Pokémon Go Showcase, including how to enter PokéStop Showcases, how to switch Pokémon and rewards explained

PokéStop Showcases explained: How many players can enter a Showcase in Pokémon Go?

PokéStop Showcases are contests held at PokéStops during certain events in Pokémon Go, which were released in July 2023.

Showcases focus on a limited selection of Pokémon and judge them against other players' entries based upon a certain criteria, like size. Each Showcase will run for a limited period of time and you’ll be rewarded simply for taking part, but, if you manage to take first place, you’ll also receive progress for your Showcase Star medal.

According to the official Pokémon Go blog, up to 200 Pokémon can be entered into a Showcase at one time. There have been reports, however, on The Silph Road subreddit of only 50 players being able to enter a Showcase.

Thank you to Pikamon895 from reddit for the help with this information.

PokeStop showcase has a maximum of 50 participants from r/The Silph Road

You can also only enter three Showcases at a time. So, if you reach this maximum but find another Showcase you wish to enter, you need to leave one of the contests you’re currently in.

But how do you enter a PokéStop Showcase…

How to enter PokéStop Showcases in Pokémon Go

To enter a PokéStop Showcase in Pokémon Go, you first need to find a PokéStop hosting a contest. To do so, look for a PokéStop which has a blue circular icon floating above - this means that there is a Showcase awaiting you! You can also use the 'Nearby' menu to find any Showcases occuring near you just like how you do for raids.

You need to be in the radius of the PokéStop to enter the Showcase and, once you are, select the PokéStop in question. After doing so, you’ll be able to see a button labelled 'Showcase' beneath the photodisc - selecting this will open up the Showcase menu.

On the Showcase menu, you’ll be able to see what Pokémon can be entered, the quality they’re being assessed by and when the Showcase will end.

You’ll also be able to see who is the current leader in the Showcase, the Leaderboard and be able to enter a Pokémon yourself.

The Showcase will automatically select which Pokémon is best suited for the contest out of your selection, but you’re also able to enter a different Pokémon if you so choose.

To do so, select the 'Enter Different Pokémon' option to bring up a list of the Pokémon you currently have in your Storage who are eligible for the Showcase. Beneath these Pokémon, you’ll see a points value which informs you how well they suit the criteria of the Showcase - the higher the points number, the better they will do in the contest!

For example, the image below is from a Showcase where players were asked to select their biggest Squirtle. The points value is connected to the size of the Squirtle, so, the higher the points value, the bigger Squirtle and the more likely it is to win the Showcase.

Once you’ve decided which Pokémon you wish to enter into the Showcase, select the 'Enter' button. Your Pokémon will then be given a star rating based upon how it meets the Showcase’s criteria and, from that, it will be ranked on how it compares to the other Pokémon in the competition.

It’s important to note that, as other players enter Pokémon into the Showcase, your ranking may change, because they may enter a Pokémon which beats your point value. If this happens, then you need to enter a Pokémon with a higher points value compared to their creature to regain your ranking.

Any Pokémon you enter in a Showcase can still be traded, transferred, evolved or have its form changed.

This means it’s important to remember which Pokémon you’ve entered into a Showcase, because, at the time of writing, there’s no icon in the Pokémon Storage to highlight that you’ve done so like with placing a Pokémon in a Gym. Due to this, you do run the risk of accidentally taking a Pokémon out a Showcase by doing something like evolving or transferring it.

After entering a Showcase, the icon floating above the PokéStop will turn purple to help you keep track of which Showcases you’ve entered.

There is also a 'Pokémon in Showcases' section at the bottom of the 'Today' tab where you’ll find a list of all the Showcases you’ve currently entered, along with the Pokémon you’ve placed in them and their current rankings. Selecting one of these Showcases will bring up its specific menu where you can access the Leader Board to see how you fare against the other competitors.

Keep in mind that you can only enter three Showcases at a time. If you want to enter a fourth, then you’ll have to remove a Pokémon from one of the three Showcases you’re currently in.

Now you’ve entered a PokéStop Showcase all you have to do is sit back and wait till it ends to receive your rewards. If, however, you want to take first place, then you’ll need to keep an eye on your ranking and, if someone replaces you, switch out your Pokémon for one with a higher points value.

How to switch Pokémon in PokéStop Showcases in Pokémon Go

To switch a Pokémon in a PokéStop Showcase in Pokémon Go, you simply need to access the Showcase menu for the contest you’re currently in and then scroll down to the 'Your Pokemon' section.

There you’ll find the 'Switch Pokémon' option and, by selecting it, you’ll open a menu containing all of the Pokémon who can be entered into the Showcase in your Storage. Now all you have to do is select the Pokémon you now wish to enter and it will replace the one currently in the Showcase.

You can switch Pokémon both by visiting the location of PokéStop or via the 'Pokémon in Showcases' section in the 'Today' tab. You can’t, however, leave a Showcase completely via the 'Today' tab option.

PokéStop Showcases rewards in Pokémon Go explained

Aside from giving you the chance to show off your Pokémon, the best thing about the PokéStop Showcases in Pokémon Go is that every trainer who partakes in them will receive a reward.

These rewards arrive once the Showcase ends and can include Stardust and XP. The best rewards, however, are reserved for the trainers who took the top three spaces in the Showcase.

According to the official Pokémon Go blog, players who take one of the top three spots in a PokéStop Showcase have the chance of earning an Incubator or Star Piece. Thanks to Quick-Season3798 from The Silph Road subreddit, we also know that you can earn Stardust, Great Balls and Hyper Potions from taking the first place position in a PokéStop Showcase.

Introduced on Friday 1st March 2024, you can earn both an encounter with Pikachu, Ph.D. and its related avatar clothing by winning Showcases and progressing through the Showcase Star medal.

The wins you need to achieve for Pikachu, Ph.D. and its clothing are:

• 10 Wins (Bronze medal) - Pikachu, Ph.D. Headband
• 25 Wins (Silver medal) - Pikachu, Ph.D. Glasses
• 50 Wins (Gold medal) - Pikachu, Ph.D. Pose
• 100 Wins (Platinum medal) - Pikachu, Ph.D. encounter

Coming in first place will also earn you progress with the Showcase Star medal, with the rankings for said medal being the following:

• Bronze - 1
• Silver - 10
• Gold - 50
• Platinum - 100

Rewards for winning a local Showcase from r/The Silph Road

Thank you again to Quick-Season3798 for the help with this information.

Good luck in the PokéStop Showcases!