Pokemon Sword & Shield is due to receive its first Mythical Pokemon, as Zarude will be arriving in the games in December.
Mythical Pokemon are ones that can only be acquired through special events. In the old days, this involved traveling to real-world events, which was required to capture Pokemon like Mew and Celebi. Over time, The Pokemon Company started giving away Mythical Pokemon through online events, some of which required serial codes from stores.
The first Mythical Pokemon to arrive in Pokemon Sword & Shield is Zarude. It was meant to be distributed earlier in the year, as it was tied to the release of the upcoming Pokemon movie, but COVID led to the film (and Zarude) being delayed. The official Pokemon website has revealed that Zarude distribution is due to take place in December, though the exact method will differ, depending on the region. A video of Zarude in action can be seen on The Official Pokemon YouTube Channel.
According to Serebii, the Zarude distribution in North America will involve sending out codes to people who sign up for the Pokemon Trainers Club Newsletter by November 20, with the code being sent out in December. UK fans will receive a code from purchases on the GAME UK online store, as well as from the physical stores that are still open. Spanish Pokemon fans will also receive their code through GAME. The Irish, German, Italian, Austrian, and Swiss fans can get codes through Gamestop. Fans in Belgium and the Netherlands can get their code through GameMania. French fans can receive the code through Micromania. Portuguese fans can get codes through FNAC Stores. Swedish fans can get their codes through the Spelochsant or Webhallen's online portal.
It's a shame that Zarude isn't being distributed through a Mystery Gift event, like the Cap Pikachu. You might have to jump through a couple of hoops in order to claim Zarude (depending on region), but it's worth it. Zarude is an incredibly powerful Pokemon and it will make a worthy addition to any team.