Highlights

  • Pokemon GO is blocking some longtime players from obtaining shiny Celebi in Whispers in the Woods quest.
  • Players who completed the Distracted by Something Shiny Special Research in 2020 can't buy the $5 ticket for Whispers in the Woods Masterwork Research story.
  • Despite being ineligible for shiny Celebi, these players receive other bonuses like double Incense and Lucky Egg duration during the event.

Pokemon GO is blocking certain longtime players from bagging the shiny Celebi, which unlocks after finishing the time-limited Whispers in the Woods quest. The shiny Celebi quest is currently available in Pokemon GO as part of a new event.

To mark its 8th anniversary, Pokemon GO is running a commemorative event that brings a host of fresh content to the game. There are new bonuses, raids, tasks, and more available for players till July 3, 8PM (local time). While many players have little problem partaking in the event and collecting the rewards, there are some who have discovered that they are locked out of getting their hands on a unique Celebi, a reward that first became available a few years ago.

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Pokemon GO players, who completed the Distracted by Something Shiny Special Research story back in 2020, are ineligible to purchase the $5 ticket for Whispers in the Woods Masterwork Research story. As noted by Kotaku, the option to buy is grayed out for such players. Given both quests reward the player with a shiny Celebi, it may make sense to block out those who have already acquired the special Pokemon from claiming it another time. However, Whispers in the Woods is a long-term quest and promises tons of other items, including Ultra Balls, Super Incubators, Rare Candies, and a lot more---things that would otherwise cost way more than $5. Keeping this in mind, developer Niantic's decision to deprive these players of the new Masterwork Research story may seem like an off-putting move.

Pokemon GO Players Ineligible for Shiny Celebi Quest Get Other Bonuses

Although these players can't join the hunt for a distinct version of the time-traveling Celebi again, there are a few other rewards that the game has designated for them as well. Those who participated in the Distracted by Something Shiny quest get double as effective Incense duration, Daily Adventure Incense duration, and Lucky Egg duration for the span of the event. This bonus is applicable regardless of whether the player had finished the quest or not earlier. Even though these rewards are useful too, they may seem like unfair compensation compared to what the game takes away from certain Pokemon GO veterans and has a strong chance of upsetting some of them.

Another decision, revolving around Pokemon GO's Meteorite giveaway, recently got criticized for forcing players to perform certain actions as a pre-requisite. Niantic could receive criticism again for its handling of the shiny Celebi quest. Hopefully, consistent player feedback will make the developer understand the likes and dislikes of the AR game's community better in the future.