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Pokémon Scarlet/Violet to launch in November with open-world multiplayer

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This story is part of the Digital Trends Summer Gaming Marathon series

Nintendo has announced that Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet will launch on November 18 exclusively on Nintendo Switch.

Second Trailer | Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet

A new trailer revealed both mascot legendary Pokémon, Koraidon and Miraidon. Both are lizards of some sort, with Koraidon being a red, more natural-looking creature. Miraidon, by contrast, is blue and looks more mechanical, so this generation’s theme might be man vs machine or something along those lines.

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According to The Pokémon Company, these games are the first open-world entries in the series. The games have always emphasized online battling and trading Pokemon, but now they will allow up to four players to explore the region online through multiplayer. A press release notes that players can explore the game in a non-linear fashion, which is a change of pace for the usually straightforward RPG series.

Pokemon trainers hang out together in Pokemon Violet and Scarlet.

Two professors were introduced: Professor Sada and Professor Turo. The former will be in Scarlet while the latter will be in Violet. Additionally, Nemona shows up as a sort of a mentor or rival figure who’ll guide the player throughout their journey.

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There are some new Pokemon introduced as well, such as Pawmi, an electric mouse, Lechonk, a Normal-type hog, and Smoliv, an olive-shaped dual Grass/Normal creature.

The end of the trailer shows a background full of reflective crystals and a Pokéball flying across the screen. Whether or not this hints at anything, like the generation’s new central mechanic, is unknown. Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield had Dynamaxing, while Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon had Z-Moves.

Unsurprisingly, Nintendo is also offering a double pack that includes both versions of the game as well as a steelbook case.

When Nintendo first announced the newest generation of games, the initial trailer showcased a variety of old Pokémon that would be returning.

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George Yang
George Yang
George Yang is a freelance games writer for Digital Trends. He has written for places such as IGN, GameSpot, The Washington…
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s DLC lets players venture outside of Paldea
Key art featuring new characters and Pokémon that are in The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero: The Teal Mask.

During a Pokémon Presents showcase to celebrate Pokémon Day, the DLC for Scarlet and Violet was revealed. The Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC is titled The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero and will release in two parts, both planned to launch in 2023.
The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero ✨| Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet
Both pieces of DLC take place outside of the Paldea region and will be accessible once players start the Treasure Hunt in the main game's story. The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero: The Teal Mask, which comes out first, sees players go on a school trip to the Japan-inspired land called Kitakami. While there, players will encounter new Pokémon, such as the monkey-like Munkidori, dog-like Okidogi, bird-like Fezandipti, and the mask-wearing Legendary Pokémon Ogerpon. The Teal Mask comes out this fall.
Then, this winter, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero: The Indigo Disk will arrive and let players transfer to Blueberry Academy, where they will meet lots of new students and teachers. It will continue the story established in The Teal Mask and ultimately culminate in an encounter with another new Legendary Pokémon called Terapagos. Over the course of both DLCs, over 230 older Pokémon will come to Scarlet and Violet, including Chingling, Milotic, Shiftry, Vikavolt, Yanma, Ninetales, Zebstrika, Metagross, Dewgong, Espurr, Whimsicott, and Alcremie.
Additionally, once players preorder The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC by October 31 will get a Hisuian Zoroark that knows the moves Happy Hour, Tera Blast, Bitter Malice, and Nasty Plot and has a Dark Tera Type as a bonus alongside some new outfits. 
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are available now for Nintendo Switch. The Teal Mask launches sometime during fall 2023, while The Indigo Disk will arrive during winter 2023.

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Pokémon Presents February 2023: how to watch and what to expect
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet protagonist holding glowing Poke Ball

Pokémon Day 2023 is nearly upon us, and it will bring another Pokémon Presents showcase full of exciting announcements regarding the long-running series. As Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were quite successful despite technical problems, a lot of fans are curious to learn what's next, both for those individual titles and the franchise as a whole.
Pokémon fans who want to learn about the series' future should certainly tune into this presentation. If you're wondering how to watch it and what kinds of announcements to expect for the first Pokémon Presents of 2023, we've rounded up all of that information here for you.
When is the February 2023 Pokémon Presents?
This Pokémon Presents showcase will start at 6 a.m. PT on February 27, which is Pokémon Day, as well as the 27th anniversary of the series. The Pokémon Company says the presentation will last "around 20 minutes." 
How to watch
The February 27 Pokémon Presents will be officially live-streamed on the main Pokémon YouTube Channel. We'll embed the live stream below ahead of the presentation. Other sites and Pokémon-themed content creators will likely be co-streaming the event as well. 
https://twitter.com/Pokemon/status/1628032454295531522
What to expect
Unfortunately, The Pokémon Company was light on giving any real hints as to what we'll see during this Nintendo Direct-like presentation. But if this showcase falls in line with previous Pokémon Presents live streams, then we can expect it to give us an overview of all the big Pokémon titles coming out this year. Currently, we don't know if any brand-new Pokémon games are launching in 2023; if there aren't, then hopefully we'll see some DLC for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. 
Some leaks may have also spoiled some of the Pokémon Presents' surprises. Leakers have found data for more new Pokémon forms that could potentially come to Scarlet and Violet via updates. Meanwhile, fans found mention of Spike Chunsoft in the new Pokémon Together website's source code, so it seems likely that a new Pokémon Mystery Dungeon from that developer is coming soon. Regardless of what's actually announced, February 27 is shaping up to be a really exciting day for Pokémon fans. 

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The best Pokémon Scarlet and Violet mods
Three shiny Pokémon by a picnic.

It's no secret that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet launched in a technically messy state. Many are willing to look past the flaws in performance, graphics, and quality of life features, however, others took it upon themselves to fix or improve aspects of the game that the developers can't or won't. While modding is typically associated with PC games, it is possible to do it on your Nintendo Switch. There are limitations, and they may come with some risks, but these mods can certainly make your journey through Paldea more enjoyable. Don't expect a 4K, 60 fps enhancement here, but these are the best Pokémon Scarlet and Violet mods out there.
How to mod Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
Modding on your Nintendo Switch isn't as easy as it is on PC, but as long as you follow a few simple steps, anyone can do it. The basics of it simply ask you to download the Trinity Mod Loader tool, download the mod(s) you want and add them to the tool, and then apply the mod to your Switch.

Be aware that mods can result in you getting banned by Nintendo, so it is recommended that you play offline while using them. Even then, you do so at your own risk.

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