The developers of Pokémon Go have acknowledged an ongoing issue affecting the game’s highly anticipated 9th anniversary event, following widespread complaints from players. The event, which is centered around the addition of a new costumed Gimmighoul and the Shiny variant, has been plagued by a frustrating bug related to Golden PokéStops, a key mechanic for collecting Gimmighoul coins.
Gimmighoul, the quirky coin-loving Pokémon, has a unique evolution process that requires players to gather 999 Gimmighoul coins. 
This has made the event particularly exciting for long-time fans, as it offers a rare opportunity to collect these coins more easily. Typically, Gimmighoul coins are obtained by catching Gimmighoul with the Coin Bag feature, or by spinning Golden PokéStops activated through a Golden Lure – a feature that usually requires players to connect to their Nintendo Switch multiple times. However, during this event, Golden PokéStops are supposed to appear randomly, offering an easier way to collect Gimmighoul coins. Unfortunately, a bug has turned this opportunity into a source of frustration.
The issue arises when players encounter a Golden PokéStop. Rather than staying as a Golden PokéStop, it turns blue before the player can spin it, making it appear as though it despawned. While the PokéStop is still functional, the visual bug has led many players to believe they are wasting time trying to reach them, only for them to disappear at the last moment. “Wasted my whole lunch break thinking it was just me,” said one frustrated player, while another noted, “It’s too hot to walk to the stop and it just disappears.”
Though the development team has confirmed that the problem is merely a visual one, and does not affect the ability to collect Gimmighoul coins, players are still disappointed. Some have also reported that the chances of obtaining Gimmighoul coins from Golden PokéStops seem lower than in previous events, further adding to the frustration. Additionally, the Shiny Gimmighoul was not available until mid-event, another mistake that had to be addressed after community feedback.
Despite these setbacks, the 9th anniversary event continues through July 6, giving players a few more days to collect Gimmighoul coins. The developers have acknowledged the bug and are investigating a fix, but many players feel that the event could have been better managed, especially for those who paid for a premium pass. “Doesn’t seem worth the money if you can’t get what you’re supposed to get,” one player commented.