Pokemon Scarlet and Violet getting huge multiplayer overhaul

Multiplayer is a core component of the Pokemon franchise, but Scarlet and Violet will be doing things never seen before in the series.

A new trailer for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has dropped. Though much of the focus has been on the new Pokemon that were revealed and the release dates for the games, the trailer also showed off the important new multiplayer features.

Since the move to the Nintendo DS, the Pokemon franchise has been behind the times when it comes to multiplayer features. In almost all cases, they’ve been segregated from the main game, with players being completely unable to interact with one another directly or having convoluted systems like Sun and Moon’s Festival Plaza. 

But that’s set to change. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will have the first pure multiplayer experience in the series with players able to interact with each other and explore the world together.

Second Trailer | Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will have actual open-world multiplayer

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will have multiplayer that allows friends to team up, search for new Pokemon to catch, and battle each other. 

The trailer showed a group of four players interacting with each other and then splitting up. The players are shown sharing a world together but fighting different Pokemon in different areas. This gameplay is explained on the official website as well.

“Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet allow multiplayer gameplay with up to four players.​.. You will be able to explore the various locations of the region in these games with other players. You can discover new Pokémon and explore unfamiliar areas with your friends and family, opening the door to an adventure more precious and fun than ever,” the website read.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will be leagues ahead of other games in the series in terms of multiplayer with this update alone. Pokemon Sword and Shield only allowed direct multiplayer through the Y-Comm and VS sections of the menus. 

To date, the only game that has had multiplayer integrated directly into the main game was Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee. These games allowed two players to enjoy local multiplayer with a shared party and double-battling, but there was no online component to this.

There are some unknown facets to the multiplayer features of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. It’s unclear if the story will be able to be tackled together or whether players will be able to team up to battle together against a single enemy. Expect more details to come in the near future.