'Pokémon Go' Raid Battles: Shiny Magikarp are popping up, but what are the odds of catching one?


The first Pokémon Go raid weekend has come and gone, and players have seen some interesting results. High-level trainers have caught and missed out on some rare Pokémon and even we tried out raid battles. We can't help but wonder: Was the Magikarp that ran away one of the rare golden Pokémon?

Chances are, no. But the amount of shiny Magikarp appearing after Pokémon Go's new raid-battle mechanic is enough to be noteworthy.

Pokémon Go's raid battles are leading to shiny Magikarp, and no one can keep calm

Magikarp is not difficult to conquer and its inclusion as a raid boss is even a bit questionable. Why would Niantic expect Pokémon Go players to spend a precious raid pass on the measly Magikarp? Because, every once in a while, something like this happens:

It isn't just iVoli who's encountering shiny Magikarp in the video above. Pokémon Go raid participants continue to encounter shiny Magikarp. Within a few hours of raids coming online, a gold Magikarp appeared, according to BlackSatinCH on Reddit. Other shiny Magikarp-finders have posted on Twitter.

Don't mind us, we're just over here taking part in every Magikarp raid from now on.

Magikarp Pokémon Go raids are frequent, but the odds of getting a shiny is pretty low

Many trainers have had good luck finding a shiny Magikarp after a raid in the new Pokémon Go update. It's entirely possible the same could happen to you, but realistically, what are the odds?

The exact number is hard to say. It's possible that a raid Magikarp may have a higher likelihood of being shiny. It's also possible that, with so many Pokémon Go users online, those who have claimed to have found a shiny is a small percentage of the entire user base.

Considering how rare finding a shiny Magikarp apparently is, your odds are likely still low. In our testing, we did three Magikarp raids this weekend and didn't get a shiny Magikarp once. Knowing Niantic, they're like to distribute their rare Pokémon at the early days of a new event. Let's hope that whatever the odds currently are, shiny Magikarp continue to be available in the coming months.

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