Pokemon fans accuse Logan Paul of turning shiny hunting into a 150-hour ModRetro ad

Pokemon fans are accusing Logan Paul of turning one of the franchise’s most time-consuming challenges into a promotion for ModRetro.

Paul announced that he will livestream his first-ever Pokemon shiny hunt on September 19, promising to continue until he catches a Shiny Onix. He plans to evolve it into Steelix using a Metal Coat, despite not having to defeat the Elite Four first to complete the evolution.

The stream will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Logan Paul’s YouTube and Twitch channels. Paul also said he will add $1 to a prize pool for every Pokemon encounter, with one viewer receiving the total when he eventually finds the shiny.

Paul announces limitless Shiny hunting stream

“I could be hunting for days,” Paul wrote on X, describing the hunt as having the standard 1-in-8,192 shiny odds.

However, Pokemon fans believe the stream is less about Paul developing a genuine interest in shiny hunting and more about promoting a retro handheld connected to ModRetro.

The company’s Chromatic handheld is designed to play original Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges, with prices starting at $199.99. While Paul has not publicly confirmed a sponsorship, fans have pointed to the device’s apparent connection to his new Pokemon content.

One Reddit post described the shiny hunt as “a marketing campaign” for the handheld, while another viral reaction accused Paul of treating Pokemon like a new speculative investment. Nora also argued on X that the sudden shiny hunting arc appeared to be an attempt to sell more handhelds.

The hunt itself may be far more difficult than Paul’s announcement suggests.

Pokemon shiny hunting creator Professor Rex calculated that each encounter in Pokemon Gold and Silver takes around 16 to 20 seconds. At the standard 1-in-8,192 odds, that means finding any shiny takes approximately 36 to 45 hours on average.

Onix makes the process significantly longer because it only appears in around 30% of encounters in its best location. With a repel strategy, that rate can rise to approximately 31.58%.

As a result, Rex estimates that finding a Shiny Onix could take between 121 and 152 hours on average. That is not a guarantee, as Paul could find the Pokemon immediately or continue hunting well beyond the estimate, but it does mean the stream could last for several days.

At the statistical average, Paul’s $1-per-encounter prize pool could grow to more than $25,000 before he sees the shiny.

Rex also urged viewers to remain skeptical if Paul succeeds during his first stream and first phase of the hunt, arguing that the shiny itself may not be the real end goal.

For many Pokemon fans, that is the central issue. Shiny hunting is usually associated with long-term collectors and dedicated players, while Paul’s involvement has been viewed as another attempt to turn a beloved part of the franchise into an influencer-driven business venture.