The next Pokémon title is just around the corner
The Pokémon Company is having a massive year already with Legends Arceus, and now Game Freak has announced two new mainline games set to release in 2022 for the Switch: Pokémon Violet and Scarlet.
The titles are set in a new region in the Pokémon universe and feature three entirely new starters. Violet and Scarlet include a grass cat-like Pokémon named Sprigatito, a Fire-type croc called Fuecoco and the Water-based duckling, Quaxly.
Sprigatito has the ‘Overgrow’ ability, Fuecoco has ‘Blaze’ and Quaxly is equipped with ‘Torrent.’ You can learn more about the starters on Nintendo’s website. Strangely, the main characters in Scarlet and Violet will wear different outfits. This seems odd given the last few titles in the series allow players to customize their outfits anyways.
The character models look more detailed than in other Pokémon titles and include subtle shading on characters’ cheeks, clothes and legs. It also appears that Game Freak might avoid any tree-based controversy this time around, as the screenshots show off a wide variety of flora in the new region.
Pokémon Violet and Scarlet are set in an open world where Pokémon roam free, similar to the recently released Legends Arceus. We haven’t seen any gameplay of the new titles yet, so it’s unclear if they’ll play more like Arceus or a more mainline series game.
With a 2022 release date, Pokémon Violet and Scarlet will likely release before the holiday season, but we’ll have to wait for Nintendo or Game Freak to reveal more information in the coming months.
Image credit: The Pokémon Company