A lot of the details surrounding Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are still being kept quiet, but small bits of information are being revealed with each new trailer and announcement. Obviously, since it’s a new Pokémon game, we know about the three new water, fire, and grass type starters (Quaxly, Fuecoco, Sprigatito), and we know there will be a lot of exploring while tracking down elusive critters, catching them in physics-defying capsules, and battling overzealous middle school children. What was a bit more of a surprise is that Scarlet and Violet look to be expanding on the open-world exploration approach we caught glimpses of in the recent Pokemon Legends: Arceus. But unlike that game, Scarlet and Violet promise one big interconnected world that you can wander across at your own pace. It also looks like Legends: Arceus may have influenced the new games’ approach to Pokémon in the wild, allowing you to see (and avoid or catch) them much more directly. How similar the gameplay might be is difficult to say, but encounters with new Pokémon Smoliv and Lechonk shown off in the trailer do look a little familiar. Another interesting addition to the Pokémon formula is the expansion of multiplayer. Where previous games mostly limited one-on-one player interactions to trading Pokémon or battling, Scarlet and Violet add exploration—now you’ll be able to trade, battle, or wander around with a group of up to four friends and other players in-game. Both Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet will be available for Nintendo Switch owners worldwide on Friday, November 18th for $59.99, though preorders are open now.
