappearance is unclear, it appears that bugs and glitches are to blame.
Hours after the new addition went live, players encountered errors when attempting to enter a Team Rocket occupied PokeStop. Some reported their apps crashing or not responding properly when trying to initiate a battle.
Niantic confirmed the disappearance on Twitter but framed it as a mysterious phenomenon that requires a thorough investigation. The long-waited addition of Team Rocket was first confirmed several days ago after data miners uncovered evidence of them in the game.
Pokemon GO's statement didn't reveal much, but it is likely that Team Rocket's disappearance is due to the glitches players encountered. It is also possible that Niantic is trying to gauge player reaction first, before releasing the feature to everyone. Right now, no one knows for sure when the feature will be reinstated in Pokemon GO. However, data miners have already uncovered tons of Shadow Pokemon and a full special research questline, suggesting that Team Rocket's disappearance is temporary.
When Team Rocket does eventually return to the game, players will be able to encounter them at PokeStops and engage in battle. If the player wins, they will be given a chance to capture a Shadow Pokemon, which has been corrupted by Team Rocket. The player will then be able to purify the Pokemon, earning them a permanent boost to their IV stats.
Pokemon GO is available now in select regions on Android and iOS devices.