When Pokemon Scarlet and Violet released on Nintendo Switch in late 2022, reception was mixed to say the least. In some ways, the ninth Pokemon generation was a step forward for the series, implementing several welcome changes. Unfortunately, Scarlet and Violet were plagued by bugs and performance issues. Nintendo and The Pokemon Company have both publicly acknowledged these problems in the past, though some fans remain skeptical about how future generations will perform from a technical standpoint. According to Video Games Chronicle’s Andy Robinson, this isn’t just lip service. On Twitter, Robinson said that the company is apparently taking this “seriously and is acting on it for future production.”
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The Tweet from Robinson can be found embedded below.
The Next Pokemon Generation
At this time, The Pokemon Company has not revealed when players can expect to see the next game in the Pokemon series. Following past trends, it’s likely that the next Pokemon generation will not be released until fall 2025, offering about a three-year cycle between releases. That’s the length of time that passed between Pokemon Scarlet and Violet and Sword and Shield; the latter generation came out on Nintendo Switch in 2019.
If the tenth Pokemon generation won’t be coming out for almost two years, we can probably still expect to see something released in the meantime. The Pokemon Company tends to release spin-off games and remakes in “off years.” In fall 2021, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl came out, and Pokemon Legends: Arceus was released a few months later. Fans have been speculating that a remake of Pokemon Black and White could be the next major release from the company, but nothing has been announced just yet.
Pokemon Day 2024
While the future of Pokemon is a big mystery at the moment, we should know a lot more next month. February 27th is Pokemon Day, which is a yearly celebration of the original releases for Pokemon Red and Green. Every year, The Pokemon Company uses that week to make announcements about the future of the franchise; Pokemon Day 2022 is when Pokemon Scarlet and Violet was first announced.
Of course, the other big question is whether the next game will be released on Switch, or the next console from Nintendo. Rumors have suggested that the “Nintendo Switch 2” will be released in the second half of 2024, but no official announcement has been made. If a new Nintendo system does come out this year, a new Pokemon game would make an excellent choice for the system’s launch window. However, The Pokemon Company might hold off until the system has been out for a year, like it did with Switch. With less than a month to go until Pokemon Day, it’s only a matter of time until we find out what’s next for the series!
Were you frustrated by Pokemon Scarlet and Violet‘s technical issues? When do you think we’ll see the next Pokemon generation? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
