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Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
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  • Pokémon Scarlet
  • Pokémon Violet
Cover art for Scarlet and Violet, depicting Koraidon (left) and Miraidon (right)
DeveloperGame Freak
Publishers
DirectorShigeru Ohmori
Producers
  • Akira Kinashi
  • Toyokazu Nonaka
  • Takanori Sowa
  • Kenji Endo
DesignerHiroyuki Tani
ProgrammerKatsuhiko Ichiraku
Artists
  • Mana Ibe
  • Mari Shimazaki
  • James Turner
WriterRyota Muranaka
Composers
SeriesPokémon
PlatformNintendo Switch
Release18 November 2022
GenreRole-playing
ModesSingle-player, multiplayer

Pokémon Scarlet[a] and Pokémon Violet[b] are 2022 role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for the Nintendo Switch. They are the first installments in the ninth generation of the Pokémon video game series. They were announced in February 2022 and released on 18 November 2022. The games later received a downloadable content (DLC) expansion pass storyline, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero. The first part, The Teal Mask, was released on 13 September 2023, and the second part, The Indigo Disk, was released on 14 December 2023. A post-game expansion, Mochi Mayhem, considered the epilogue to the DLC and the games themselves, was released on 11 January 2024.

Unlike previous Pokémon installments, Scarlet and Violet take place in the Paldea region, which is based on the Iberian Peninsula (primarily Spain and Portugal) and features an open world. There are three separate stories the player can complete. Scarlet and Violet introduce 120 new Pokémon, along with two new regional forms and time-displaced creatures known as Paradox Pokémon. It also introduces the Terastal phenomenon,[c] which allows a Pokémon to transform into its exclusive "Tera Type". The games maintain features from previous modern Pokémon games, including large open areas and Pokémon appearing in the overworld.

The games began development immediately following the release of their predecessors, Pokémon Sword and Shield. Developers at Game Freak wished to incorporate a new art style with the games, incorporating a more realistic world design while maintaining more stylized character designs. Models and animations for species of Pokémon were re-done from prior games to fit in with this new artistic style.

Scarlet and Violet received average reviews from critics. The games were praised for various different aspects like the story, while technical problems received criticism. The games sold over 10 million copies in their first three days, making them Nintendo's biggest launch of all time, and over 27 million copies by March 2025. A free update for the games on Nintendo Switch 2, including improved visuals, performance, and other adjustments, was released on 5 June 2025.

Gameplay

[edit]
See also: Gameplay of Pokémon and List of generation IX Pokémon

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet largely follow the same basic gameplay structure of previous Pokémon games, where players obtain creatures known as Pokémon, primarily through catching and trading, and use them to explore the world and battle other Pokémon trainers. However, a new feature has been added which allows players to choose to battle trainers on paths.[1] The games introduces 112 new Pokémon, including three new starter Pokémon, Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly, which act as the first Pokémon players can obtain in-game[2] and two new Legendary Pokémon, Koraidon and Miraidon, who accompany players throughout the games.[3]

Scarlet and Violet have open worlds, which include both urban areas and open wilderness without borders between the two, unlike previous installments in the Pokémon series.[4][2] Players can use either Koraidon or Miraidon, depending on the games' version, as a mount in the overworld, allowing access to several abilities that can be used to traverse Paldea's terrain.[5] Players can also use a new "Auto Battle" feature, allowing them to send out their Pokémon in the overworld and defeat Pokémon without having to enter turn-based battles.[6] In addition to this, players are given the option of participating in three different story routes,[7] and objectives within routes can be done in any order.[8]

The three routes each have different gameplay styles. The first route, Victory Road, has players attempting to defeat Pokémon Gyms, a recurring goal in the series, to obtain a badge from each "Gym Leader" after defeating them in battle. Gyms can be fought in any order, unlike prior entries in the series.[7] Once eight badges are obtained, players can battle the Elite Four and their Champion, Geeta.[9] The second route, Path of Legends, involves players attempting to hunt down big and powerful "Titan Pokémon" (those Pokémon being Klawf, Bombirdier, Orthworm, Great Tusk/Iron Treads and Dondozo. You will face Great Tusk if you play Pokémon Scarlet, and Iron Treads if you play Pokémon Violet) in order to defeat them and obtain Herba Mystica items, which empower their mount with new traversal abilities such as jumping higher and climbing walls.[7] The third route, Starfall Street, has players attempt to defeat a villainous organization consisting of rebellious students called Team Star. Players must defeat a set number of Team Star members within a time limit before proceeding to battle with their base leader. Players are tasked with defeating five of these Star Bases in order to encounter the route's final boss.[10] Once all three routes are completed, players unlocks a fourth and final story route, which resolves the games' main story.[11]

Up to four players can participate in battles against Terastallized Pokémon in Tera Raids. Here, the Pokémon are fighting a Gardevoir that has Terastallized into the Water-type.

Scarlet and Violet introduce the Terastal phenomenon, which gives Pokémon a crystalline appearance and changes their type,[12] an elemental attribute of a Pokémon that determines its strengths or weaknesses,[13] to match their unique "Tera Type". It also uses special moves such as Tera Blast, which, when used by a Terastallized Pokémon, becomes a move of the same type as the Pokémon's Tera Type.[12] These Tera Types can be changed by players.[14] Players can encounter wild Terastallized Pokémon, and can fight them in raids. In "Tera Raids", up to four players can battle against a Terastallized Pokémon while under a time limit. Players can only use one Pokémon each, and if the Pokémon is knocked out, the amount of time players will have left will shorten. Players can catch the raid boss once it is defeated.[15] Players can team up with other players in Tera Raids using online features.[16]

The games feature several new game mechanics. Players can use a new "picnic" feature to play with their party of Pokémon and make sandwiches, which give a variety of in-game boons. Players' Pokémon can also breed with each other during picnics, allowing players to obtain Pokémon from eggs.[17] Players can also participate in picnics and sandwich making with up to four players via online features.[18] Players can connect with other players over the internet and participate in "Union Circles", which allow players to explore the games' overworld simultaneously with up to four players.[18] Players can trade and battle with each other over the internet.[16]

Plot

[edit]

Setting

[edit]
The Paldea region, the games' setting. It greatly resembles the Iberian Peninsula.
The Iberian Peninsula consists mostly of Spain and Portugal, which heavily inspired the design for the Paldea region.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are set in the Paldea region of the Pokémon universe, which appears to be loosely based on the Iberian Peninsula.[19][20] The region features diverse landscapes including lakes, wastelands, and mountain ranges.[1] A large crater, called the Great Crater of Paldea, lies in the center of the region. Inside the Crater is an area named Area Zero.[21]

Story

[edit]

In Scarlet and Violet, the player attends either the Naranja (Scarlet) or Uva (Violet) Academy, which has an annual "Treasure Hunt" that encourages students to seek something they treasure by exploring the region. After encountering either the legendary Pokémon Koraidon or Miraidon, who joins and assists the player despite having lost its ability to battle, they are encouraged to participate in three stories: Victory Road, Starfall Street, and Path of Legends.[22]

In Victory Road, Nemona—a Champion-ranked trainer that rivals the player and frequently battles them throughout their journey—asks that they complete the Paldea region's eight Gyms. After defeating the leaders of each Gym, they can reach Champion rank by defeating the region's Elite Four and Top Champion Geeta. After becoming Champion rank, Nemona challenges the player to a final battle, which the player wins.

In Path of Legends, Arven asks for the player's help in locating the five legendary Herba Mystica. To obtain each Herba Mystica, the player and Arven team up to defeat "Titan Pokémon"—abnormally large Pokémon powered up by the Herba Mystica. Throughout the story, Arven reveals that he wishes to use the Herba Mystica to heal his pet Mabosstiff, who was injured by a Pokémon in Area Zero—the workplace of his parent, either Professor Sada (Scarlet) or Turo (Violet). After defeating all five Titans, he and the player use the Herba Mystica to heal Mabosstiff and regain Koraidon/Miraidon's lost powers. He then challenges the player to a final battle, before being called by the professor to go to Area Zero with either the Scarlet or Violet Book. Arven decides that they must recruit further allies before journeying into Area Zero.

In Starfall Street, the player helps shy schoolgirl Penny stand up against Team Star, a group responsible for academy bullying. Cassiopeia—Team Star's founder and Penny's secret identity—enlists them for "Operation Starfall", which aims to force Team Star to disband by defeating its five squad bosses. They are assisted by academy director Clavell, who aims to discover Team Star's origins while disguised as a student named Clive, and Penny, who wants to monitor the player in-person and guide them as Cassiopeia. They learn that Team Star was founded to counter bullying rather than cause it, and their confrontation with their bullies eighteen months ago caused the bullies to drop out and several academy staff members to resign. After defeating all squad bosses, Penny meets the player in the schoolyard to reveal her identity and challenge them to a battle. After her defeat, Clavell reveals his disguise and offers peace with Team Star, though he subjects its members to community service as punishment for several violations.

After choosing Nemona and Penny for assistance, Arven and the player set out towards the Zero Lab, the professor's laboratory in Area Zero. This unlocks the final story, The Way Home. Inside, they encounter Paradox Pokémon—biological relatives of extant Pokémon from either the ancient past (Scarlet) or far future (Violet). Koraidon and Miraidon are revealed to be Paradox Pokemon, being relatives of Cyclizar, and were ousted from Area Zero after losing a territory struggle with a second, more aggressive Koraidon/Miraidon. After reaching the laboratory, the professor reveals themselves to be an AI substitute of the true professor, who was killed in a laboratory incident sometime prior to the events of the games. The AI reveals that the original professor created a time machine to retrieve Paradox Pokémon and that they are to maintain it at all costs. The AI urges the player to shut down the time machine to preserve Paldea's ecology, though its programming forces it to battle them. After initially being defeated, the time machine's security protocols disable Poké Balls in the area not registered under Sada/Turo's ID, leaving the player with no option except for their Koraidon or Miraidon to defeat the AI's own. This causes the time machine to fail, and the AI travels to an alternate time to allow for the machine's destruction, apologizing to Arven for the original professor neglecting him as a child before departing. Upon returning to the academy, Nemona, Clavell, and Geeta organize a Pokémon battling tournament between faculty and students. After evaluating all previous Gyms, the player emerges victorious in the tournament.

Development

[edit]
Concept artwork depicting an early version of Scarlet and Violet, illustrating the new artstyle Game Freak wished to incorporate into the games

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet started development in late 2019, around the time that Pokémon Sword and Shield released.[23] During development, developers Game Freak wished to incorporate a "real and deformed" look into the games, including more realistic textures and more stylized character designs.[24] According to Keiichi Maezawa, a member of Game Freak, at a conference discussing this approach, this was intended to ground the games in a more realistic environment and make the games closer to the real world.[25] To further express realism with the games, natural sound was incorporated into the games' overworld. Though this had been a feature in prior games, the developers wished to increase the expressiveness of these sounds and create a large sample of sounds that could be used for later games in the series. They created a program called "PokeSynth" to accomplish this goal, which could be used to make a wide variety of sounds using a Pokémon species' in-game cry. Members of the development team also went into the forest and used speakers to evaluate the realism of how the sounds of Pokémon would appear in-game. They also went to zoos to study how different species of animal changed their vocalizations under a variety of conditions, and defined Pokémon into different groups to determine what sounds each species would make.[26]

Pokémon models received a significant overhaul in these games,[27] with new models being constructed for the games.[28] Game Freak initially created blueprints, and sent setting material and motion instructions to the model team, who then create a model from the materials sent to them. Following a model's creation, meetings would be held to determine other aspects of the model. Individual actions such as facial expressions and emotions in the animations are then handled by other members of the staff.[27] Models for Pokémon species had alterations to shading and appearance done in order to convey different personalities, with many unique textures applied to the models. These textures were substituted for a unique crystalline effect to convey a Pokémon's Terastallized state. The team additionally used specific lighting and angles to convey this desired approach with the playable character.[25] Once actions and traits of a Pokémon are finalized, test models are made. Once approved, movements for a given species are finalized.[27] Joint movements of the species were often altered throughout development, with many being altered at the request of animation artists.[27] Animations are completed using an in-house program.[27]

Species re-used animations from prior games where possible despite having new models and rigs. This caused complications during development, as the team had to find the most cost-effective way of being able to re-use animations. Every species used rigged and modeled facial features unlike prior games, which had used textures to convey facial features.[27] The team paid careful attention to making each model in order to ensure they conveyed each species' core personalities while fitting in with the games' artistic style.[28] Pokémon incorporating motifs from real-world objects and animals often incorporated elements from these motifs in their animations, with the animations team doing research to figure out what source would work best for a species. Species resembling inanimate objects were designed with the thought process of attempting to make them resemble living creatures.[27] New lighting schemes were introduced to help embellish the species, and many Pokémon were altered during development to have their idle animations be clearly visible and interesting while using the series's traditional battling view, which has the camera behind the player's Pokémon. The developers wished to ensure the Pokémon appeared visually interesting and consistent across multiple in-game camera angles as well.[28]

Music

[edit]
Composers for the game include Junichi Masuda, Toby Fox, and guest composer Ed Sheeran.

The games' soundtrack was handled by a variety of composers. Teruo Taniguchi, who had previously worked on Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, composed the music associated with Team Star in the games. Longtime series composer Go Ichinose handled music related to the Path of Legends story path, as well as a track used for battling the group of Pokémon known as the Ruinous Quartet. The Victory Road path's music was composed by Junichi Masuda, with other tracks for the route being composed by Minako Adachi and Hitomi Sato.[29] Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's soundtrack was officially released in February 2024.[29] The game's soundtrack was also made available on Nintendo Music,[30] and made available as part of the software's launch lineup in October 2024.[31] Additional music was produced by Toby Fox, known from Undertale.[32][29]

English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran collaborated with the games for the song "Celestial". Sheeran has been a fan of the series since childhood, and he had previously collaborated with spin-off game Pokémon Go for an event in 2021.[33] "Celestial" is the first music track in the series to feature lyrics.[34] "Celestial's" music video was released on 29 September 2022, and was directed by Yuichi Kodama.[35] It depicts Sheeran interacting with a variety of sketch-style Pokémon, including a Snorlax that saves Sheeran from a car accident and a Lapras that takes him across a river. The appearances of the Pokémon were drawn by art director Yu Nagaba. According to an NME article, Nagaba emulated the way Sheeran drew Pokémon when he was younger for the video.[36] "Celestial" appears in the games as well, playing in the end credits for Scarlet and Violet.[29] "Celestial" was later remixed by Fox for the end credits of the Scarlet and Violet's DLC expansions.[37] Unlike other songs in the games, "Celestial" is not included in the official soundtrack release for Scarlet and Violet.[29]

Marketing and release

[edit]

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were announced as part of a Pokémon Presents presentation on 27 February 2022, through a partially live-action trailer, which revealed the 3 starters; Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly.[4] On 1 June 2022, a second trailer was released, officially revealing Koraidon and Miraidon, more gameplay footage, the Pokémon Smoliv, Lechonk, and Pawmi,[38] and the characters of Nemona, Sada, and Turo.[39] On 3 August 2022, a third trailer was released alongside an overview trailer during a Pokémon Presents. These trailers revealed two new Pokémon, the name of the region, Terastallization, and other details.[40] A fourth trailer, released on 7 September 2022, detailed the three routes the player can play through in the games as well as three new Pokémon. Characters such as Mela, Brassius, and Geeta were also officially revealed.[3]

During the closing ceremony of the 2022 Pokémon World Championships on 21 August 2022,[41] a new trailer was released that showcased a new Pokémon, Cyclizar, as well as new items and abilities to be used in competitive play.[42] On 29 September 2022, singer Ed Sheeran released a song titled "Celestial" in collaboration with The Pokémon Company that appeared in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Ed Sheeran's song would later be used in the game credits.[43] On 6 October 2022, a 14-minute trailer was released, highlighting the unique gameplay between four different players, each going on a different "path" in the story, as well as Farigiraf, Girafarig's evolution.[44] Throughout the games' pre-release marketing, several in-universe videos were published by The Pokémon Company, such as a camera trap to reveal Grafaiai,[45] a web seminar to reveal Wiglett,[46] a livestream to reveal Bellibolt,[47] and a short found footage trailer to reveal Greavard.[48] On 4 November 2022, a special edition Nintendo Switch OLED model with themed artwork was released.[49] On 11 November 2022, a week before the games were released, a Splatfest themed around the three starter types was held in Splatoon 3.[50]

Prior to the release of the games, several leaks related to in-game content occurred. Leaks began as early as July, where low quality images of several unrevealed characters and Pokémon were leaked prior to their official reveals.[51] The Pokémon Gimmighoul was leaked prior to its official reveal in early November via a datamine of the spin-off game Pokémon Go, following the Pokémon having accidentally been shown in a pre-release trailer.[52] 72 Pokémon that appear in the game were leaked a few days prior to the games' release,[53] which spread rapidly over social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.[54] ROMs of the games were leaked on the forum 4chan,[55] and players livestreamed the games in the days leading up to the games' release.[56] Parent company Nintendo attempted to takedown many of these leaks, but other accounts reposted the information after it was taken down.[57]

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were released worldwide on 18 November 2022.[58] The games were released with numerous graphical and technical errors, including several bugs and glitches which impacted player performance.[59] On 1 December 2022, Nintendo apologized for the issues players encountered and announced the 1.1.0 update, which fixed some bugs.[60][61] Update 1.2.0, released in February 2023, fixed a number of further bugs, but also introduced a rare bug which corrupted save files.[62][63] Update 1.3.0, released on 19 April 2023, fixed further bugs.[64]

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is one of the games for Nintendo Switch that have a free upgrade for the Nintendo Switch 2.[65] On June 2, 2025, the Nintendo Today! app showcased gameplay footage of the Switch 2 upgrade, revealing improved image quality and a frame rate of 60 FPS.[66]

Downloadable content

[edit]
Main article: The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero
The Teal Mask, one of the game's DLC expansions, is based on the Japanese myth of Momotarō.

On 27 February 2023, the Pokémon Day presentation featured an announcement trailer for the downloadable expansion pack, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, which contained two DLC expansions: The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk.[67] The first part, The Teal Mask, focusing on the Legendary Pokémon Ogerpon, was released on 13 September 2023, and the second, The Indigo Disk, focusing on the Legendary Pokémon Terapagos, was released on 14 December 2023. The downloadable content introduced over 230 returning Pokémon that did not appear in the base game,[68] including new Pokémon like Poltchageist[69] and new evolutions for Applin and Duraludon.[70]

In The Teal Mask, based on the legend of Momotarō, the player embarks on a school trip organized by the academy to the land of Kitakami, which would also coincide with a festival in the village, while uncovering the truth behind a local legend. In The Indigo Disk, the player studies at their Academy's sister school, Blueberry Academy, as an exchange student, eventually traveling back to Area Zero to conclude the plot.[71][72] On 11 January 2024, the DLC's epilogue Mochi Mayhem released where the player goes back to the land of Kitakami to catch a new Mythical Pokémon, Pecharunt.[73]

Tie-ins

[edit]

Following their release, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were made compatible with Pokémon Home, a cloud-based storage system that allows players to store Pokémon from the games in Home and additionally send Pokémon from past games in the series into Scarlet and Violet.[74] Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were also made compatible with Pokémon Go in 2023, allowing players to send postcards from Go to Scarlet and Violet. This allows players in Go to encounter a special form of Gimmighoul, while players in Scarlet and Violet can encounter special forms of the Pokémon Vivillon.[75] Special tie-in promotional videos, depicting characters from both games discussing Gimmighoul and its lore, were released prior to the official reveal of the compatibility announcement.[76]

Yoasobi created the song "Biri-Biri" to celebrate the first anniversary of the games' release.

The anime series Pokémon Horizons: The Series featured several tie-ins to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Several locations, characters, and species from the games make appearances in the series.[77] In August 2023, during a Pokémon Presents presentation, a limited 4-episode web series based on the games, subtitled Pokémon: Paldean Winds, was announced; it premiered on YouTube on 6 September 2023, and ended on 13 December 2023.[78] Produced by Wit Studio, it is based on the Paldea region as a tie-in to Scarlet and Violet, although it's not part of the main anime series.[79][80] Each episode focuses on a different student at the Academy, with each overcoming a problem over the course of the episode.[81]

On 16 November 2023, pop duo Yoasobi and The Pokémon Company announced a collaboration to celebrate the games' first anniversary with a song, titled "Biri-Biri".[82] Biri-Biri was released in both Japanese- and English-language versions simultaneously on 18 November 2023.[83] A music video was released on the same day.[84] The story of the video primarily focuses on Nemona and a transfer student named Anna, who go on a quest involving finding their "treasure". "Biri-Biri" was inspired by the game-based short story Kimi to Ameagari o (きみと雨上がりを; lit. 'After the Rain with You'), which was written by novelist Ayano Takeda.[85] The song was later performed live by Yoasobi at various locations.[86][87][88][89]

Reception

[edit]

Critical response

[edit]

Scarlet and Violet received "mixed or average reviews" according to review aggregator website Metacritic,[90][91] making them the lowest-rated mainline series Pokémon games.[113] Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic assessed that the games received fair approval, being recommended by 48% of critics.[92]

GameSpot writer Jake Dekker regarded the non-linearity of the games as their "strength",[97] while Nintendo Life described the experience as capturing the "real magic" of the first Pokémon games, Red and Blue. The latter also praised the story as "wholesome" and offering "genuinely tender moments".[102] Writing for IGN, Rebekah Valentine found the new open world gameplay style enjoyable, highlighting other new gameplay mechanics such as Tera Raids and new online mechanics. She criticized various elements of the games, in particular finding the games' lack of polish and depth in various aspects such as its online features and exploration in its open world to be lackluster and low quality.[114] Regarding the open-world design Joel Franey writing for GamesRadar+ criticized the games' "aimlessness" and "notable lack of stakes" without any end goal. He praised other elements of the games, such as their music and general user-interface improvements.[96] Kenneth Shepard, writing for Polygon, praised several aspects of the games, including the Terastallization feature's ability to improve upon strategy in battles, as well as the game's writing. He criticized the games for what he perceived as being a step back from their predecessor Pokémon Legends: Arceus, citing the removal of many quality of life features introduced in that game. He additionally believed the games did not adequately tell the player in what order they were meant to approach its major story beats from, which he felt would leave them confused.[115]

The Guardian's Tom Regan found the games to be a fun take on the usual series formula, but criticized the games' technical and graphical problems, believing that they held back the games' potential.[116] Jason Faulkner, writing for GameRevolution, criticized the games' textures, model collision, performance, and furthermore criticized the games' progression as being "awkward and semi-linear despite the open-world design".[110] Lea Irion, writing about the games on 4Players, felt that the games showed that the Pokémon franchise was becoming less ambitious year after year, while also being unfinished and carelessly thrown together. She called the games disappointingly average as a result.[93] Willem Hilhorst, writing in a retrospective for Nintendo World Report, criticized the games. While he felt as though the various glitches in the games could be excused due to the franchise's reputation with glitches such as MissingNo., he felt the removal of many long-standing series features alongside a lack of polish made the games "jam the gears" of those trying to enjoy them. He praised elements of the games and its story, but overall found the games to be off-putting to both casual and returning players alike.[117]

Publications criticized the games for suffering from graphical glitches and poor performance.[118][119][120] The graphics were also considered to be lacklustre, with unfavorable comparisons to other Nintendo Switch titles such as Xenoblade Chronicles 3.[121][122][116] The Washington Post's Jhaan Ekler described how fans and critics alike were unhappy with the graphics, stating that it still hadn't improved upon the franchise's notoriety for lackluster graphical design.[121] Eurogamer's Oliver Mackenzie found the games to be of low quality graphically, citing them as downgrades from their predecessor, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and as being "comprehensive technical failures" in comparison to other games available on the Nintendo Switch.[123] IGN writer Rebekah Valentine added that the games' innovative design was undermined by the numerous graphical and technical issues within the games.[114] Due to the performance issues, some players began requesting refunds of the games soon after launch, which Nintendo granted in most cases.[124][125] As a result of criticism toward the games' quality on release, The Pokémon Company COO, Takato Utsunomiya, stated that the company would be having internal discussions about the series's release schedule going forward.[126][127]

Sales

[edit]

According to The Pokémon Company, Scarlet and Violet are the most pre-ordered titles in the series' history.[128] Within three days of its release, the games had sold over 10 million copies worldwide, including 4.05 million in Japan alone. The sales figure was the highest of any software on any Nintendo platform within three days,[129] and the best launch of any console-exclusive game in history.[130] The games were the best-selling video game titles of 2022 in Japan.[131] By June 2025, the game had sold 27.15 million copies, making it the second most sold Pokémon title and the sixth-best selling title on the Switch.[132] By late 2024, the games had sold 8.3 million copies in Japan, making them the best-selling Pokémon titles in Japan ahead of Red and Green.[133]

Notes

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References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet are a pair of role-playing video games developed by and published by and The Pokémon Company for the . Released worldwide on November 18, , they mark the ninth generation of the core Pokémon series and introduce fully open-world , allowing players to explore the expansive Paldea region freely without linear progression gates. Set in the fictional land of Paldea, inspired by the , the games follow a young trainer who enrolls in the Naranja Academy (Scarlet) or Uva Academy (Violet) and embarks on a journey to complete the Paldea Pokédex by catching, battling, and training 400 Pokémon species, including more than 100 new ones introduced in Generation IX. Key features include three starter Pokémon—Sprigatito (Grass), Fuecoco (Fire), and Quaxly (Water)—and version-exclusive Legendary Pokémon: Koraidon for Scarlet and Miraidon for Violet, which serve as rideable mounts for traversing diverse terrains like lakes, mountains, and cities. The narrative revolves around three main story paths: the Victory Road challenge, the Starfall Street gang takedown, and the Path of Legends quest for Titan Pokémon, culminating in a climactic storyline involving the secretive Area Zero. The games emphasize multiplayer elements, such as online raids, co-operative exploration, and trading, alongside new mechanics like Terastal, which enables Pokémon to change types during battle for strategic advantages, and picnics for bonding with Pokémon teams. While praised for their ambitious open-world design and sense of freedom, Scarlet and Violet faced criticism for technical issues including drops and visual glitches at launch, which have been addressed through post-release updates, including a major update for the 2 in June 2025 that improved performance and visuals. The titles launched alongside a special Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Edition of the – OLED Model hardware.

Gameplay

Core Mechanics

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet retain the series' traditional turn-based battle system, where trainers select moves, items, or switches in alternating turns against opponents. Quality-of-life improvements include the Auto Battle feature, which allows lead Pokémon to automatically engage and defeat nearby wild Pokémon during exploration, granting experience points (EXP) and items to the entire party without manual input. EXP sharing ensures all party members gain levels from battles, even if not actively participating, facilitating balanced team progression. Multiplayer co-op is integrated through Tera Raid Battles, where up to four players collaborate online or locally to defeat a powerful Terastallized wild Pokémon within a time limit, rewarding high-level catches and items upon success. A defining addition is the Terastal phenomenon, exclusive to the Paldea region, where Pokémon can Terastallize to temporarily alter their for strategic advantage. Using a Tera Orb—obtainable early in the game and rechargeable at Pokémon Centers or Terastal energy crystals—a Pokémon can Terastallize once per battle, changing its type to its assigned Tera Type, one of the 18 standard types that may differ from its original . This transformation boosts the power of moves matching the Tera Type by a 1.5× same-type attack bonus (STAB). If the Tera Type matches the Pokémon's original type, this STAB increases to 2× for moves of that type. Visually, a Tera Jewel crowns the Pokémon's head, and its body gleams like a gemstone in the Tera Type's color; in the , wild Tera Pokémon exhibit a crystalline appearance, and their jewel shatters upon sufficient damage, enabling capture. Tera Types can be customized at the Treasure Eatery in Medali using collected from raids or exploration, allowing players to tailor Pokémon for type coverage or offensive synergy. Pokémon acquisition emphasizes open-area encounters, where wild Pokémon visibly roam the landscape without random battles, enabling players to approach, battle, or sneak up for a surprise attack by throwing a Poké Ball with their lead Pokémon. To improve catch rates, players weaken targets by reducing HP or applying status conditions like or before throwing Poké Balls, with success scaling based on the Pokémon's condition. Party management supports up to six Pokémon, selected from a diverse roster to cover type weaknesses, with trading via the Pokémon Exchange feature allowing access to version-exclusive species. Training focuses on efficient progression: leveling occurs through battles or consuming EXP Candies obtained from Tera Raids, which instantly grant set amounts of EXP for quick growth. Effort Values (EVs) are earned by defeating specific wild Pokémon—such as Tarountula for Defense EVs—and capped at 252 per stat with a total of 510 across all stats; acceleration comes from Power Items like the Power Bracer or consumables like Vitamins (10 EVs each) and Wings (1 EV each). Individual Values (IVs), hidden stats determining potential, can be evaluated post-game via the function in the PC and maximized using Caps on level 50+ Pokémon at Montenevera, with a Golden enhancing all six stats to maximum. EVs can be reset with Berries or Fresh-Start Mochi for redistribution. The game's progression revolves around eight Gym Leaders, each specializing in a type and requiring completion of a type-themed challenge that blends puzzle-solving with environmental interaction before the battle. For instance, the Normal-type Gym in Medali involves interrogating locals to deduce a secret menu item order at a restaurant, testing observation skills tied to the type's everyday theme. These challenges integrate Paldea's open world, such as terrain-based tasks for Ground-type or timing-based hurdles for Fighting-type, emphasizing preparation and strategy over pure combat. Upon victory, players earn a Gym Badge, which enforces obedience from traded or high-level Pokémon—initially capping obedience at level 20, progressively raising to level 100 after all eight badges—and enables capture of wild Pokémon up to those levels, structuring non-linear advancement while rewarding badge collection for the Champion Assessment.

Open-World Features

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet represent a departure from the series' traditional linear structure by presenting the Paldea region as a seamless where players can explore freely from the outset, encountering wild Pokémon directly in the rather than through random battles on separate screens. This design emphasizes player agency, with interconnected biomes ranging from lush grasslands to arid deserts and coastal areas, all accessible without loading screens between major zones. The game's exploration is enhanced by version-exclusive legendary Pokémon—Koraidon in Scarlet and Miraidon in Violet—which function as versatile mounts, enabling faster traversal across diverse terrains as their abilities are unlocked progressively. Traversal in Paldea becomes increasingly fluid as players defeat Titan Pokémon during the Path of Legends storyline, granting Koraidon or Miraidon new capabilities such as dashing after the Stony Cliff Titan, swimming across bodies of water after the Open Sky Titan, climbing vertical surfaces following the False Dragon Titan, and gliding over gaps after the Quaking Earth Titan. These mount mechanics replace traditional HM-based field moves, allowing seamless navigation without dismounting for every obstacle and promoting a sense of continuous adventure. For instance, once fully upgraded, players can scale cliffs, ford rivers, and leap across chasms, opening up previously inaccessible areas and encouraging vertical and horizontal exploration of the landscape. The game's non-linear progression is defined by three independent story paths—Victory Road focusing on Gym Leaders, Path of Legends involving Titan battles, and Starfall Street targeting Team Star bases—that can be pursued in any order, free from mandatory sequencing. This structure allows players to interweave objectives based on preference or challenge level, though wild Pokémon encounters remain fixed to specific areas with predetermined levels, which can lead to difficulty spikes if higher-level zones are tackled early. battles initiate automatically upon approaching visible wild Pokémon, maintaining the series' core catching mechanics while integrating them into the expansive environment. Environmental interactions enrich Paldea's through dynamic weather systems that alter wild Pokémon spawns, such as rain increasing the appearance of Water-types or sandstorms favoring Ground-types in deserts, adding strategic depth to exploration. Hidden items and materials are scattered throughout, discoverable by searching grass, ruins, or using the "Let's Go!" command to have Pokémon uncover them automatically. Tera Raid dens, marked by glowing crystalline formations, invite participation in cooperative battles against Terastallized wild Pokémon of varying star ratings, where success yields rare rewards like Ability Patches. Complementing these is the picnic system, where players can pause to prepare sandwiches using gathered ingredients, activating Meal Powers that temporarily boost effects like encounter rates for specific types, hatching speed for eggs, or drops from raids and battles. Multiplayer integration via the Union Circle allows up to four players to join a shared instance of the , enabling collaborative exploration, trading, and battling in real-time without exiting the . Accessed through Pokémon Centers, this feature supports both local and online connections, where participants can ride mounts together, participate in Tera Raids as a group, or simply roam Paldea, fostering social that enhances the non-linear freedom. Notably, version-exclusive Pokémon like certain forms can only be obtained through cross-version multiplayer trades within this mode.

Setting and Plot

The Paldea Region

The Paldea region serves as the primary setting for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, drawing inspiration from the , encompassing and , in its and cultural motifs. This landmass features a diverse array of biomes, including arid deserts, expansive lakes, rugged mountains, and lush grasslands, all integrated into an open-world environment that encourages free exploration. Central to the region is the bustling city of Mesagoza, which acts as a hub connecting various terrains, while the Naranja Academy in Pokémon Scarlet and the Uva Academy in Pokémon Violet represent educational institutions embedded within the landscape. At the region's heart lies the Great Crater of Paldea, also known as Area Zero, a mysterious, restricted zone shrouded in scientific intrigue. Version differences between Pokémon Scarlet and Violet manifest thematically through the Pokémon, ancient or futuristic variants of existing species that reflect each game's temporal focus. In Scarlet, these Pokémon evoke a prehistoric era with primal, rugged designs, such as Great Tusk (an ancient Donphan relative), emphasizing lore tied to the distant past. Conversely, Violet introduces cybernetic, advanced forms like Iron Treads (a futuristic Donphan analog), aligning with themes of technological evolution from the future. These exclusives, encountered primarily in Area Zero, underscore the dual narratives: Scarlet's exploration of antiquity and Violet's vision of tomorrow, with legendary Pokémon Koraidon (Scarlet) and Miraidon (Violet) embodying these motifs as rideable companions adapted to Paldea's terrains. Paldea's cultural fabric incorporates Spanish influences evident in its naming conventions, , and societal structures. Pokémon names like Lechonk, derived from the Spanish "lechón" (), and Smoliv, inspired by ("olivo") production central to Iberian agriculture, highlight this heritage. Culinary elements feature prominently through sandwich-making mechanics at delis, reflecting tapas-style and fresh ingredients like ham and cheese, while picnics foster social bonding amid the region's scenic outdoors. The system revolves around the academies, where students participate in clubs and classes modeled after a structured yet vibrant educational environment, complete with uniform choices and extracurriculars that integrate Pokémon training into daily life. The base games introduce 103 new Pokémon species native to Paldea, expanding the franchise's roster with creatures adapted to its biomes. Players select from three starters: the Grass-type Sprigatito, a leafy feline; the Fire-type Fuecoco, an alligator-like croc; or the Water-type Quaxly, a performative duckling, each evolving into regionally thematic final forms. Iconic additions include the playful Lechonk line, evolving into the bulky Oinkologne, and the ethereal , a Fairy/ hammer-wielding Pokémon forged in mountainous forges. The legendaries Koraidon and Miraidon, exclusive to their respective versions, enable traversal across land, water, and air, symbolizing Paldea's emphasis on mobility and discovery.

Narrative Structure

The narrative structure of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet features a multi-threaded storyline divided into three primary paths that players can pursue in any order, emphasizing player agency in an open-world format. These paths—Victory Road, Path of Legends, and Starfall Street—interweave personal growth arcs for the and supporting characters, culminating in a unified central plot centered on the mysteries of Area Zero. This non-linear approach allows for flexible progression, with story milestones tied to exploration and battles rather than a rigid sequence. Victory Road follows the traditional Pokémon league challenge, where the protagonist, a transfer student at Naranja Academy (in Scarlet) or Uva Academy (in Violet), collects eight Gym Badges from Paldea's Gym Leaders, such as Larry, a corporate employee specializing in Normal- and Flying-type Pokémon. Accompanied by Nemona, an enthusiastic rival and fellow academy student aspiring to become Champion, players engage in battles that test strategic development and culminate in a Champion Assessment against Geeta, the Top Champion. Meanwhile, the Path of Legends involves Arven, the son of the region's professor, who enlists the protagonist to hunt five massive Titan Pokémon across Paldea to gather Herba Mystica herbs for healing his injured Mabosstiff. This path explores themes of familial bonds and perseverance through environmental challenges and boss encounters. The third path, Starfall Street, targets Team Star, a group of academy outcasts led by Penny (secretly operating as Cassiopeia), whose members include antagonists like the squad leaders Mela, Giacomo, Eri, Ortega, and Atticus. Players raid their bases in vehicular battles themed around Pokémon types, uncovering backstories of rebellion against bullying and institutional pressures. These paths converge in the central storyline, "The Way Home," where Nemona, Arven, and Penny join the protagonist to investigate Area Zero, a forbidden crater harboring the "treasure" sought in the academy's independent study project. The plot revolves around Professor Sada (in Scarlet) or Turo (in Violet), whose research into ancient or future phenomena has created AI clones and Paradox Pokémon—time-displaced variants like ancient Scream Tail or future Iron Treads. A climactic confrontation with the AI professor reveals manipulations of time travel, forcing players to resolve the ethical dilemmas of scientific ambition. An epilogue returns the focus to academy life, reinforcing bonds formed during the adventure. Key characters drive emotional depth: the embodies adaptability as a newcomer, while friends like the battle-loving Nemona, grieving Arven, and tech-savvy provide contrasting perspectives on ambition, loss, and solidarity. Antagonists such as Team Star's leaders highlight societal conflicts, and figures like Director Clavell add institutional layers. The narrative explores themes of personal growth through challenges, the value of in overcoming isolation, and the perils of time manipulation, as Paradox Pokémon symbolize disruptions in . Post-game content extends engagement with rematches against the Elite Four, including champions like Hassel and Rika, and opportunities to capture legendary Pokémon such as the version-exclusive Koraidon (in Scarlet) or Miraidon (in Violet), alongside further exploration of Area Zero for additional Paradox encounters.

Development

Announcement and Design

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were announced on February 27, 2022, during a special Pokémon Presents presentation, marking them as the first mainline entries in the series to feature a fully open-world structure. Developed by Game Freak and directed by Shigeru Ohmori, the games were revealed as exclusive titles for the Nintendo Switch, with a planned release later that year. The announcement highlighted a vast, interconnected Paldea region where players could explore freely across diverse terrains without traditional loading screens between areas. The design philosophy represented a bold from the series' conventional linear progression, drawing inspiration from the expansive freedom of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to create a seamless world that emphasized player agency in exploration and encounters. This shift posed significant challenges for the team, including balancing the core Pokémon catching and battling mechanics with dynamic environmental interactions, such as riding Legendary Pokémon across varied landscapes. aimed to preserve the franchise's accessibility while expanding scope, targeting stable performance on the Switch hardware to support real-time rendering of large-scale areas and numerous Pokémon interactions. To foster community engagement, the dual versions incorporated thematic differences centered on time: Scarlet emphasizes the past through ancient-inspired elements like Paradox Pokémon resembling prehistoric creatures, while Violet focuses on the future with futuristic variants, encouraging trading between players to complete collections. The Paldea Pokédex comprises 400 Pokémon in total, integrating over 290 returning species from previous generations alongside 103 new designs supervised by longtime artist , who oversaw the visual style to blend nostalgic and innovative creature aesthetics.

Audio and Music

The audio and music of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were led by sound director Go Ichinose, who supervised the overall composition and arrangement alongside primary composers Minako Adachi and series veteran . As a guest contributor, —known for his work on —composed several key tracks, including the Area Zero theme, Tera Raid Battle music, Academy Ace Tournament theme, and Battle! Zero Lab, while incorporating motifs into exploration themes like those in the South Province. The soundtrack blends orchestral elements with electronic synths to evoke the expansive Paldea region, featuring dynamic transitions that seamlessly shift from serene melodies during exploration to heightened, rhythmic intensities during battles, enhancing the open-world immersion without abrupt cuts. Sound design emphasizes a Pokémon-only , adhering to director Junichi Masuda's guideline of excluding real-world noises to create a naturalistic yet fantastical audio . Environmental sounds in Paldea incorporate , foliage rustles, and echoes diffracted through like mountains and forests, simulated via field recordings and processing to mimic Pokémon habitats realistically. Pokémon cries, a series staple since and , were crafted using a custom tool called PokeSynth, which generates synthesized variations to convey emotions such as joy, anger, or sadness, though limited in number due to the roster exceeding 1,000 species; these cries integrate into battles and interactions for added expressiveness. Terastallization is accompanied by distinctive crystalline chimes and activation cues that signal the type shift, syncing with to heighten dramatic tension in raids and battles. There are no significant audio differences between the Scarlet and Violet versions, with shared tracks and sound effects that maintain thematic consistency across both editions despite narrative divergences in Paradox Pokémon motifs. The soundtrack received widespread praise for its emotional depth and innovative integration with , particularly the Area Zero theme's haunting orchestral build-up, which critics and players lauded for amplifying the story's climactic revelations and evoking a sense of mystery in the . Reviewers highlighted how dynamic battle shifts and Terastal cues contribute to immersive encounters, with outlets noting the score's to elevate the amid technical criticisms, often ranking it among the series' strongest for blending nostalgia with modern electronic flair.

Release

Marketing Campaigns

The marketing campaign for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet commenced with the announcement trailer unveiled on February 27, 2022, during a dedicated Pokémon Presents livestream, marking the first mainline entries in the series to feature a fully open-world structure set in the Paldea region inspired by the . This initial reveal emphasized the games' departure from linear progression, showcasing seamless exploration and encounters with new and returning Pokémon, generating immediate global buzz among fans. Subsequent promotional efforts built on this foundation through a series of trailers and events. On June 1, 2022, a second trailer confirmed the November 18, 2022, launch date and introduced the version-exclusive legendary Pokémon Koraidon for Scarlet (evoking ancient times) and Miraidon for Violet (representing futuristic elements), alongside early gameplay footage of multiplayer co-op and character interactions like the rival Nemona. A third major trailer aired on August 3, 2022, via another Pokémon Presents, detailing the Terastal phenomenon—a battle mechanic allowing Pokémon to gain crystal-like transformations—and revealing the expansive Paldea map, Tera Raid Battles, and additional Pokémon such as Paldean Wooper. Leading into launch, monthly teaser trailers from September to November 2022 highlighted specific elements, including Pokémon like Grafaiai and Wiglett, Gym Leader Iono's reveal, and ambush mechanics with Gimmighoul, all distributed through official and Pokémon channels in multiple languages to reach international audiences. These were complemented by hands-on demos provided to press in October 2022, offering previews of open-world traversal and combat to build anticipation. Collaborations and tie-ins amplified the campaign's reach. In September 2022, British singer partnered with The Pokémon Company to create "Celestial," an original track integrated into the games' end credits and featured in promotional videos, blending with Pokémon visuals to attract a broader demographic. Advertising leveraged Nintendo Direct-style Pokémon Presents broadcasts to underscore the open-world freedom, while version-specific branding differentiated Scarlet's historical motifs from Violet's sci-fi aesthetic, incentivizing dual purchases for exclusive content like unique legendaries and Pokémon distributions. Merchandise promotions included official Pokédex guidebooks, apparel lines, and collectibles released through partners like the Pokémon Center, with global campaigns adapting materials for regional markets. Pre-launch buzz was further fueled by developer insights shared in media appearances, where producers highlighted the technical challenges of crafting an interconnected world while preserving traditional Pokémon capture and training elements.

Launch and Distribution

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were released worldwide on November 18, 2022, exclusively for the console, available in both physical and digital formats via the . The standard retail price was set at $59.99 USD for each version, aligning with pricing for previous mainline Pokémon titles on the platform. The games launched simultaneously across global markets, supporting nine languages: Japanese, English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. In Japan, physical editions offered exclusive preorder bonuses, including a full-art promotional featuring the starter Pokémon Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly, as well as A5-sized artbooks and decorative delivery boxes with artwork. These incentives varied by retailer, such as additional posters and accessories from the Pokémon Center, enhancing appeal for local collectors. Distribution encountered hurdles due to persistent global disruptions, particularly shortages that constrained production and contributed to console scarcity throughout , indirectly impacting physical game availability at launch. High demand led to rapid sell-outs of physical copies in many regions, but digital downloads via the eShop surged amid the widespread hype, providing an accessible alternative for eager players. In the initial three days following release, the titles sold over 10 million units combined worldwide, marking the fastest-selling launch in the company's history and surpassing previous Pokémon records, including those set by . This milestone included more than 4 million units in alone, underscoring the series' enduring popularity.

Downloadable Content

The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero is a paid expansion for Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, consisting of two main parts released post-launch to extend the game's open-world adventure. Announced by The Pokémon Company International on February 27, 2023, the expansion integrates new storylines, areas, and Pokémon into the base game's Paldea region framework. The first part, The Teal Mask, launched on September 13, 2023, and transports players to the rural Kitakami region for a school trip narrative involving local and returning characters such as Kieran and . It introduces the legendary Pokémon Ogerpon, a Grass-type with four mask-based Terastal forms that alter its type and abilities during battles, alongside 97 additional Pokémon species previously unavailable in the base game, expanding the Pokédex with both new evolutions like Dipplin and returning favorites from earlier generations. The content emphasizes exploration of Kitakami's landmarks, such as the Festival of Masks, and includes side activities like berry-picking minigames on Koraidon or Miraidon. The second part, The Indigo Disk, released on December 14, 2023, shifts focus to the underwater-connected Blueberry Academy, where players join as exchange students and engage in the Blueberry League's challenging battles against an Elite Four-style team. This segment features Pokémon Terapagos, a Turtle-type with unique Terastal and Stellar forms that enhance its role in type-shifting mechanics, and adds approximately 160 additional Pokémon species (including new and returning ones) to the roster, further broadening capture and team-building options. New story elements tie into base game protagonists like Nemona and introduce competitive features, such as Union Circle multiplayer enhancements for group raids. An epilogue titled Mochi Mayhem became available on January 11, 2024, as a free update accessible after completing both DLC parts, returning players to Kitakami for a short storyline linking to the Unova region through events involving mochi-making and the mythical Poison/Ghost-type Pokémon Pecharunt. The expansion pass, priced at $34.99 USD, bundles both parts without separate purchase options, delivering Pokédex expansions totaling over 230 Pokémon across the content. As of November 2025, no additional major DLC waves have been announced, with ongoing support limited to events and compatibility updates. A free update (version 4.0.0) was released on June 2, 2025, to optimize the games for the 2, including improvements to , visuals, and .

Reception

Critical Reviews

Upon release, Pokémon Scarlet garnered a aggregate score of 72 out of 100 based on 125 critic reviews, while Pokémon Violet received 71 out of 100 from an identical number of reviews. These marks represent the lowest for any mainline entry in the series. Despite the middling aggregates, reviewers frequently lauded the games' narrative depth, character development, and open-world freedom, which allowed players unprecedented flexibility in progression and exploration. Critics highlighted the emotional resonance of the three main story paths—Victory Road, Path of Legends, and Starfall Street—as a standout feature, noting how they intertwined to create meaningful character and thematic of growth and legacy. The multiplayer co-op mode was praised for enhancing social interaction during and battles, fostering a sense of shared adventure without disrupting solo play. Additionally, the Terastal phenomenon was commended for introducing strategic depth to battles by enabling type changes and boosted attacks, revitalizing combat mechanics in creative ways. awarded an 8 out of 10, specifically applauding the non-linear progression that let players tackle challenges in any order, while gave a 6 out of 10 but acknowledged the liberating open-world design as a bold for the franchise. On the negative side, technical shortcomings dominated critiques, with frequent mentions of glitches such as texture pop-in, severe frame rate drops below 30 fps, and awkward Pokémon pathing that led to clipping and navigation frustrations. Story pacing drew ire for inconsistencies, particularly in how the parallel narratives occasionally felt disjointed or underdeveloped outside the main threads. The absence of adjustable difficulty options was another common complaint, rendering the experience too accessible for veterans while failing to challenge newcomers adequately. The downloadable content expansions received slightly varied reception. The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero – Part 1: The Teal Mask earned a Metacritic score of 65 out of 100 from 39 reviews, appreciated for its refined storytelling and new Pokémon additions that built on the base game's innovations, though persistent bugs tempered enthusiasm. Part 2: The Indigo Disk fared marginally better at 70 out of 100 from 26 reviews, with praise for expanded activities like the Blueberry Academy quests and tougher battles, but reviewers still pointed to lingering performance issues and a rushed conclusion. Overall, the DLCs were seen as improvements in content quality but unable to fully overcome the original titles' technical legacy.

Commercial Success

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet demonstrated exceptional commercial performance, becoming one of the top-selling titles in the library with combined global sales exceeding 27.61 million units as of September 30, 2025. This figure marked a significant , surpassing previous Pokémon entries like Sword and Shield and positioning the duo as the second-best-selling Pokémon games overall and among the highest-grossing Switch exclusives. The titles' launch in November 2022 set records as the fastest-selling Pokémon games, achieving over 10 million units sold worldwide within the first three days, including both physical and digital copies. Regionally, the games performed strongly in Japan, where they sold 8.3 million units as of September 2024, dethroning Red and Green as the best-selling Pokémon titles domestically after nearly three decades. In Europe and North America, sales were bolstered by robust digital distribution, with the titles topping physical launch charts in the UK and contributing substantially to the initial overseas surge beyond Japan's 4.05 million launch-week units. Overall, these markets accounted for the majority of the post-launch growth, reflecting the franchise's enduring appeal in Western regions. The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero Expansion Pass further enhanced revenue streams, representing a notable attachment rate and extending player engagement into subsequent years. This DLC success helped sustain sales momentum for the base games, adding to the titles' long-term economic impact. As a result, Scarlet and Violet emerged as the best-selling Switch game in and ranked highly in several international markets, while bolstering the Pokémon franchise's valuation beyond $100 billion through combined media and merchandise synergies.

Technical Issues and Updates

Upon release, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet faced significant technical challenges, including instability often dipping to 20-30 FPS, prominent texture pop-in, and collision glitches in the open-world environment, which contributed to an overall unpolished experience criticized in contemporary analyses. Game Freak and Nintendo responded with a series of patches, including 10 updates by early 2024, addressing issues in battles, Tera Raids, and general performance stability. Notable among these was version 3.0.0, released on December 14, 2023, which integrated The Indigo Disk DLC content while resolving bugs related to Pokémon abilities, event mechanics, and online interactions. In June 2025, following the 2 launch, version 4.0.0—deployed on June 5—provided enhancements, targeting 60 FPS performance, resolution in docked mode and in handheld, alongside reduced load times and improved draw distances. The community modding scene emerged to supplement official efforts, with tools like early 60 FPS patches and comprehensive overhauls addressing persistent glitches, while developer support continued into 2025 to mitigate DLC-specific problems, such as crashes accessing Blueberry Academy in The Indigo Disk.

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  93. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMG_i77LH5c
  94. https://game8.co/games/Pokemon-Scarlet-Violet/archives/393445
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