Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have been officially unveiled, acting as the 9th Generation in the mainline RPG series.
A new trailer offered a wealth of details, including the new Pokémon starters, region and a glimpse at the main characters.
Best of all, Game Freak and Nintendo confirmed that both Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will launch this year, so we haven’t got too long to wait.
Scroll down below for all of the new details, and keep this page bookmarked for further updates throughout the year.
Release date
Nintendo has confirmed that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will launch on Friday 18 November this year, with pre-orders now available from the Nintendo eShop.
This lines up with the three previous Pokémon mainline games – Sword and Shield, Sun and Moon and Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon – which all launched in November.
Both of the latest Pokémon titles will be available to play on the Nintendo Switch.
Trailer
Nintendo recently a new trailer for the new games, which you can check out below.
There is also the original reveal trailer, which you can watch below.
New Pokémon
Nintendo has given us an early sneak peek at the three starters that you’ll be able to choose from at the beginning of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Specifically, you’ll be given the option of Sprigatiito, Fuecoco and Quaxly.
Sprigatiito has been described as the “the capricious, attention-seeking Grass Cat Pokémon”, and will feature the ‘Overgrow’ ability.
Fuecoco, meanwhile, has been called “the laid-back Fire Croc Pokémon that does things at its own pace.” Fans have pointed out that its body resembles the shape of a spicy pepper, which makes a lot of sense since it’s a fire type.
And then we have Quaxly, which is “the earnest and tidy Duckling Pokémon.” Interestingly, it’s currently just a water type, although we wouldn’t rule out the addition of a flying type for one of its evolutions. It’s still not clear what their evolutions will look like, although that is usually kept a secret until launch.
The latest trailer revealed several new Pokémon, including the new two Legendary Pokémon called Koraidon and Miraidon. Not much was revealed about these two creatures, including their their types or abilities, but you can check out what they look like below.
Another new member of the Pokémon family was revealed: Lechonk. We can see the stout pig-like creature using Tackle against a Quaxly. Serebii claims that Lechonk will be a ‘normal’ type, which would make a lot of sense.
Other newly unveiled Pokémon include the electric-type Pawmi and the grass-type Smoliv.
Region
Game Freak and Nintendo also showed off the new region for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, while confirming you’ll be able to “explore freely in a richly expressed open world.”
Unlike previous games, there will be no borders separating towns and routes, as they will now blend seamlessly together. Pokémon will roam the world freely, with Hoppip soaring through the sky and Seviper slithering across the ground. While we can’t be sure just yet, it looks like Game Freak may have ditched the random encounter mechanic previously used in the long grass.
The Pokémon Scarlet and Violet trailer also showed off a variety of biomes, including grasslands, mountains, marshes, deserts, beaches and caves. Game Freak hasn’t officially confirmed which country the new region has been inspired by, but fans on the internet have pointed out various clues that suggest it could be based on Spain.
Twitter user @antodemico claims that a map of Spain can be seen in the trailer, while iconic Spanish buildings such as the Sagrada Familiar also make an appearance.
It would make a lot of sense for Game Freak to take on Spain too, as it’s previously already created Pokémon regions based on France and the United Kingdom. Some fans have also speculated that Kalos could potentially be linked to the new region since France is so close to Spain, although we reckon that’s unlikely since Game Freak hasn’t used two separate regions in one game since Gold and Silver back in 1999.
Main characters
The Pokémon Scarlet and Violet trailer also gave us a look at the two main characters, which will wear different coloured clothing depending on whether you opt for Scarlet or Violet.
Since the characters look like they’re wearing school uniform, with a backpack, tie and crest on their shoulder, it’s possible that the story may revolve around education. But Nintendo has not offered any details regarding the story just yet, so we only really have speculation to go by at this point.
The latest trailer also shows off two new professors, which you can see in the picture below. The professor on the left is called Sada, while the one on the right is called Turo. While it has not been confirmed which processor is in which game, we can assume that Sara is from Scarlet and Turo is from Violet, based on the colour of their clothes.
That’s everything we know about Pokémon Scarlet and Violet right now, but make sure to bookmark this page as we’ll be updating it throughout the year when more details drop.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
