Pokemon GO Backgrounds: Why They're Rarer Than A Shiny Pokemon

Since the inception of Pokemon GO in 2016, it has been more than just a game. Offering the authentic experience of the anime, it was a cultural revolution that blurred the lines between the virtual and real world. Over the years, the developers have worked tremendously behind the scenes to improve the visuals and interactive features of the game. Keeping the core values in check, the game introduced multiple new features over the years. The Pokemon GO backgrounds have been the recent interactive feature introduced by Scopely.

It has been a long journey from the minimalistic capture background to the richly detailed capture backgrounds of today that showcase the place, weather, and time of the catch. These have become way more than aesthetic upgrades. So much so, it has been a hot debate among the community as to which is rarer: shiny Pokemon or the exclusive backgrounds?

While shiny species are considerably rare due to their odds and the exclusivity of costumes, when you consider the location and event-focused backgrounds, it is clear that a special background is rarer. Join us as we take a deeper look at what Pokemon GO Backgrounds are, and how they are rarer than a shiny one.

What are Pokemon GO Backgrounds?

When you tap on a species in your collection, you will see that there is a background behind it. Most of the time, it is a default background behind the species based on its typing. However, after the newest addition of the game, from time to time, there are certain species that will have a special background, generally focused on the event or a location.

The Pokemon GO backgrounds are a way for all the trainers to remember the time and place when they caught the species. The idea from Scopely was to provide a great memento to commemorate attending special events. From time to time, we have seen special backgrounds for notable events. Moreover, there are one-time events, such as City Safari, which will be exclusive for years to come. It is this exclusivity that arguably makes backgrounds rarer than shiny Pokemon.

Reasons Why Backgrounds in Pokemon GO are so Rare

The rarity of backgrounds in Pokemon GO really depends on factors such as the time, design, and exclusivity. Let us take a deeper look at these reasons:

Time-locked Events

Looking at the pattern followed by Scopely, a lot of the special backgrounds appear during the time-limited events. Most of the time, these events last for only a few days. Therefore, if you miss the event, there is a higher chance that you will not be able to collect the background on your own. Unlike shiny Pokemon, which can appear in future events, special backgrounds do not guarantee a comeback in the near future. Take Community Days, for example. There is a rare chance that the same species community day is repeated. Even when it is done, we still won't get the same special background twice.

Regional Exclusivity

As of now, there have been a lot of events in the game that introduced some of the most exclusive backgrounds. Special events in Japan, France, and other countries had a famous place of those respective regions as the background for certain species in the game. Unless you were physically present at the spot to take part in the event, you had no way to get your hands on those backgrounds. To top it off, those regional backgrounds were one-time only, making those even rarer than shinies.

No Announcements & No Reissue

One of the biggest reasons why Pokemon GO backgrounds are rarer than shiny species in the game is that almost no backgrounds so far have been confirmed to be reused in the near future. This makes taking part in the events now a must!

In addition to that, Scopely never announces or advertises the rarity or exclusiveness of these backgrounds. The event announcements also state these as ‘secret background’ or ‘special background.’ Due to this, many trainers have already missed their chance to get their hands on special backgrounds before.

Shiny Pokemon vs Backgrounds in Pokemon GO: A Comparison of Rarity

Now that you are aware of what Pokemon GO backgrounds are, let us take a look at the rarity comparison of shiny Pokemon and different backgrounds in the game:

Over the years, Pokemon GO has introduced many new features that keep the game more interactive for the trainers. A couple of its recent introductions are Lucky Trinket and Timed Incubator. Want to know more about how you can make friends instantly? Check out our guide to what Lucky Trinket is in Pokemon GO.