For players that haven’t advanced deep in the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet story, the map might be filled with question marks. These might be confusing for new players, but there’s a straightforward explanation regarding what these are.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet defied series norms by introducing a seamless open world. Players can progress at their own pace and head in any direction they feel like from the very start of the game. Those new mechanics coming together with classic Pokemon staples required some ingenuity from Game Freak, with one of the creative solutions being question marks appearing on the map at times.
Question marks appear on the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet map when a specific set of circumstances come together. Luckily, there’s nothing to worry about if these pop up, and they actually represent a great opportunity for trainers.
Why are There Question Marks on the Map in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?
The question marks on the map in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet represent a mass outbreak of a Pokemon the player has not yet discovered. Mass outbreaks are a common occurrence in the game, and they do exactly what their name suggests.
Normally, they are represented on the map with the icon of a Pokemon on top of a purple icon that looks like two bugs. For example, a Qwilfish mass outbreak is shown on the map here to the northwest of Cabo Poco:
However, if the mass outbreak involves a Pokemon that the player has not yet discovered, the icon of the Pokemon will instead be represented with a question mark. Even if the player has not yet discovered that Pokemon, the mass outbreak will still occur.
While it’s a mystery what Pokemon the mass outbreak is made of until visiting it, seeing a question mark on the map does represent a big opportunity for players. Players can be guaranteed that if they head to that area of the map, they will encounter a new Pokemon that can help to fill out their Pokedex.
What are Mass Outbreaks in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?
Mass outbreaks in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet see many of the same species of Pokemon appear in a small area. The Pokemon that appear in mass outbreaks can be common or rare but are helpful for players under any circumstances.
For most players, the appeal of mass outbreaks is shiny hunting. The odds of shiny Pokemon spawning in mass outbreaks improve as the player knocks out more and more Pokemon of that species, which can be improved further by obtaining the Shiny Charm or making certain sandwiches. When fully exploited, this is statistically the best way to obtain shinies in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.
The other use is for competitive Pokemon players. Mass outbreaks allow players to quickly and easily farm EVs, which are vital for building competitively viable Pokemon. By using items like the Power Bracer or Power Weight, players can efficiently max out their preferred stats.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are available now on the Nintendo Switch.