One of the most exciting things about Pokémon is that regardless of my experience, there is always something new to learn.
I was shiny hunting last week when something interesting happened. I saw a question mark and did not understand what it meant.
I was worried that I messed things up until I did some research and realized it was actually a good thing! 😍.
If you want to know what the question mark on Pokémon Home means, read on to learn what I discovered.
Why Does a Question Mark Appear on Pokémon Home?
A question mark on Pokémon Home means a massive outbreak of a Pokémon you haven’t encountered yet.
It is a common occurrence in the game, but it might shock you the first time you encounter it 😲. Usually, this is a good thing to experience as a player.
It is a guarantee that when you head to the area and see the question mark, you will encounter many certain Pokémon species.
One of the perks of encountering this mass outbreak is that it could help you with shiny hunting or acquire a rare Pokémon species.
When a Pokémon species spawn in masses, the chances of encountering a shiny variant are higher.
If you have a Shiny Charm, ensure you have it with you as you head to that area to further improve your chances 😀.
When some players encounter the question mark, they reckon that it might be an error or they might have illegal Pokémon. These assumptions are not true at all.
There is also the occurrence of the 10-question mark, which usually indicates a system glitch. It differs from the usual one-question mark and was programmed into the game to prevent crashes.
Can You Trade a Pokémon With a Question Mark?
No, you cannot trade a Pokémon with a question mark. Once a blue question mark appears on your Pokémon just before you trade it, it is your last chance to trade it.
Once you proceed with the action, you will exhaust your chances of ever trading it again.
For instance, you will get a question mark if you transfer a Pokémon from Let’s Go Pikachu to Home. If you agree to proceed and save the changes, you become limited to only using that Pokémon in one game.
Can You Remove a Pokémon With A Question Mark From Pokémon Home?
Yes, you can remove a Pokémon with a question mark from Pokémon home and from Pokémon home to a new game 😊.
However, you cannot move these Pokémon from Pokémon home back to the game you brought them from. This will only work when you move them to a different game.
The table below summarizes the types of question marks you can encounter in the game and what they mean.
|
Question Mark |
Meaning |
|
Question Mark in Pokémon Home |
There is a mass outbreak of a certain Pokémon species. |
|
Blue Question Mark on a Pokémon |
You cannot transfer it back to the game it came from. |
|
10 Question Marks |
Indicates system glitch in Pokémon, programed to prevent crashes. |
To say I am a die-hard fan is the least way to describe my love for Pokémon. I have grown up playing and studying everything there is to know about the game and anything related to it, giving me more than 18 years of as a player. I also have more than 10 years of experience in the gaming industry, creating content on different technology and gaming products. Now, with my experience, I want to share my passion and knowledge of Pokémon with all the other enthusiasts out there to help them learn and grow as they continue to explore this world filled with endless adventure and possibilities. You can read more about me on the about us page.