The first entries in thePokemonfranchise’s ninth generation,Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, were first revealed in February 2022. Since then, fans have been starved for more info on what this new era ofPokemonhas to offer. Finally, those prayers have been answered, as Game Freak has recently released the second trailer for the game.
This highly-anticipatedPokemontitle promises to be the biggest change the mainline series has seen in years. Based on appearances, it takes inspiration from the 2022 titlePokemon Legends: Arceus, which featured an open world setting for the game. These reveals inScarlet & Violet’ssecond trailer surprised longtimePokemonfans the most.
8Pokemon From Older Generations Return
Aside from the introduction of new Pokemon, many fans are excited to seewhich Pokemon from previous generations will return to the new region. SincePokemon Sword & Shield, new mainlinePokemongames no longer feature a National Dex. This means the creatures not available to catch this time around will have to stay in players’Pokemon Homeboxes.
In the new trailer, however, many returning Pokemon were confirmed for the new game, including Talonflame, Chewtle, Larvitar, and Gengar. It’s no surprise to see popular characters like Pikachu or Lucario return, but some more obscure Pokemon can be big news for eager fans. Hopefully they’ve only scratched the surface on returning Pokemon in these games.
7Cute New Pokemon To Catch
ManyPokemonfans are pleasantly surprised by the new Pokemon revealed in the trailer. From the get-go, viewers get to see the first in-game footage of the three starters: Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly. Other than that, the trailer introduces players to the first footage of three new Pokemon, all of whom seem like common, early-game creatures.
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One is the Electric-type Pawmi,who appears to be this region’s Pika-clone, similar to Emolga or Pachirisu. There’s also the Normal-type Lechonk, a pig Pokemon of whom fans have already drawn adoring fan art. Smoliv, the Olive Pokemon, is Grass/Normal-typed, which is a pretty unusual combo, only sharing it with the Normal/Grass-typed Deerling and Sawsbuck.
6Version-Exclusive Professors
Professors have been an integral part of thePokemonfranchise since Professor Oak in the very first generation. Aside from being guides for players during the early stages of the games,they also play important roles in each game’s narrative. Even more so, these professors are often major characters in the seasons of thePokemonanime that correlate to these games.
Scarlet & Violetoffers a unique take on the professors, as they vary depending on which version you buy. Professor Sada appears as the professor inPokemon Scarlet, while Professor Turo takes on the role inPokemon Violet. They seem like complete opposite ends of the spectrum, as Sada’s design seems tribal while Turo’s is more futuristic.
5A Reliable Rival
The franchise has come a long way from the rivals of early generation games, who were often antagonistic towards players. Now, rivals like Hop or Bianca are more like friendly companions who accompany players on their journey.Scarlet & Violetseems to be following this route with the inclusion of Nemona, a Pokemon Trainer with a green streak in her hair.
For a generation ofPokemongames that seems to be wildly different, Nemona appears to be a helpful guide for new and old players alike. Her team consists of the three recently-revealed Pokemon: Pawmi, Lechonk, and Smoliv. According to a description from the officialPokemon Scarlet & Violetsite, Nemona apparently has difficulty throwing Poke Balls.
4Catching Pokemon With Friends
Pokemon Legends: Arceusdrew a lot of comparisons to theMonster Hunterfranchise with how it changed up the typicalPokemonformat. The game featured expansive, open-world areas that allowed players to chase down Pokemon and catch them. This new game only furthers the connection to the popular series, now including an exciting multiplayer feature.
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According to the trailer, players can now team up with up to three other Pokemon Trainers from across the world. Together, the four can adventure through the new region together instead of just solo. It’s unclear right now how far this mechanic extends, and if it will stretch to include four-person Gym Battles or story elements that feature all four players.
3Adventure At Your Own Pace
A mainlinePokemongame featuring an open world region has been long overdue.Sword & Shielddipped its toes into this feature by including expansive Wild Areas where players could explore and find Pokemon wandering around.Scarlet & Violethave promised a seamless open world where players can truly feel like they’re exploring at their own pace.
This has been all but confirmed with the latest release of the trailer. The Pokemon Company has insisted that players will be free to explore this region without the limitations of story movement. This could mean that players can challenge gyms in any order they want to, orencounter Pokemon early in the gamethat would normally be found elsewhere in the region.
2Mysterious New Legendaries
Of course, it wouldn’t be a newPokemongeneration without a pair of mascot legendaries to entice fans.The mysteries behind Legendary Pokemon often drive the narrative of newPokemongames, such as the space-and-time-shifting Palkia and Dialga inDiamond & Pearl, or the land-and-sea-changing Groudon and Kyogre inRuby & Sapphire.
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This time around, the two Legendary Pokemon are Koraidon and Miraidon. Little is known about these Pokemon, not even their typing. However, according to reliable leaks on Twitter from a user named Khu, they may be Dragon/Fighting and Dragon/Electric, which certainly fits their designs. If this leaker’s claims are true, these Pokemon may also be rideable.
1A Confirmed Release Date
This trailer has a lot of new information that will make anyPokemonfanatic excited to enter the next era of the franchise. Fortunately, fans won’t have to wait all too long for that to come. The end of this second trailer confirms the release date of July 10, 2025. This lives up to the promise from the first trailer of a 2022 release, despite some fans' worry it would get delayed.
However, thePokemonfranchise has a reliable history of fall releases. The Generation 4 remakes,Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, released around the same time in 2021, as did the previous Gen 8 titlesSword & Shield. For now,fans will get to anticipate learning moreabout these newPokemonadventures in the months leading up to its release!
Pokemon Scarlet & Violetwill release for Nintendo Switch on July 22, 2025.
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