Buzz
This is definitely one of the more bizarre tech glitches. The latest Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield games are making some Roku set-top boxes and TVs crash. Despite Pokémon Sword and Shield being exclusive to the Nintendo Switch, there’s no obvious reason for them to be interfering with Roku devices. (The power of Pokémon knows no bounds.)
As reported by Roku Reddit user MazInger-Z, who performed network tests to track down the issue, it seems that Pokémon Sword and Shield continuously send out a wireless signal trying to connect to other Nintendo Switch consoles playing the game. Roku devices attempt to interpret these signals but fail, leading to crashes. Other responses on this thread confirm that this is happening to a variety of devices, including Roku set-top boxes, Roku Sticks, and TCL Roku TVs.
Roku has rolled out a fix in the form of version 9.2.0 build 4701 for Roku boxes and either version 9.1.0 build 4501 or 9.2.0 build 4601 for Roku TVs. To check for updates, press the home button, go to the Settings menu, then select “System” followed by “Update.” If you don’t have the latest software, you can update your device from this menu. (And remember: don’t play Pokémon while updating your Roku.)
If you’re still having issues with your Roku after updating, Roku suggests the simplest solution is to put your Switch in airplane mode while playing Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield, which will prevent it from sending the signals that cause problems.
To enable airplane mode on your Switch, go to the “System Settings” menu—the gear icon in the lower row of the home screen—and then select the “airplane mode” sub-menu to toggle the setting on. Turning off your Switch after playing is another way to resolve any Roku issues, if you're looking for a more drastic measure.
Update: November 18 at 12:58pm — Added details about the Roku software patch to fix the Pokémon bug.
