If aliens have the technology to find us, they also probably have the technology to simulate a hyperreality in which they find us while also feeling the pleasure of 3 trillion heroin injections per second.

Why would they choose reality? If the Tic Tac UFO is alien, it's probably made by a general AI that is forced (by its programming) to see through any hyperrealistic illusions, always preferring reality over simulation.

Maybe, there are aliens that didn't go into the simulation pods because of some genetic alteration they gave the newborn aliens. As the simulation pods became increasingly available and free, where there was no functional downside to plugging yourself into one, the only aliens who didn't plug themselves in were those who were forced by their brains to recognize and only enjoy reality, if such a protection mechanism is possible.