Pokémon Scarlet & Violet – What Does Mass Outbreak Mean? How to Find Them

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While roaming around the world of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, you might have noticed some messages telling you that mass Pokemon outbreaks are occurring nearby.

In this guide, we explain both how mass Pokemon outbreaks work in the game and how to find them.

Mass Pokemon outbreaks are events that occur around the world of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, where a bunch of the same Pokemon spawns within a small area. That same Pokemon will keep spawning until the outbreak event is over.


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How do mass Pokemon outbreaks work in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?

Mass Pokemon outbreaks in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are events that take place all over the game’s world, where a ton of a specific Pokemon spawns in a small area.

There are many mass outbreaks occurring in the world of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet all the time. New ones occur, and old ones end continuously, even if you don’t go to them.

At a mass outbreak, only one specific Pokemon spawns as part of the outbreak, but regular Pokemon that would spawn in the area where the outbreak happens to be can spawn like usual. They are just not affected by the vastly increased spawn rate of the outbreak.

When a mass Pokemon outbreak occurs, the Pokemon that spawns in abundance because of the outbreak keeps spawning even after you defeat them. Therefore, we recommend using the let’s go mode by clicking the “R” button, so your front Pokemon can quickly take them out without you having to battle manually.

Unlike the hordes of around 5-8 of a specific Pokemon that you can also find in the game, a Pokemon that is mass breaking out keep spawning even after you defeat them.

In a given mass Pokemon outbreak, up to around 100 of the Pokemon the outbreak is for can spawn.

There are two main things to use the mass Pokemon outbreak feature for – farming specific items and shiny hunting.

Farming an item is simple. Just keep defeating the Pokemon using the let’s go mode. Shiny hunting is almost the same. Keep using the let’s go mode to defeat the Pokemon, but keep an eye out for a shiny, as you need to start a regular battle against it to catch it.

The last thing you can use mass outbreaks for is getting a Pokemon with a specific nature and ability, in case you don’t want to spend currency on nature and ability swaps.


How to find mass Pokemon outbreaks

To find mass Pokemon outbreaks in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, press “Y” to open the world map and look for Pokemon with a flashing red creature symbol behind them.

You can see what the symbol looks like in the image below.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet mass pokemon outbreak icon on world map

The Pokemon that is displayed on top of the flashing red creature icon is the Pokemon that is spawning in abundance because of the mass breakout.

In case a mass Pokemon outbreak is happening of a Pokemon that you have yet to discover, you can see the flashing creature icon on the map, but there will be no Pokemon on top of it.

Once you find a mass outbreak of a Pokemon you wish to farm or shiny hunt on the map, fly to a destination nearby and travel the rest of the way there. At the mass breakout, you’ll be met by a swarm of the Pokemon that is mass breaking out.


That’s how mass Pokemon outbreaks work in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, as well as how to find them!

Have any input or suggestions for this guide? Let us know in the comment section below.

Tim Stadel Clausen

Tim, also known as Timzer online, is the founder & owner of Gamerempire.net. He was raised on a wide variety of video games and reached great heights in many of them. Having started several online ventures, including other websites, it was only natural that Tim started a gaming site as well.

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