Can you catch a shiny Phanpy in Pokémon Go?

There are numerous Pokémon to you can capture in Pokémon Go. Some of them frequently appear in the wild, and others appear under special conditions. You might only be able to find them when it’s raining out, or when it’s during a certain event during the week that gives a Pokémon an increased chance of appearing in the wild or raids. If you’re on the hunt for Phanpy, you can encounter this Pokémon throughout the world. But what are the chances of capturing a shiny version, and is it available?

Phanpy does not have a shiny version at this time. While it comes from the Johto region, the second generation of Pokémon, not all Pokémon in the mobile game has their shiny versions. When a new Pokémon arrives, it rarely releases with its shiny version. Developers Niantic normally spread it out, releasing the Pokémon and then reintroducing the Pokémon’s shiny version a year or two later. Phanpy was introduced to Pokémon Go in 2017, and nearly four years later, it still has not received its shiny version. It’s likely we’ll be able to find it sometime in the future, though.

It takes quite a bit of time for shiny versions to release. For example, all of the Pokémon from the Kanto region, the first generation, received their shiny version following the Tour: Kanto, a massive celebration at the end of the Season of Celebration. We’re hoping Phanpy does not have to wait for an equally large celebration. Normally, a new shiny version releases alongside a new weekly event.

When Phanpy’s shiny version does arrive, players will be able to catch it in the wild. There’s a one in 500 chance that a Pokémon will be its shiny version, so you’ll have to encounter quite a few Phanpy in the wild before you see a shiny version appear.