Outbreaks have been a part of the Pokemon series since Generation II, when you’d periodically get a call from a trainer you’ve registered in your Pokegear that particular Pokemon are appearing with frequency in a certain area. This concept has been further refined with the integration of overworld Pokemon roaming around and, most helpfully, Pokemon icons where the Mass Outbreaks are occurring. If you’re getting a question mark instead of a Pokemon icon, it likely means that you haven’t registered that Pokemon in your Pokedex yet.
These Mass Outbreaks reset once a day, according to your Nintendo Switch’s clock, and will trigger 4 to 5 Outbreaks across the map. But how do you end one?
How to End an Outbreak in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
There are three ways to end an Outbreak. The first, most straightforward way is to battle or catch enough Pokemon in the Outbreak that they disperse. Each Outbreak spawns 100 to 120 Pokemon. For every 20 to 30 you defeat or capture, you’ll get a notification saying that the number of Pokemon is going down. Once you’ve whittled down 100 to 120 of the Outbreak Pokemon, the Outbreak will end.
The second way to end an Outbreak is to let it come to its natural conclusion by simply waiting out the clock. Because Outbreaks are connected to your real world time, by the time you wake up in the morning, the Outbreak is likely to have dissipated.
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The third way is to take advantage of Mass Outbreak’s dependence on your Nintendo Switch’s clock and manipulate your system’s time. You can go into your Nintendo Switch’s System Settings, head into System, then scroll down to Date and Time. Turn off the option to Synchronize Clock via Internet. Then, scroll down to Date and Time and set your clock to after midnight on whatever day you like.
Once you pop back into your game, you won’t get a notification that Outbreaks have changed, but you should be able to see the new Pokemon icons on your map.
Good luck dispersing those Pokemon, Trainer!
