>>44338164Because it is fun and actually creates environments where Pokémon you like but get shat on can be used, provided you play tiers below OU that is.
Randoms, Little Cup (Orginated in stadium, but the current "Format" is "Fanfic") and all that shit adds variation in combat formats, something that GameFreak obviously don't care for considering the removal of things like the Battle Frontier, Triple Battles, Rotation Battles, Constests, Sky Battles and Inverse Battles, and the list goes on.
If a Fanfic is fun it can be entertaining to read even if it is a Fanfic that "misses the point", like Tails gets Trolled or My Immortal.
The fact Smogon is done primarily on Showdown where it is the Headliner means it also has a lower barrier of entry, yes, Showdown does have VGC simulations too, but it isn't as in your face when compared to the Smogon formats, for obvious reasons (the players can actually influence the Smogon Meta, but not the official VGC ones, thus players are much more incentivized to discuss and contribute).
The list goes on.
And even before Smogon/Showdown most Pokémon fans were playing "Fanfic Metas" with their local Schoolyard rules due not being able to participate in the (rare) Official Tournaments due the barrier of entry (Didn't have online back then), so older fans can have fun with non-official rulesets because that is what we had, only one of a Pokémon, No Legendaries, No Mythics, all decided on case by case basis and as people realized OP tactics, "THAT MOVE IS BANNED NOW" and that kind of schoolyard shit.
