Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: Everything We Know So Far – CNET [CNET]

A new generation of Pokemon games arrives on Nintendo Switch later this year.

Nintendo Switch owners have a handful of big games to look forward to as we head into the second half of 2022, but the marquee releases this holiday season are Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the next mainline installments in Nintendo’s popular monster-catching series.

Set in an entirely new region filled with a variety of exotic Pokemon to catch and raise, Scarlet and Violet mark the start of a new generation for the long-running franchise. Now that the games’ second trailer is live, here’s a recap of everything we know about the upcoming titles so far.

Release date

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will launch for Nintendo Switch on November 18, 2022.

Setting

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet take place in a vast, brand-new region seemingly inspired by Mediterranean Spain. 

Unlike the self-contained areas in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Scarlet and Violet’s region is the first truly open-world setting in the series’ history. As the games’ official website describes, “Various towns blend seamlessly into the wilderness with no borders. You’ll be able to see the Pokemon of this region in the skies, in the seas, in the forests, on the streets — all over!”

Whereas previous Pokemon games followed a linear story, Scarlet and Violet will offer a greater degree of freedom in how your own adventure unfolds. According to the official website, “you’re free to explore at your leisure and not in an order dictated by the story.”

New Pokemon

Along with many familiar monsters from previous titles, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will feature a variety of brand-new Pokemon. The games’ reveal trailer showcased the three potential partner Pokemon that players will choose between when beginning the adventure: the grass-type cat Sprigatito; the fire-type crocodile Fuecoco; and the water-type duckling Quaxly.

We got a look at a handful of other monsters in the games’ June trailer, including the pig Pokemon Lechonk and the olive Pokemon Smoliv. On top of that, the video offered our first glimpse at each game’s legendary cover Pokemon: Koraidon (Pokemon Scarlet) and Miraidon (Pokemon Violet).

Version differences

As with previous Pokemon games, there will be some differences between Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet, one of which is your trainer’s appearance. Depending on which game you choose, your character will sport a different outfit, which will somehow tie into the story.

In addition, you’ll meet a different Pokemon Professor depending on which version you choose. Professor Sada appears in Pokemon Scarlet, while Professor Turo is the head researcher in Pokemon Violet.

You can also expect to encounter a handful of version-exclusive Pokemon in each game, requiring you to trade with another player if you’re striving to complete your Pokedex. No version exclusives have been confirmed just yet, but we’ll learn more as we approach the games’ launch.

Trailers

Nintendo and the Pokemon Company have released two trailers for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet so far.

The first trailer (embedded above) was revealed during the Pokemon Presents stream back in February 2022. This video gave us our first look at the new games, mixing gameplay clips and live-action footage of a security guard exploring a museum laden with Easter eggs.

The second trailer was released nearly four months later in June. This one offered a more in-depth look at the gameplay, showcasing new Pokemon, several major characters and four-player co-op.

Pokemon Home connectivity

Like other Pokemon titles for Nintendo Switch, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will be compatible with the Pokemon Home service, letting you import select Pokemon you’ve caught in previous games and use them in the new adventure. 

Pokemon Home is available for Nintendo Switch and mobile devices, with free and paid plan options. The service recently received a big 2.0 update that added compatibility with the Pokemon Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl and Pokemon Legends: Arceus games.

Multiplayer

Like previous games in the series, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet let you connect with other players to trade and battle Pokemon. In addition to those staple features, the new titles also let you explore the region together with up to three other players — a first for the series. The June trailer offered a glimpse of multiplayer exploration, showing four player characters meeting up and adventuring in the same world together.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are still a few months away, but in the meantime, Nintendo has a few other notable games in the pipeline for the Switch this year. The sprawling RPG Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is now set to launch in July, while Splatoon 3 is coming in September.