In a tweet from Nintendo, the company has praised the open world of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet as an “evolutionary step” in the series. This is an especially surprising statement considering the leaps the recently released Pokémon Legends: Arceus took, presenting the franchise in a way fans had never seen. The next installment to the beloved Pokémon franchise is due to release later this year and will feature the starters Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly.
Nintendo said on the upcoming Pokémon game, “A new evolutionary step in the Pokémon series, in Pokémon Scarlet & Pokémon Violet you’ll be able to freely explore a rich open world. A world filled with towns & cities that blend seamlessly into the wilderness with no borders!” While Pokémon Legends: Arceus made strides towards an open-world style with its hub-like areas, it seems that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will go all the way with a seemingly borderless map.
Developers previously described the layout for the next installment to the Pokémon series, “Various towns blend seamlessly into the wilderness with no borders. You’ll be able to see the Pokémon of this region in the skies, in the seas, in the forests, on the streets—all over! You’ll be able to experience the true joy of the Pokémon series—battling against wild Pokémon in order to catch them—now in an open-world game that players of any age can enjoy.” Still no word yet on the battle mechanics of the new game, although it will have a lot to live up to after players praised the new battle style from Pokémon Legends: Arceus where trainers could potentially be hurt and were free to run around the battle area.
This new open-world direction for the Pokémon series is incredibly promising and seems exactly like the kind of change players have been looking for with the franchise. While there is not an exact release date just yet, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will launch later this year exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.
