Summary
It has been a while sincePokemon Scarlet and Violethad a major update that translated either into more content for the games or added something to Gen 9 as a whole. This is to be expected so long afterPokemon Scarlet and Violet’s release, especially withPokemon Legends: Z-Aon the way for later this year and Gen 10 leaks starting to surface for a 2026 release. Yet, the Nintendo Switch 2 is on its way, with a release date of June 5, and alongside it will come a free upgrade forPokemon Scarlet and Violetthat may turn the tide in a few ways, including the process of hunting for shiny critters.
Shiny hunting inPokemon Scarlet and Violetwas received very positively across the board, thanks to the new Herba Mystica sandwiches, which streamlined the process for finding shinies of a given type and even made the fauna in the overworld change accordingly. Shiny hunting has gradually become a much more prominent feature inPokemongames over the years, and it has become arguably easier to accommodate fans of all kinds. Now that the free Switch upgrade for the Gen 9 games is about to be released, players will suddenly experience a much more consistent and easier time looking for shiny Pokemon thanks to a big improvement to rendering and performance.
Why Now is The Best Time to Shiny Hunt in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
Although one could argue that shiny hunting in Gen 9 games is already relatively easy, there are several instances where finding an optimal spot for spawning critters in the overworld is a rather tall task, forcing players to head to otherwise unremarkable caves because those are the only spots in the game where some critters spawn more generously. This happens across multiple biomes and for several Pokemon, andPokemon Scarlet and Violet’s performance issuesare partly to blame.
Since the overall performance of Gen 9 games on the Switch was subpar, with the games often running below 30 fps, an update was released tolower the number of Pokemon spawning inScarlet and Violetas an attempt to improve how the games ran. However, this also decreased the chance of finding shiny Pokemon in the games as a result, and that’s because fewer spawns mean fewer chances to encounter a shiny. This is precisely what the Switch 2 upgrade is fixing, as The Pokemon Company released screenshots of the games on the new console, where one can clearly see a lot more Pokemon roaming around.
This is a great boon on two different fronts. In one instance, more Pokemon roaming theoverworld inPokemon Scarlet and Violetmeans a richer ecosystem and a less empty world to traverse, which can be great for replayability going into year four of Gen 9’s release. Additionally, it makes the world more engaging in terms of how many critters are actually there, boosting the odds of finding random shiny Pokemon as well as those one is target-farming for. This is a win-win scenario, and considering it’s free, Gen 9 games will be much more enticing to play in just two weeks.
How Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Free Switch 2 Upgrade Benefits Shiny Odds
Considering that the base chance of finding shiny Pokemon in Gen 9 is 1 in 4,096, but one can artificially boost this by a lot, having the freeSwitch 2 upgrade forPokemon Scarlet and Violetwill make all the difference in the world. The odds remain the same as before the upgrade, but one of the screenshots shared by The Pokemon Company includes at least 14 Pokemon on screen, and the other at least 20. Compared to numbers equal to or below ten in the current version of the game, this is a huge boost to shiny odds.
No additional method
1 in 4,096
1 in 1365
Mass outbreak (60+ Pokemon defeated)
1 in 819
1 in 1024
1 in 683
1 in 512
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
WHERE TO PLAY
The school that you’ve enrolled in as you playPokémon ScarletandPokémon Violethosts a special independent study project. The theme of this assignment is “A Treasure Hunt.” Explore the world and seek out your very own treasure!Three stories will be woven into your adventure while traversing the sprawling Paldea region. Along Victory Road, you will go to Gyms in different locations to to achieve Champion Rank. On the Path of Legends, you can join Arven in search of rare ingredients. And in ★ Starfall Street ★, you’ll challenge Team Star, a group of delinquents causing trouble for the school.These stories are set in an open world, so where you go is all up to you. A world teeming with Pokémon and people to meet is waiting for you—traverse the Paldea region wherever you heart desires.
