Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's free Switch 2 update promises to steal hundreds more hours from me as shiny hunting looks easier than ever with more wild encounters

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are each set to receive a free update on Switch 2 for a smoother frame rate, and it also sounds like the patch will also be huge news for any shiny hunting enthusiasts who like to spend their time looking for rare, sparkly 'mons, as it appears the process should theoretically be faster than ever.

Although Scarlet and Violet were criticized at launch for their shaky performance on the OG Switch, I've personally spent many, many hours in the Paldea region looking for sparkly Pokemon with alternate color palettes. Like in Legends: Arceus and Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee before it, being able to simply see Pokemon in the overworld makes the process substantially faster – even at full 1/4192 odds – than repeatedly running around in the grass for random encounters.

However, the simple point remains that the more Pokemon you can see, the better your chances are of seeing a sparkly one appear on your screen. And, well, thanks to the power of the Switch 2, it seems that more Pokemon is what we're going to get.

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As highlighted by Twitterer @Wario64, a new Japanese blog post from Nintendo briefly details the upcoming update, which – when machine translated – mentions that you'll be able to see Pokemon from further away than before. Essentially, you can expect an improved draw distance, but the screenshots shared really show what a difference this makes. With wild encounters now appearing far further into the distance, you're able to see many more Pokemon simultaneously.

Previously, you had to either move around to despawn the currently generated Pokemon and bring in a batch of new ones, or you could choose to quickly enter and leave a picnic from your menu, despawning and respawning everything around you. That latter method seems like it'll work particularly well with this increased draw distance, as you'll be able to see plenty of Pokemon very quickly, without moving at all.

I have just one lingering concern, though. Unlike in Legends: Arceus, Scarlet and Violet don't feature a sound effect to signify when a shiny Pokemon has appeared near you, meaning you have to keep your eyes peeled at all times to make sure you don't miss any. Spawning in more Pokemon and at even further distances means it'll be a lot harder to keep track of everything on your screen, and fail your hunts without even knowing. A terrifying prospect.

All in all though, I'd like to believe this is a decidedly positive update overall. As previously announced, Scarlet and Violet will be updated on Switch 2 on the new console's launch date, June 5, so any intrepid shiny hunters will be able to dive right in from day one.

While you're here, be sure to check out our roundup of upcoming Switch 2 games, too.