Niantic finally reveals truth about Shiny Raid Bosses in Pokémon Go after Primal Groudon miss

Some Pokémon Go players have always assumed Shiny Pokémon encountered in raids are a guaranteed catch. That is, they won’t put up much of a fight when it comes to breaking free.

One player, for example, said they’ve never had to throw more than one PokéBall to catch one. Others backed this claim, pointing towards their long history of encounters with them. It turns out, however, it’s not true—and the answer came straight from the horse’s mouth. An unfortunate player learned the hard way after failing to catch a Shiny Primal Groudon. They spoke to Niantic’s customer service, who clarified the misconception.

“On your concern about the Shiny Legendary or Raid Boss, this has never been a guaranteed catch,” said the Pokémon representative. “Like any other Pokémon, it is challenging to catch and can escape or break free as well.”

Players who have never faced this issue found it hard to believe. Instead, they theorized the player might have been in a vehicle that moved too far away from the encounter, or the location tracking signal dropped out, which could have caused it. In their view, since things like that can happen, it makes sense for Niantic to say catching Shiny Raid Bosses isn’t guaranteed, but if none do, it seems players shouldn’t have any issues.

It’s still open to debate, but at least Niantic has finally weighed in with an explanation. Perhaps players will be more cautious in these encounters now they know the truth.