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Pokemon Violet and Scarlet releasing late 2022 and fans already love the starters

After Pokemon Legends Arceus and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl in the last 12 months, Nintendo has announced yet another set of Pokemon games.

It's a pretty good time to be a Pokemon fan; for the first time in a very long time, we're getting three major Pokemon releases within a 12-month period. Following both Pokemon Legends Arceus and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, The Pokemon Company has announced Pokemon Scarlet and Violet – a brand new duo of open world Pokemon adventures that will launch on Nintendo Switch in late 2022.

Cover image for YouTube video[UK] Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet | Announcement Trailer

The announcement of these new titles came during Pokemon Day 2022's Pokemon Presents, when the company announced that these Game Freak-developed games will feature a new region and its three new starter Pokemon, too.

As you'd expect, the world has already lost its mind about the three new starters (that follow the age-old Pokemon formula, Type-wise). You will be able to choose either the Grass Cat Sprigatito, the Fire Croc Fuecoco, or the Water Duckling Quaxly.

Sprigatito has the Overgrow ability and – like most kittens – is "capricious" and "attention-seeking." Fuecoco the Fire Croc (seemingly also an apple?) has the Blaze ability and "does things at its own pace." Quaxly, the clear nerd of the group, is "earnest and tidy".

The games will seemingly be a bit of a departure from what we're used to; Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are described by the developer as an "evolutionary" step forward for Pokemon (no pun intended, we're sure). Seemingly coming off the back of what was established in the Wild Zone in Sword and Shield, this new duo of games will boast an "open world where various towns with no borders blend seamlessly into the wilderness."

Per the reveal, "Pokemon can be seen everywhere in this wide-open world - in the skies, in the sea, and on the streets."

We don't know an awful lot about the differences between versions yet (if past games are anything to go by, we can likely expect version-exclusive Pokemon, locations and trainers), but Game Freak has noted that Trainers will "have a different outfit depending on which game they are playing."

The new Generation of games – taking us up to Gen 9, if you're counting – will be set in a region that is very reminiscent of Spain and Portugal, with some clear notes to the real-life locations being made in the trailer. Whether it's the suspiciously Sagrada Familia-looking building seen near the end of the trailer, or the a Pikachu in what looks like Park Güell, it's clear we're heading back to Europe, once again, in this new Pokemon adventure.

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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Nintendo Switch

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Dom Peppiatt avatar

Dom Peppiatt

Editor-in-chief

Dom is a veteran video games critic with 11 years' experience in the games industry. A published author and consultant that has written for NME, Red Bull, Samsung, Xsolla, Daily Star, GamesRadar, Tech Radar, and many more. They also have a column about games and music at The Guardian.

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