The newly revealed Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will introduce true open-world gameplay in Generation 9 of the Pokémon series. The new games, which were announced during the February 2022 Pokémon Presents, come after weeks of speculation on what the future months could hold following Pokémon Legends: Arceus. While information regarding Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is limited, it appears the new games will expand on mechanics that have been successful in other recent releases.
The debate on the announcement of a new main Pokémon game has been on the rise since late 2021, due to the approaching third-year anniversary of Sword and Shield’s release date. New Generations in the series have been consistently released about every three years since Generation Five’s Black and White, marking 2022 as the year to look for a new region in the series. However, the speculation was thrown off by the release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, with many believing it would prevent a Generation 9 Pokémon announcement from happening this year.
However, according to the reveal trailer on the Official Pokémon YouTube Channel, the game will be available later this year. Likely in November, if it follows the trend of past main-series release dates. It was also announced via a Pokémon Twitter post that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will feature a true open world. The jump to full, open-world gameplay was something many believed would be included in Pokémon Legends: Arceus thanks to early gameplay footage shown with the game’s reveal, but was not in the end release. The shift to open-world gameplay in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will likely include concepts tested in recent games, but allow players more freedom to explore and drive the narrative of the story at their own pace.
The gameplay revealed in the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet trailer appears to be early footage. The animations aren’t smooth, and many of the biomes shown seem empty or have a low resolution. However, players can already see the tall palm trees, sandy beaches, and wild landscapes that make up the new region. The trailer also confirms the return of the well-loved, overworld spawning Pokémon mechanics, allowing detailed Pokémon models to interact with each other and the environment. There are also a few atmospheric shots of a large, colorful city and what appears to be the player character’s home, giving players an idea of what the architecture for the new game may be like.
While there is little detail about new Pokémon species in the Generation Nine region, the appearances and names of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s starters have already been given. The Grass-type Sprigatito, Fire-type Fuecoco, and Water-type Quaxly will all be available for players to pick between when they start their new journey. With so many things left to learn about the new Generation Nine games, hopefully, more news on Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will be made available soon, helping build excitement for fans ready to start a new adventure.
