Can Unowns be Shiny in Pokémon Legends: Arceus?

Unowns are fun to collect, but they won't be Shiny.

Cyndaquil, Rowlet, and Oshawott in Pokémon Legends Arceus.
Image via The Pokémon Company

Shiny Pokémon hunting is bound to be fun, exciting, and somewhat heartbreaking if Pokémon run away in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. But many players are wondering if they can Shiny hunt the Unown alphabet in their playthroughs.

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Unowns are Shiny locked in the game, according to early information. This means that the Unowns can’t be obtained in their Shiny forms. This is unfortunate for many Shiny hunters who want a complete Shiny living Pokédex since they won’t be able to obtain it.

Unowns are one Pokémon species but have multiple forms. Each Unown is modeled after one of the letters of the alphabet and Shiny hunters usually find joy in completing the Unown alphabet in all their Shiny forms. This won’t be possible in Legends: Arceus, so many Shiny hunters are disappointed.

To find Unowns, you’ll need to unlock the Unown Research Notes, which gives hints about each Unown and where you can find them. The Research Notes are unlocked after a cutscene with an Unown and the Professor after saving Ursaluna.

There’s no one location for Unowns, so players will have to look all over the Hisuian region to find them. Since they’re static encounters, those who have examined the code have found that it isn’t likely that Unowns are able to be Shiny.

Although all of the early indications point to Unowns being Shiny locked, this guide will be updated for any new information as players start to get their hands on the game.

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Jessica Scharnagle
Jessica has been an esports and gaming journalist for just over five years. She also teaches esports journalism at Rowan University. Follow her for all things gaming, @JessScharnagle on Twitter.