Evergreen
PokéStop Showcases Explained: Entering, Scoring and Winning
How PokéStop Showcases work in Pokémon GO: finding one, entering a Pokémon, how size drives the score, reading the leaderboard and what happens when it ends.
A PokéStop Showcase is a small, low-pressure contest held at a PokéStop. Each Showcase asks for a particular kind of Pokémon, trainers nearby enter one each, and the entries are ranked on a leaderboard until the Showcase closes. It costs nothing to enter, takes a few seconds, and gives a use to Pokémon that would otherwise sit in storage.
How to enter a Showcase
- Spot one on the map. PokéStops hosting a Showcase are marked differently from ordinary stops. Tap the stop to see what the Showcase accepts.
- Check eligibility. A Showcase usually names what it accepts, often a single species. It tells you exactly what it takes, along with how long it has left to run.
- Pick your best candidate. The game lists the eligible Pokémon you own. Look at their size labels before choosing, not their CP.
- Enter it. You can enter one Pokémon per Showcase. You'll generally need to be at the PokéStop to do this, so enter while you're nearby.
- Check back later. Your position can change as other trainers enter. Once the Showcase ends, you can see how you placed.
How entries are scored
Showcases judge Pokémon mainly on size: how large an individual is compared with the typical size of its species, based on its height and weight. As a rule, bigger scores higher. The game doesn't publish a complete formula, so treat any precise scoring method you see quoted elsewhere with caution. In practice, the size label on your Pokémon's details screen is the quickest guide, but it's a broad band: between two Pokémon with the same label, the one that's larger for its species will usually score higher.
| Size label | What it means | Showcase outlook |
|---|---|---|
| XXL | Exceptionally large for its species | Your best chance at a top spot |
| XL | Larger than typical | Competitive, especially in quiet areas |
| No label | Within the normal range | Can place when few people enter |
| XS | Smaller than typical | Rarely competitive |
| XXS | Exceptionally small for its species | Keep it for collecting, not Showcases |
Size isn't tied to CP. A big, low-CP Pokémon can beat a powerful one of normal size, which is why Showcases reward collectors as much as battlers.
Finding a strong entry
Because size is random for each Pokémon you catch, the way to find an XXL is simply to encounter lots of a species. A few habits help:
- Keep your big ones. Before transferring duplicates, check for XL and XXL labels, and mark the keepers as favourites so a bulk clean-up can't catch them. A species that's common today may be the subject of a Showcase next month, and our guide to managing your storage helps you make room for them.
- Watch event spawns. Showcases are often themed around the Pokémon featured in current events, and those events are also when that species spawns most, so you get more chances to catch a large one.
- Use search to find them fast. Search strings are the fastest way to check a species before you go. Our guide to search strings shows how to filter your storage down to one species in seconds, so you can find your biggest one, and favourite it, ahead of time.
Reading the leaderboard
A Showcase shows its top entries, your own entry's rank and score, and the time remaining.
- Quiet stops are easier. Showcases in busy city centres attract far more entries than those in quiet suburbs, so a modest XL can win at a lonely stop while the same Pokémon would sink out of sight downtown.
- Early leads don't last. Leaders are often overtaken, so a strong position with days left isn't a win yet.
- Spread your entries. At the time of writing you can enter several different Showcases at once, one Pokémon each, so spreading your good entries across nearby stops is a reasonable strategy.
When a Showcase ends
At the end of its run, the Showcase closes and the final ranking is fixed. The top-placed entries receive rewards, and you can check how you placed once it closes. What exactly is on offer can vary between Showcases and change over time, so check the Showcase itself rather than relying on a fixed list. While your Pokémon is entered, some actions on it may be unavailable until the Showcase is over, so avoid entering one you're planning to trade or power up that week.
Showcase FAQ
Do Showcases cost anything?
No. Entering is free, and your Pokémon comes back to normal use once the Showcase ends.
Does my entry need to be a strong battler?
Not really. Size is what decides the ranking in practice; CP, level and moves aren't the deciding factor. Community testing suggests IVs may add a little to the score, but they're a minor factor next to height and weight.
My Pokémon is XXL. Why did another XXL beat it?
Size labels are broad bands. Two XXL Pokémon can differ quite a lot in height and weight, and the score reflects the actual measurements rather than just the label.
Are Showcases part of events?
They often line up with events, but they can run at other times too. They're one of several free side activities that events tend to lean on; our guide to free events covers what else you can do during an event without buying a ticket.
Is it worth hunting big Pokémon just for Showcases?
Mostly it's a pleasant side goal rather than a reason to change how you play. If you enjoy collecting, big-and-small hunting fits in with the other long-term goals in our collecting guide, which covers shinies, regionals and Pokédex completion. For catching basics, raids and more, browse the Trainer Hub homepage.