Why are Some PokeStops Gold? A Quick Trick to Gimmighoul Wealth and Special Evolution

When Pokémon Go first launched in 2016, it was instantly clear that it was going to be a resounding success. Not only did it get people up and walking, but it encouraged them to explore, socialize, and engage with the world while playing a video game; something other franchises have tried to achieve but failed to manage.

Throughout the nearly decade of the game's popularity, it has introduced many features and challenges, keeping fans engaged as the years pass. Among those features: Gold PokeStops. But why are they gold, and what do they give you? Here's what we know about the coveted Gold PokeStops, the Pokémon they can unlock for you, and why people were tearing out their hair after a 2025 update turned sour.

It goes without saying that the goal of Pokémon Go is to "catch 'em all." Which means collecting as many Pokémon as possible, unlocking better and better evolutions, and making your team the most powerful and well-rounded team you can to tackle tournaments and battles and come out on top.

Aiding you in that quest: Gold PokeStops. These coveted PokeStops are gold, or yellow if you're being pedantic, and the provide ample resources for those looking to score some level-ups to your equipment and team.

They also offer something you won't want to miss out on: Gimmighoul coins.

If you collect these coins, you'll have access to Roaming Form Gimmighoul. From there, you can unlock one of the most desirable and rarest Pokémon: Gholdengo.

There are only three ways to gather these coins to unlock the Gholdengo evolution:

• Walking with Gimmighoul equipped as your Buddy.
• Catching Roaming Form Gimmighoul.
• Accessing the Gold PokeStops.

So if you're really hoping to "catch 'em all," you'll want to put Gold PokeStops on your radar. Literally and figuratively.

Unfortunately for fans of the game, 2025 brought some Gold PokeStop-related headaches that turned looming triumph into frustration.

After the Summer 2025 updates were released, people were hot on the trail of their next big evolution.

Unfortunately, as soon as they approached Gold PokeStops on their map, the PokeStop discs would either disappear, show the PokeStop as empty, or turn into a different color.

This was bad news bears for players who were enjoying the ninth anniversary rewards and updates, and prompted the game's developers to look more closely at the problem.

Niantic's Help Center addressed the issue, writing in a post, "Issue description: When approaching a Golden PokéStop it may turn blue before spinning it. This is a visual bug and does not affect your ability to collect Gimmighoul Coins. Issue status: Investigating."

However, frustrated fans did not agree that it "does not affect your ability to collect Gimmighoul coins," taking to social media to air their frustration.

Luckily, game developers are usually quick to fix glitches. Which means that before long, Pokémon Go players would be back on the hunt and back in the game.