5 ways Niantic can improve PokeStop Showcases in Pokemon GO

Catering to the more casual side of Pokemon GO, Niantic released a new type of gameplay that is much more accessible for beginners. The new PokeStop Showcases were introduced to give casual players something to focus on, much like how the hardcore playerbase focuses on the game's competitive Battle League and grinding raids for perfect Pokemon.

However, many seem to feel that this new feature is underwhelming. Though it has the potential to be a great alternative way to enjoy the game away from battle, the showcase system can definitely improve. With a bit of input from the community, Niantic can make a truly interesting and engaging experience.

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5 ways Niantic can make PokeStop Showcases more interesting in Pokemon GO

5) General Showcasing

Official artwork for Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

One of the many downsides to this new feature in Pokemon GO that many have picked out right away is that PokeStop showcases will only feature creatures of a specific species. This means that areas with PokeStops can only showcase one type of creature, which could potentially alienate some of the community who may not have some of the rare species.

As a solution, it may be beneficial to include some general showcases that allow players to show off some creatures from their collection they are very proud of. As a trade-off to being much more accessible, these could give fewer rewards or more common items than species-specific ones.

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4) Shiny Showcases

Shiny Rayquaza as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

In a similar vein, it would be very interesting to see the various Shiny Pokemon players have added to their collection in a showcase featuring exclusively Shinies. These showcases could be a great place for players to just look at some cool Shiny Pokemon and for participants to earn some rewards on the side.

It would seem a bit unfair to allow Shiny Pokemon of a certain species to participate in standard PokeStop Showcases. Due to their rarity and altered color scheme, it would be odd to allow them to compete alongside those of a standard variety. Mainly because of the bonus points from the scoring system for being shiny.

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3) Event showcases

Official artwork for Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

There are certain creatures that players associate with certain holidays. Like Gengar for Halloween or Delibird for Christmas, it would be a great idea for players to incorporate a showcase that welcomes creatures that fit the theme of the holiday the game is currently celebrating.

To make things more interesting, Niantic could even include the costumed variants of Pokemon that release alongside these events. These costumed Pokemon could receive a slight boost in points, incentivizing more players to collect these creatures rather than just selling or transferring them.

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2) Better rewards

Official artwork for Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

The Battle League's unique rewards, including Elite TMs and evolutionary items, suck a lot of players into its gameplay loop, making it a popular choice for players. It would be a great idea to reward the casual community just as much as the hardcore playerbase to reward players to choose their own way to play the game, rather than just grinding.

Properly rewarding players for the effort they put into a game is the best way to maintain an active playerbase. Since a lot of the more impressive types of creatures in Pokemon GO can take a while to curate, like creatures found from hatching eggs or those with maxed-out stats, rewarding those who put in the effort adequately would be appropriate.

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1) Explain the scoring and points system

Clearly explaining the curriculum of Pokemon GO's PokeStop Showcase would give players a more clear picture of what the ranking system is looking for in terms of deeming a creature at a high or low rank. Leaving players in the dark can leave many with the impression that it is all based on luck, making the feature much less fun and engaging for those initially interested.

Even the trailer used to reveal the feature does very little to explain to players just how some creatures are scored compared to one another. Even those who have already participated still have no clue how every creature that has ever been captured in the mobile game is scored, leaving one to think that it is truly random after all.