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Pokémon Scarlet and Violet release date: When you can play the game on Nintendo Switch

There’s three new starter monsters to play and each is expected to have two evolution stages

Jasper Pickering

Wednesday 01 June 2022 17:58 BST

Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly are the first new monsters we’ve seen (The Independent)

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Pokémon Legends: Arceus – the spin-off that has taken the huge monster-catching franchise into a vast open-world – has barely been out for a month, but Game Freak has already announced two brand new Pokémon games and they’re coming sooner thank you think on the Nintendo Switch.

Traditionally, Pokémon has released new generations of games in two separate titles, starting with Red and Blue when the franchise first launched in 1996, with different monsters exclusive to each. Now the names of the two latest games has been officially confirmed during a Pokémon Direct event: Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet.

Both games will be set in a new region and based on the game’s trailer, we can expect to see more open-world areas like in Sword and Shield as well as Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

We also had a better look at each of the three new starter Pokémon as well as more details about their Pokédex entries. A new trailer has also arrived, featuring some more Pokémon to expect as well as an official release date for both games.

To find out when we’re expecting Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet to be released, what we’ve seen in the trailers so far and what new starter players can choose then keep reading the rest of the article below.

When is ‘Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’ being released?

During the latest trailer for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet , a release date has been set for Friday 18 November on the Nintendo Switch, Switch lite, and OLED models.

On the Nintendo eShop, a price has been set for £49.99 on both versions of the game.

Pre-order Pokémon Scarlet

Pre-order Pokémon Violet

‘Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’ announcement trailer

In the Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet trailer, we see a security guard investigating a disturbance at Game Freak’s offices, before cutting to in-game footage of the latest setting.

Each game is set in a fictionalised region based on real-world locations. For example, Sword and Shield‘s world was heavily influenced by parts of the UK.

In Scarlet and Violet, this latest area appears to be inspired by Spain with references to Antoni Gaudi’s famous architecture, most commonly associated with Barcelona.

We also saw wide-open fields populated with returning Pokémon such as Drifloon, Psyduck, Meowth and of course, Pikachu, so we can expect the game to follow on from Legends: Arceus’s update to the Pokémon formula.

‘Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’ starter Pokémon details

At the end of the trailer, we got a first look at the three Pokémon that players can choose between at the start of their adventure: Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly, the grass, fire and water type, respectively.

On the Pokémon website, Sprigatito is described as a “capricious, attention-seeking grass cat Pokémon” with the “Overgrow” ability, which powers up grass-type moves. While Fuecoco is described as a “laid-back fire croc Pokémon that does things at its own pace” and has the “Blaze” ability that powers up fire-type moves. Finally, Quaxly is an “earnest and tidy duckling Pokémon” with the “Torrent” ability, which powers up water-type moves.

All three of these new Pokémon are expected to have two evolution stages each but little has been revealed about what these may look like.

What other Pokémon will appear in ‘Scarlet and Violet’?

According to the official Pokémon website, the names of the two legendary Pokémon that appear on both of the games’ covers are called ‘Koraidon’ and ‘Miraidon’ respectively.

According to the description of the two, “these two Pokémon are said to have powers that far surpass those of other Pokémon, but details about Koraidon and Miraidon are still shrouded in mystery.”

There were also three new introduced as part of the second trailer reveal: Pawmi, Lechonk and Smoliv.

According to Pawmi’s description, it “generates electricity by rubbing its cheeks, then it shocks its opponents by touching them with the pads on its forepaws.”

Lechonk, a hog-type Pokémon “uses its sense of smell to find and eat only the most fragrant wild grasses and the richest Berries. As a result of its dining habits, it has come to radiate an aroma resembling herbs that bug Pokémon dislike.”

Finally, Smoliv is an olive-type Pokémon that “when startled or attacked, will shoot oil out, slowing its opponent down. It will then seize that moment to run away.”