Can players catch Shiny Latios in Pokemon GO? (May 2022)

The newest Mega Evolutions have finally come to Pokemon GO. To make matters even better, these Mega Evolutions are some of the highly-anticipated Legendary Mega Evolutions. Mega Latios and Mega Latias are finally here, and players are wondering if their rare shiny variants are present in Niantic's mobile game.

Looking towards Latios, it is the more offensively-oriented of the duo. Given that players will have to battle it in Raids to catch it, this can make battle preparations more complicated. Shiny Hunters will have to take stock of this as they may have to challenge Mega Latios in Raids multiple times.

With a battle system as different from the main series like Pokemon GO's, preparation is mandatory. Unlike in the main series, the player's Pokemon is guaranteed to take damage when battling in Niantic's mobile game. However, before the player starts, players will need to know if Latios can be shiny in the game.

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Shiny Latios in Pokemon GO: Fact or Fiction?

Latios in a Raid Battle alongside its shiny variant in Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic/LiftingandZombies on YouTube)

If the player is lucky, they can encounter and catch Latios' shiny variant in Pokemon GO. With this in mind, players can begin their hunt for a Shiny Latios. As previously stated, the only way players can currently encounter and catch Latios is by challenging and defeating Mega Latios in a Mega Raid Battle.

When challenging any Mega Raid Boss, the right strategy is the key to repeated success. Due to Mega Latios' high attack stat, an emphasis on a bulky defense should be prioritized. Mega Latios is a Psychic and Dragon-type Pokemon. With this in mind, Pokemon of the Dark or Steel typing are best for defense.

Bisharp shares both of these typings and wields a high attack stat making it a great all-rounder for this battle. Bisharp's Dark typing repels Latios' Psychic-type attacks, while its Steel typing repels its Dragon-type attacks. However, this is only one of the six total Pokemon that players can bring to a Raid Battle.

Anchors are Pokemon that players bring to Raid Battles in Pokemon GO as a way to stall for time while they heal their other Pokemon. Anchors are an important part of battles of this caliber, so bringing the right one is a must. Drapion, Steelix, Umbreon, and Spiritomb are great anchors, to name a few.

Now, the only thing the player needs to collect after assembling a team is other players to battle alongside. The Silph Road recommends that at least seven players come along for this battle. If the player is having trouble assembling a team, communities for Pokemon GO exist on various social media platforms.

With a great strategy and enough teammates, players will be able to take down Mega Latios. After defeating it, the player will be given the chance to catch it. At this stage, the player will be able to see if they received a Shiny Latios or not. If the player does not get a Shiny Latios, they can simply go through the battle again.