Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
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|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Game Freak |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Director(s) | Shigeru Ohmori |
| Producer(s) |
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| Designer(s) | Hiroyuki Tani |
| Programmer(s) | Katsuhiko Ichiraku |
| Artist(s) |
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| Writer(s) | Ryota Muranaka |
| Composer(s) |
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| Series | Pokémon |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch |
| Release | 18 November 2022 |
| Genre(s) | Role-playing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet 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 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, 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 were leaked multiple times prior to their release, resulting in information about the games becoming known in the months leading up to their release. The games received mixed reviews from critics, becoming the lowest-rated mainline games in the series. The games were praised for various different aspects, while their graphics and 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 26 million copies by March 2025. The games would be optimised for Nintendo Switch 2 with improved framerates, increased spawns and superior performance.