Yes, Mew is Shiny Locked in Pokémon Let‘s Go

The mythical Pokémon Mew is famous for being elusive and extremely rare. So Pokémon fans rejoiced when the recent games Let‘s Go Pikachu and Let‘s Go Eevee finally allowed players to obtain a Mew. However, while you can get Mew in these games, it sadly cannot be encountered in its coveted alternate "shiny" coloration. Mew is shiny locked in Pokémon Let‘s Go – meaning it is programmed to never appear shiny.

Attempting To Bypass The Shiny Lock

Dedicated Pokémon hunters have extensively tested ways to bypass Let‘s Go‘s Mew shiny lock, but found only two impractical methods:

• CFW Hacking – Using a hacked or homebrewed Nintendo Switch to directly edit Mew‘s data to make it shiny. This advanced modding risks a console ban.

• Local Trade – Acquiring a hacked shiny Mew from another player‘s modified Switch through local communication. This avoids hack checks on Nintendo‘s servers.

Both techniques require unauthorized system modification. There is currently no way through normal gameplay to obtain a legitimately catchable shiny Mew in Let‘s Go.

Mew‘s Other Shiny Appearances

While uncatchable in Let‘s Go, shiny Mew has been available in past Pokémon games through limited-time distributions. Here are the few legit ways trainers could previously add this Poké-holy grail to their collections:

As you can see, outside of temporary events, shiny Mew has never been naturally catchable in the core Pokémon RPGs. That makes its shining appearance in Let‘s Go all the more coveted.

Rarity Cements Shiny Mew‘s Elite Status

The sheer exclusivity of shiny Mew cement its status as one of Pokémon‘s premier prizes. On eBay, legitimate sellers from old distributions still fetch astronomical prices in the $100-$500 range.

To put that into perspective, most shiny legendaries go for $10-$50. But over two decades after its debut, shiny Mew remains in incredibly short supply.

Interestingly, exploit-generated "hacked" shiny Mew can sell for as little as $5 online from unscrupulous sellers. Of course, hacked Pokémon have no value to serious collectors. This vast price difference really highlights the insane rarity of legit shiny Mew.

Will We See Its Return?

As Pokémon‘s progenitor, Mew holds a unique place in franchise lore. Though opportunities have been scarce, reinstating limited distributions remains possible. However, recent trends suggest GameFreak wants to keep shiny Mew firmly in unattainable territory for the foreseeable future.

After the Kanto Tour event, Pokémon GO swiftly re-locked Mew‘s shiny form. And we see no indicators of it surfacing again soon in the mobile game or Gen 8 Switch titles. Of course, the bright pink feline still captivates imaginations across the Pokémon multiverse!

Conclusion

While a shiny Mew would be the crown jewel for any trainer, Let‘s Go‘s Mew remains unattainable as a shiny – cementing its elite mythical status. Though historically appearing in few limited-time distributions, don‘t expect to easily find this Poké-holy grail anytime soon. For now, the only way to obtain legitimate shiny Mew is through careful trade, with prices often reflecting its unparalleled rarity.