A Pokemon Scarlet and Violet player has discovered too late that they didn't notice battling a Shiny Pokemon. Hunting for Shiny Pokemon is one of the Pokemon franchise's most challenging and rewarding activities, as having a Shiny shows either an incredible amount of luck or a level of dedication that most Pokemon trainers lack. In Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Hunting Shiny Pokemon is easier than ever, but it doesn't make missing out on one feel any better.
What makes hunting Shiny Pokemon a more straightforward process in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is that they show up in their unique color schemes in the overworld. This feature started in Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee and carried over to Pokemon Legends: Arceus. There's even a way to start a Pokemon battle with the explicit intention of capturing the target by pressing ZR. However, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet remove any sound or visual effects clearly indicating a Shiny is near, which makes them easier to miss.
Reddit user No_Pen_2168 believes they did just that, missing and even battling a Shiny Pokemon without realizing it. When a Pokemon Scarlet or Violet player opens up their menu and goes to their Adventure Records, they're able to see a statistic for "Shiny Pokemon Battled." Under this label, No_Pen_2168 says they saw 2 when they've only knowingly battled 1 Shiny Pokemon so far.
What No_Pen_2168 is implying happened is that they encountered a Shiny Pokemon in the open world and did not realize it was Shiny. Some Pokemon's Shiny coloring is only slightly different from their standard coloring, or, alternatively, some players are unfamiliar with what certain Pokemon look like normally. As such, No_Pen_2168 battled a Shiny Pokemon without realizing it, knocked it out instead of capturing it, and went on their merry way.
There is one other, more than likely explanation, though. If a player captures a Shiny Pokemon and then evolves it through normal gameplay, it will count in the total number of "Shiny Pokemon Battled." It's Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's way of acknowledging that evolved Shiny Pokemon are different from their initial forms, it seems.
However it happened, it's a good warning to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet players that there's not always a clear indication that a Shiny has spawned. Players will have to be watchful, and maybe spend the time to catch a strange-looking Pokemon even if it's not actually a Shiny. It's better to be safe than sorry.
Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet are available now on Switch.