How to find Giovanni in Pokemon GO (December 2022)

Giovanni is difficult to defeat in Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)
Giovanni is difficult to defeat in Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

Team GO Rocket boss Giovanni is one of the strongest enemies that players will face in Pokemon GO. The villain boasts a strong line-up, including the lucrative Shadow Mewtwo (for now). As always, defeating him is a laborious task.

Team GO Rocket members have often interrupted trainers' exploration of the Pokemon GO world. Grunts, leaders, and the boss make up the organization, and players can take each one down with proper preparation and strategy.

So how can players find Team GO Rocket boss Giovanni in Pokemon GO in December 2022?


You will need a Team Rocket Radar to find Giovanni in Pokemon GO

The best prize for defeating Giovanni in Pokemon GO is a chance to catch Shadow Mewtwo, one of the rarest Pocket Monsters in the game.

The villain's line-up changed last month with the Team GO Rocket Takeover event, and readers can learn about his weaknesses by checking out this article.

To encounter Giovanni in Niantic's AR title, you can follow the instructions below:

  • The first thing you will need to have is a Team Rocket Radar. While this can be bought for 200 PokeCoins in the in-game shop, you can also earn it for free. To do so, you will have to interact with PokeStops taken over by Team GO Rocket or the organization's hot air balloons that spawn every three hours. If you defeat these grunts, you will be rewarded with a Mysterious Component. Six Mysterious Components will band together to form a Team Rocket Radar.
  • Next, equip the procured radar. This will allow you to encounter one of the three Team GO Rocket Leaders (Sierra, Cliff, or Arlo). You can find them at PokeStops under the control of Team GO Rocket or in hot air balloons. The Rocket Radar also points towards the nearby Leader Hideouts. Leaders will only spawn if players have a Rocket Rodar equipped. Defeating a Team GO Rocket Leader also consumes the Rocket Radar. Thus, you will need to have three Rocket Radars to encounter each one of them.
  • Keep an eye on the Giovanni Special Research that is currently live. You will have to complete each of the Team GO Rocket-related objectives to earn a Super Rocket Radar. It is with this that you can seek out Giovanni in the wild.
  • One thing to keep in mind is that a Super Rocket Radar will showcase PokeStops with decoy GO Rocket Grunts posing as Giovanni. It will take some time and patience to find the boss, but as mentioned above, it is well worth it. Giovanni can also appear in hot air balloons, provided you have a Super Rocket Radar equipped.

Giovanni's Special Research is governed by the following regulations, according to Niantic:

"Trainers can receive Giovanni Special Research once per calendar month. For example, if you complete your September Giovanni Special Research in mid-October, you’ll receive new Special Research shortly after completing the September Research. If you complete the September Research in mid-September, you’ll need to wait until midnight on October 1st (local time) to receive the Research again."
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That's all you need to know about finding the Team GO Rocket boss in Pokemon GO. You should prepare for a steep challenge and a difficult fight if you wish to defeat Giovanni and have the opportunity to catch Shadow Mewtwo. Any changes to the line-up will be updated once Niantic officially confirms them.

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