Recent news regarding Pokemon GO's next GO Tour event has trainers at the edge of their seats. The highly-anticipated Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre are coming to the mobile title, and many seem to believe that the event may even bring in another requested pick from the Hoenn region: Kecleon, the Color Swap Pokemon.
Much like Ditto and Zorua, Kecleon is notorious for being a bit of a trickster in the main series. Able to change its colors to appear invisible in its environment, Kecleon has the potential to be one of the most interesting creatures in Niantic's mobile spinoff.
However, many trainers are uncertain if the chameleon will ever be brought into Pokemon GO. Unease aside, there is always a chance Niantic will surprise its players. After all, Zorua debuted during an event that was revealed as a Spotlight Hour for Shuppet.
Kecleon in Pokemon GO: MIA or on the way?
Kecleon's debut is a much more complicated case than many give it credit for. In short, Kecleon is technically already in the game as the code, models, and animations for the creature have been a part of Pokemon GO's files for a long time. Dataminers reported Kecleon in the game all the way back in 2021, but it is yet to be made available for trainers to catch.
Kecleon has been in the game's code for so long that metagame tracking sites like Gameinfo.io already have a page for the chameleon even though it cannot be obtained in the game. However, with the new Pokemon GO Tour event coming in 2023, it would be fair to assume that Kecleon may finally see the light of day.
With Pokemon GO Tour 2023 revolving around the Hoenn region, some of the more niche creatures from the region will likely make their way into the title as more frequent encounters. The theme of the Hoenn region (Kecleon's native home) and the increased spawn rates seem to be a perfect time to announce its debut.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, many believe that Kecleon will be sitting this event out because Niantic previously stated that the Pokemon would be reserved for a certain occasion. Niantic is aware that Kecleon is a special Pokemon in regards to its appearances throughout the franchise.
Since Niantic wants to do something special for Kecleon's release, it is unlikely that they will debut the chameleon in the same event as Primal Groudon and Kyogre. This special event could be a Community Day, Spotlight Hour (like they did for Zorua), or a future April Fools' Day celebration.
Regardless of how Niantic chooses to release Kecleon in Pokemon GO, the only thing the community can say for certain is that Niantic will make it a special occasion. The possibilities are endless, and they could even make it an exclusive encounter for snapshots, similar to how they handled Smeargle.
