Pokemon GO Slumbering Sands Event Brings New Shiny & Costumed Pokemon Debuts

Pokemon GO has announced the Slumbering Sands event, which will bring a new Shiny to the game along with three new costumed Pokemon.

The Pokemon GO account on X recently announced the details for the upcoming Slumbering Sands event, which will run from June 7 until June 12. They also included images of the soon-to-debut Pokemon, which you can see below:

The post features costumed versions of Slakoth, Vigoroth, and Slaking, all wearing a bright blue visor that’s channeling summer vibes. This is a set of costumed Pokemon that will debut during the Slumbering Sands event, giving players new versions of these sleepy sloth Pokemon to collect.

Tucked away in the corner is the sleepy log Pokemon Komala, which is set to make it Shiny debut during the event as well. A fan-favorite Pokemon for its adorable koala-like appearance, Komala has been a highly anticipated Shiny debut for Pokemon GO.

Typically, new Shiny and costumed Pokemon are a cause for celebration in the Pokemon GO fan community. However, fans on X have some quibbles with this recent event announcement.

First, some can’t help but notice that those visors look a little bit awkward. “Oh come on, that’s just zero effort for the placement,” says one comment, with a close-up of how the visor on poor Vigoroth is barely even attached to its head.

Another qualm that some fans raised is the choice to put Komala in the “some trainers might encounter” event category during its Shiny debut. This category typically means that Pokemon will spawn less frequently than other featured critters, and is an unusual choice for launching a new Shiny in the game. It’s not the first time Niantic has done this, but it remains an unpopular decision with fans who want better odds to come across the newly debuted Shiny.

Even with this slightly lower chance of encountering it, however, the Komala stans are here to share their excitement about finally getting Shiny Komala in Pokemon GO. Shiny hunters are also excited for the chance to Shiny Hunt the costumed Slakoth and its evolutions, so it’s safe to say that overall reactions to this latest Pokemon GO event are mixed.