Scarlet & Violet Prove That Open-World Is Pokémon’s Future

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the next generation of Pokémon games, were recently announced, and their seamless open world looks to be promising for the series’ future. The trailer showed sweeping landscapes with plenty of wilderness, and details since have claimed that the game will have no transitions between wild areas and cities or towns. If these rumors are true, then not only will Scarlet and Violet get the Breath of the Wild-style overworld that many were hoping that Legends: Arceus would have, but future Pokémon games may as well.

In Pokémon games, up until Legends: Arceus, the story followed a set pattern. Players would receive their first Pokémon, challenge the Gym Leaders and the Elite Four, defeat the evil Team, and become the Champion of their region. This storyline also came with a linear world that shuttled them along a set path, one that didn’t allow for much deviation. Pokémon Legends: Arceus might retcon some lore, but it also introduced an open world that players were not only allowed but encouraged to explore in its entirety. The change was welcomed by many, and it would appear that Scarlet and Violet will take its open world even further.

Pokémon‘s past experiments with open worlds have been a nice innovation, but haven’t gone far enough to slake some fans’ thirsts for open environments. All the details of Scarlet and Violet and its region aren’t known as of yet, but based on what’s available at the moment, it looks promising. The future of Pokémon appears to be shifting if the trend continues, and while some purists might not be happy with the new changes, others are likely glad that the company is moving away from its old themes. How far they’ll go and what new features will come as the games become more open is unpredictable. Pokémon Legends: Arceus environments might be pretty empty, but as a prototype for a Breath of the Wild-style world, they’re not bad.

How Sword & Shield and Legends: Arceus Set The Stage For Scarlet & Violet

Pokémon Sword and Shield was the first time that the series experimented with an open world. The Wild Area was an extensive part of the map that players could roam around in freely, without set paths to follow. Wild Pokémon roamed around in the overworld, which no other game had done before. Even though it wasn’t a true open world since there were still Routes and enclosed areas, it was a big step for the series. Players could finally explore and take in the wilderness that the games had to offer, in contrast with past games that limited them to pre-planned routes. The shifting weather patterns, scaled Pokémon levels, and “dens” where they could encounter powerful Dynamax Pokémon all combined to make it a refreshingly dynamic environment.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus‘ protagonist falls from the sky into the region of Hisui, which is what Sinnoh was known as in ancient times. It featured a truly open environment for the first time in the series’ history, and although it wasn’t fully open like Breath of the Wild, which was the assumption leading up to its release, it was still an improvement for those hoping for a more open Pokémon adventure. The title was experimental, with many new features such as manual captures in addition to its open world. Its reception has thus far been positive, and it sold millions of copies within just a few days. Pokémon has been famously slow to innovate, so it’s been a welcome change for those frustrated with its lack of new features and themes.

Pokémon Scarlet & Violet’s Open World

It would appear that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are like Legends: Arceus more than other games in regards to their environment and overworld. The trailer that came with the Pokémon Presents video shocked many who weren’t expecting to see news about Gen 9 so soon after the release of Legends: Arceus and Pokémon BDSP. It showed a sprawling landscape more like Hisui than past regions, and promised a seamless open world without any transition between populated areas and wild ones. If the footage in the trailer is accurate, then it would appear that those promises aren’t empty, as wilderness and civilization were shown together, from multiple angles. For those who have been wishing for innovation on Pokémon‘s part, it looks like their hopes are paying off. What it will look like upon release is uncertain, but many are eager to find out.

How much like other open-world games and Legends: Arceus Scarlet and Violet‘s region will be is also uncertain. The Pokémon revealed in Scarlet and Violet‘s trailer walk freely in the overworld, which does point to Legends: Arceus, but at the same time, it does more. Hisui was divided into sections, more like Monster Hunter than Breath of the Wild, and Gen 9 promises not to do so. Breath of the Wild was a popular comparison leading up to Legends: Arceus‘ release, and it appears to be another inspiration due to the environment’s visuals. If so, then fans of both series will hopefully enjoy exploring Gen 9’s region.

What Will The Future Of Pokémon Games Look Like?

Since Legends: Arceus was an experimental title for the Pokémon series, and Scarlet and Violet appears to be not only following in its footsteps but further paving the way forward, it’s possible that it represents a turning point for Pokémon. X and Y were the first mainline games to feature character customization and a third-person view, which have since become standard. Details like Legends: Arceus‘ Linking Cord are signs that Pokémon games are changing for the better, and that the company is listening to its player base. Although nothing is certain, it’s entirely possible that open-world games will become the new normal for the series, which many would be happy with. Its reputation for being slow to innovate could fade away now that it’s seen how successful Legends: Arceus has been, and it hopefully has realized that many of its players want something new.

If open worlds do become standard in future Pokémon games, then that raises the question of how far they’ll go. The details of Scarlet and Violet are mostly shrouded in mystery at the moment, so it’s possible that it could do something revolutionary for the series. A permanent base for the player, where they can rest their head, store items, and prepare for the next step of their Journey is something that’s been lacking in past games. Legends: Arceus is different from normal Pokémon games partly because it uses this concept to an extent, but not enough. The home players start out in in mainline games also comes close, but it’s little more than a Pokémon Center when everything is taken into account. A true base, that the player character can call their own and expand over the course of the game, is possible, if a long shot. If not in this game, then the next, or even the next after that. Base-building and farming are just some of the features that future Pokémon games could offer, and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet players just might see in the upcoming games.

Source: Pokémon Presents February 2022

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