Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will be the next release in a long line of Pokémon games, and there are a few things they can do to fix the current state of Shiny hunting. Searching for the extremely rare, palette-swapped versions of Pokémon has become a popular activity amongst dedicated series fans. Shiny Pokémon have no stat differences, but is simply a rare version with different colors. Many players enjoy hunting for Shiny versions of their favorite Pokémon, while others even try to complete an all-Shiny Pokédex. Shiny Pokémon have recently taken a turn away from being incredibly rare, though, and Scarlet and Violet would do well to revert some of these changes.
Shinies have been in the games since Generation 2, when Pokémon Legends: Arceus' Shiny rates were poorly implemented, introducing new mechanics that made Shiny hunting much easier.
Legends: Arceus encouraged Shiny hunting from the beginning of the game by allowing players to almost immediately start increasing their chances of finding a Shiny Pokémon. The Mass Outbreak events that occur throughout the region result in an increased chance of finding a Shiny Pokémon that stacks with other Shiny chance increases. Players can also obtain a Shiny Charm by completing the Pokédex, which also increases Shiny chances. On top of that, by completing research tasks for a Pokémon, players can increase their chances of finding a Shiny to an astonishing one in 128 chance when paired with Pokémon Legends: Arceus' Mass Outbreaks.
Shiny Hunting In Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Shouldn't Be Easy
With Legends: Arceus' incredibly good chances, encountering a Shiny Pokémon is almost a guarantee, rather than a rare occurrence to search for. The novelty and excitement of finally encountering a Shiny wanes the easier it gets, and Scarlet and Violet's return to the traditional Gym battles progression is the perfect opportunity to revert the Shiny rarities as well. Arceus' changes somewhat trivializes the challenge of hunting for Shiny Pokémon, though it does increase the chances of a casual player encountering them. For some players, however, the overabundance of Shiny Pokémon takes away from the game's other features by making Shiny hunting seem most important. With the ability to obtain such good odds of finding Shinies, Pokémon Legends: Arceus created a Shiny problem where it seems to be pushing the player towards Shiny hunting by making it irresistibly easy.
To fix the current overbearing state of Shiny hunting, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet should lower the rates to make finding a Shiny Pokémon a less trivial challenge. By making them rare once more, players can be encouraged to focus on the main game and save Shiny hunting for the post-game, as has been seen in other mainline titles. Not to say that new mechanics for Shiny hunting and Shiny Pokémon should not be implemented, but rather that any changes to the system should work in a way to keep the special Pokémon rare, and act as a secondary mechanic to the rest of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's features.
