A debate over the legitimacy of shiny Pokémon is currently taking place on Reddit with no end in sight.
The root of the discussion comes from a single thread over on the site posted by Specialist-Walrus864, who revealed how they had accidentally been sent six Switch Up devices. The product, a third-party accessory manufactured by Collective Minds, allows users to automate various processes in games, with Sword and Shield, in particular, supported with numerous macros meant to streamline shiny Pokémon breeding. Essentially, once it’s running, no input from a person is required to carry out the usual three-step process of collecting eggs, hatching them then emptying boxes of unwanted ‘Mons, cutting out most, if not all, the monotony.
As Switch Up interferes in no way whatsoever with game software, any shinies obtained this way are considered 100% legitimate by Game Freak’s anti-cheat systems, meaning they’ve eligible for trade and online use.
Some fans, however, have decried its use, labeling it a blatant cheat for eliminating the need for users to play directly and tantamount to hacking non-legit Pokémon with perfect stats. Walrus864 defends their purchase with the perfectly sound justification that the franchise remains a personal hobby of theirs, but have found themselves with less spare time due to having a child. While some may find entertainment in chasing the dopamine rush of finally hatching a shiny after several hours of attempts, others just want to build a team of unique-looking and rare creatures.
Both are valid, of course, though it’ll certainly be interesting to see if Game Freak, assuming it ever catches wind of this, ever decides this constitutes cheating. Want to share your opinion on the topic? Sound off in the usual place below!