Galar trio from Galar region including Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble arrived in Pokémon Go during the Go All Out event in late 2024, and the fans asked the question, “Can we catch Galar Starters’ shiny forms in Pokémon Go?” With their Dynamax debut in Max Battles and their popularity as starters from Pokémon: Sword and Shield, trainers want to know if they can add their shiny forms to their collection. The short answer is no; here’s the long story.
Can the Galar Starters Be Shiny in Pokémon Go? (Sobble, Grookey, and Scorbunny)
Despite their hype-filled release, Niantic has not released the shiny variants of Grookey, Scorbunny, or Sobble in Pokémon Go. The community was a lot disappointed with it and demanded shiny creatures to launch alongside their Dynamax forms, but Niantic is still holding them back, likely they want to save shiny releases for future events or seasons.
Niantic has a history of staggering shiny releases to offer fresh game content. Shiny forms of popular starters from past generations were mostly introduced much later, usually in big events like Community Days or anniversary celebrations. The Galar starters are no exception. Right now, they’re being used to headline Max Battles, and though that makes them accessible, it also gives Niantic the right excuse to delay their shiny rollout until hype peaks again.
How to Get Galar Starters in Pokémon Go
Even though shinies aren’t here yet, you can still build your Galar starter squad. Currently, they’re available in two main ways:
- Max Battles – From October 2024, Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble have appeared as one-star Power Spot bosses. They’re easy enough to take down, so are highly farmable.
- Trading – As an alternative, you can trade critters with friends. Keep in mind that trading a Galar starter counts as a Special Trade if you haven’t registered it in your Pokédex.
You can also evolve Galar Starters Pokémon just like any other starter. Grookey evolves into Rillaboom, Scorbunny becomes Cinderace, and Sobble evolves into the sharpshooting Inteleon. You can use our Pokémon Go evolution calculator to see complete evolution chains for all Pokémon Go species along with their Combat Power (CP) and Candy needed to evolve.
Will Shiny Galar Starters Come to Pokémon Go Soon?
While Niantic hasn’t given a date, the odds are extremely high that shinies will arrive in 2025, most likely during a themed event or Community Day. Looking at the pattern from previous regions, Niantic almost always introduces shiny starters after their standard debut, so it’s more of a waiting game than a matter of if.
It’s better to farm Candies right now, so when shiny Grookey, Sobble, and Scorbunny finally appear, you’ll be ready to evolve them immediately. For now, shiny hunters will have to wait as the Pokémon Go Galar Starters are locked to their normal colors. But their arrival in Max Battles is a major step, and Niantic might be setting the stage for shinies later down the line.
