How to get Hoopa Unbound in Pokemon GO, and can it be shiny?

Hoopa Unbound in Pokemon GO is one of the most powerful Mythical creatures, known for its high attack stat and dual Psychic/Dark typing. Trainers must first obtain Hoopa Confined and transform the entity into its Unbound form. The latter has appeared in Pokemon GO through special raids and research tasks, giving players multiple chances to obtain it. That said, it's worth noting that Hoopa Unbound has never been tradeable.

This article will discuss how to obtain the entity and whether its shiny version is available for catching. Here’s everything you need to know about acquiring Hoopa Unbound in GO.

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How to get Hoopa Unbound in Pokemon GO

Hoopa Unbound as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

1) Transform Hoopa from Confined to Unbound

To get Hoopa Unbound, you must first have Hoopa Confined in your collection. The latter was originally available through the "Misunderstood Mischief" Special Research in 2021 and has returned in some limited-time events since then.

If you have Hoopa Confined, you can change its form into Hoopa Unbound using the following steps:

• Open your Pokemon storage and select Hoopa Confined.
• Tap the "Change Form" option.
• Spend 50 Hoopa Candy and 10,000 Stardust to transform it into Hoopa Unbound.
• If you wish to revert it back to Hoopa Confined, you’ll need 10 Hoopa Candy and 2,000 Stardust.

2) Raid battles

Hoopa Unbound is occasionally available in 5-star raid battles. Niantic recently announced that Hoopa Unbound will be available as a raid boss on February 15, 2025, from 2 pm to 5 pm local time. This Pokemon is usually an incredibly strong foe with a huge health bar, so make sure to bring a team with Bug- and Fairy-type counters.

3) Research tasks

Hoopa Confined has occasionally been available as a reward offered by Special and Timed Research tasks. While there are no confirmed upcoming research events featuring the entity, it’s possible Niantic may reintroduce it later down the line. Keep an eye on seasonal announcements and updates for new ways to obtain Hoopa Confined.

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Can Hoopa Unbound in Pokemon GO be shiny?

Hoopa Unbound and its shiny variant (Image via The Pokemon Company)

No, a shiny version of Hoopa Unbound in Pokemon GO is not currently available, and neither is Shiny Hoopa Confined. Since Mythical creatures often take a long time before their shiny versions are released, it may be a while before we see Shiny Hoopa in the game.

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For now, focus on obtaining Hoopa Unbound in Pokemon GO through Elite Raids or research tasks and enjoy using its powerful moveset in battles. You should keep an eye out for updates from Niantic regarding the debut of this creature's Shiny version.

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Check out our other Pokemon GO guides:

• Ditto disguises
• Buddy Evolution Adventure Together guide
• Best Fast Attacks in the game
• Sierra counters
• Cliff counters
• Arlo counters
• Giovanni counters
• Team GO Rocket Grunts
• Pokemon Go Evolution Calculator
• Pokemon Type Calculator