Unlock the Secret: The Game-Changing Update Pokémon GO Shiny Hunters Have Been Waiting For

Highlights

Pokemon GO is missing a crucial update that would bring it up to the same standard as the mainline Pokemon games, specifically regarding shiny Pokemon encounters.

The mainline games have incorporated shiny Pokemon encounters into their open-world design, enabling players to visually identify shiny Pokemon in the overworld prior to engaging in battles. However, Pokemon GO has not implemented this feature, making it considerably more challenging for players to come across shiny Pokemon. In order to level the playing field and provide players with a higher probability of encountering rare shiny Pokemon, it is imperative for Niantic to update Pokemon GO's overworld encounters to match the standards set by the rest of the Pokemon series.

Despite adding shiny Pokemon to Pokemon GO in 2017, Niantic has yet to update the mobile app to match the same standard as the mainline games. Shiny Pokemon, which have been a beloved feature in the series since their introduction in Pokemon Gold and Silver, are still missing this crucial update. While fans have been busy predicting and designing their own shiny Pokemon forms, as well as creating recipes for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's shiny sandwiches, Pokemon GO is still lacking the essential change that the mainline games implemented several generations ago.

In contrast, the Pokemon series has evolved into an open-world design with free-roaming Pokemon encounters since the release of Pokemon Let's Go, Pikachu! and Eevee!, which were remakes of the original Generation 1 games. Game Freak has adjusted shiny Pokemon encounters to align with this new open-world approach. Players can now spot shiny Pokemon before entering a battle. Pokemon GO, however, has not yet adopted this feature, even though it would greatly benefit from doing so. As a result, players are left relying on patience and luck to find their own shiny Pokemon.

Shiny Pokemon Appear in the Overworld Now

Following Nintendo's switch to the hybridized home-handheld console with the Switch, Game Freak gradually evolved Pokemon's design to align with the open-world standard seen in many other games. Although the transition between Pokemon Legends: Arceus and the Gen 9 Scarlet and Violet games may not have been entirely seamless, Game Freak successfully integrated certain aspects of its new open-world design. Specifically, they introduced a new approach to encountering shiny Pokemon, ensuring that players wouldn't miss out on these rare forms without relying on random battles in tall grass.

Game Freak initially altered the visibility of shiny Pokemon prior to a wild encounter in Let's Go, Pikachu! and Eevee! They continued to employ this method in Pokemon Sword and Shield, ultimately implementing it in Legends: Arceus as well. By the time Scarlet and Violet were introduced, this new way of spotting shiny Pokemon in the wild had become a standard feature of the series, rather than an experimental game design choice. Moreover, Scarlet and Violet's addition of the Auto-Battle feature further safeguarded against accidental diminishing of shiny Pokemon, thereby adding an additional consideration for players engaged in shiny hunting.

Pokemon GO Needs to Updates its Own Overworld

However, despite the advancements in shiny hunting made by Game Freak in the mainline Pokemon games, Niantic has failed to keep up with its own overworld encounters in Pokemon GO. This poses a significant issue, especially considering that the gameplay of Pokemon GO relies heavily on players choosing the Pokemon they wish to encounter. Factors such as collecting specific candies or locating rare Pokemon often come into play. The ability to successfully shiny hunt in Pokemon GO is uniquely challenging due to the limited control players have over their encounters and the likelihood of encountering shiny Pokemon.

Furthermore, the introduction of XXL- and XXS-sized forms in recent updates has only made the odds of encountering shiny Pokemon even more complicated. This serves as yet another reason for Niantic to align with the rest of the Pokemon series. The presence of shiny Pokemon in the overworld, as demonstrated by the Buddy feature in Pokemon GO, should not be delayed any further. By incorporating this feature, Pokemon GO would harmonize with the mainline games and provide players with better opportunities to spot rare shiny Pokemon without relying solely on luck.

Pokemon GO is available now for Mobile devices.