Even though Pokemon Sword and Shield have only been out for just over a month, fans of the games have already discovered unique glitches. Finding glitches in entries of the Pokemon series is nothing new, and has been a staple of the franchise since the very beginning when fans found Pokemon MissingNo in Pokemon Red and Blue.
In Pokemon Sword and Shield, it has been revealed how to get the player into the sky without need of the HM Fly. YouTuber PokeTips has made a detailed video in which he shows step by step how to get into the atmosphere. This process requires the bike in the game and having a Nintendo Switch online membership.
The glitch is started by heading to Route 3, propping oneself next to a tree, and playing an online Ranked match. Then, the player should shake the tree until there is an encounter triggered with a Pokemon. Next, go into the Nintendo Switch settings and change the date on the Nintendo Switch system. Then come back into the game, shake the tree for an encounter once more, and if the positioning is just right, it's time to ride the bike into the sky. It should be noted that this glitch doesn't just allow the player to fly through the air; it also allows phasing through the map and structures.
Besides this glitch, other glitches in Pokemon Sword and Shield have been discovered, including a glitch that can evolve a Pokemon while it's still in an egg. There have also been glitches that have been detrimental to Pokemon Sword and Shield, including a glitch that banned all Master Ball-tiered players from playing Ranked matches. Luckily in that case the patch was fixed within the same day it was discovered. It is still unclear as to what caused the glitch to occur, but for competitive Pokemon players sake hopefully developer Game Freak and Nintendo cleared up the issue for good.
Pokemon Sword and Shield are bound to have even more light-hearted glitches that have yet to be discovered. The Pokemon fandom is a dedicated bunch, and anything that can be discovered in the new games inevitably will. Fans of the games are already spending insane amounts of hours grinding to find rare shiny Pokemon.
Pokemon Sword and Shield are now out for the Nintendo Switch.