Fans are currently debating whether RNG manipulation to force Shiny encounters in Pokémon games can be considered cheating compared to other Shiny hunting methods. Shiny hunting, or the process of obtaining a rare, alternately colored Pokémon species, has become an overwhelmingly popular mechanic in recent years. Due to its popularity, however, the debate has sparked on what can be considered the "best" way to Shiny hunt, and if other methods devalue a Shiny caught in the games.
RNG manipulation in the Pokémon games is a complex process of forcing a Shiny encounter. In Pokémon Sword and Shield, players can manipulate Max Raid dens to force a Shiny by spawning a rare beam den, and then continuously changing the date forward three days until a Shiny encounter is obtained. The RNG, which stands for "random number generator," is used to determine a Pokémon's Shiny status in most Pokémon games. Sword and Shield have a base shiny rate of 1 in 4096, but the "Shiny" chance isn't truly random, with the Shiny encounter popping up on certain numbers. Because of this, the RNG system can be manipulated to help produce a Shiny spawn, taking the place of grinding random encounters.
Pokémon fans on Reddit are responding to a poll shared by user Rasples debating whether the use of RNG manipulation over chaining or random encounters is cheating. The majority of Reddit users have responded to the poll stating that the method is legitimate, and shouldn't be considered a cheat. This is because those using RNG manipulation to Shiny hunt must still go through a great deal of effort to spawn the Shiny, with hunts sometimes taking days to complete. The Shiny Pokémon obtained is also legitimate, not a hacked variation that has been uploaded into the game, making it completely legal despite the unconventional methods it was obtained by.
Because the popularity of Shiny hunting has continued to grow among gaming communities on Twitch and YouTube, as well as with casual gamers, recent Pokémon games have started to highlight the mechanic as a main feature and not a side challenge. In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, a quest even includes a guaranteed Shiny Ponyta encounter to show players how Shiny hunting works with the new, open-world-inspired gameplay. Because of this, many have started to question if the value of Shiny Pokémon is now decreasing, or if new methods of hunting Shiny Pokémon are as valid as past games. However, Shiny Pokémon value is entirely dependent on the player, regardless of how the Shiny was obtained. While some may value a full-odds encounter over a Shiny obtained through grinding, while others treasure a Shiny surprise trade as their prize partner, Shiny Pokémon all have different value to those playing the games, which is part of the fun of finding them.
For those looking to try new Shiny hunting methods, Pokémon Legends: Arceus includes overworld spawned Shiny Pokémon, as well as several ways to improve Shiny odds and hunt down a desired Shiny species. Thanks to this, there are even more ways for fans to locate alternately colored Pokémon companions for their collections. Hopefully, the Pokémon game series will keep coming up with new puzzles for players to tackle when Shiny hunting in future games, keeping the challenge fresh and exciting for new and long-time fans of the mechanic.
Source: Rasples/Reddit