Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Hit Nintendo Switch This Year

The ninth generation of Pokemon games were revealed in a Pokemon Presents livestream Sunday. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet hit Nintendo Switch in late 2022, the Pokemon Company said, and are set in a new region that seems inspired by Mediterranean Europe.

We got a look at the games’ cute starters as well: you’ll choose among grass cat Sprigatito, fire Croc Fuecoco and water duckling Quaxly. 

The Game Freak-developed Scarlet and Violet will be even more open-world than the recent Pokemon Legends: Arceus, with towns blending seamlessly into the wilderness with no borders. Your outfit will vary depending which game you play.

They’ll add Pokemon Home compatibility “after their release,” so you’ll be able to bring Pokemon you caught in previous games into the new region.

Feb. 27 is Pokemon Day, the 26th anniversary of Pokemon Red and Green‘s original release in Japan. 

Aside from the Gen 9 games, the Pokemon Company also revealed that Legends: Arceus is getting a free content update called Daybreak on Sunday.  It’ll cause more Pokemon outbreaks in the wild and add new battles to the Training Ground in Jubilife Village. 

You can also claim a bunch of free Pokeballs by entering the code “ARCEUSADVENTURE” in the menu’s Mystery Gift option. It’ll be available until March 31.

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If you’re still working on your Pokedex in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, you’ll be able to claim mythical Pokemon Shaymin from Sunday. You can get Oak’s Letter, which gives you access to the charming grass-type Pokemon, through those games’ Mystery Gift option (no code needed for this one). 

You’ll need to have entered the Hall of Fame by beating the Pokemon League and acquired the National Pokemon by seeing all of the region’s Pokemon before you can encounter Shaymin. Oak’s Letter will be available until March 27.