Is Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Open-World?

For many of us, Pokemon games introduced us to the fantastic world of role-playing games. Though every Pokemon game has focused on solo adventuring so far, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are clearly planning to tweak the old formula of solo RPGs.

Nintendo confirmed Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will be the first role-playing game in the Pokemon franchise to be entirely open-world. Players can explore unfamiliar places with their friends, trade Pokemon, as well as battle against each other in co-op.

The game’s official website even declared that players will be allowed to explore the world at their own pace, without being restricted by a concrete order of the story. 

You can trigger quests by exploring the open-world called Paldea and interacting with other players and NPCs.

How big is the open-world in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?

All the adventuring and exploration in the world of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will take place in Paldea region, a vast land dotted with mountain ranges, rivers, wastelands, and lakes. All the areas within the region can be visited in any order.

Paldea has a diverse terrestrial landscape. You can traverse through scorching deserts or take it easy by resting at a farming village. If you wish to find new quests, you can visit the lively port towns of the region. 

The exact size of Paldea isn’t announced by Nintendo yet, but it seems that the game will follow the same pattern as its predecessors, more or less. We can estimate that Scarlet and Violet will have around eight regions, with one gym leader per region. 

How does multiplayer mode work on Scarlet and Violet?

Multiplayer mode can be accessed through an in-game feature called Poke Portal.

To enter the multiplayer mode, just head to Union Circle and invite any three players with whom you wish to co-op. You can battle wild Pokemon, adventure through Paldea, or just spend time with your friends. Only 4 players are allowed in open-world.

PvP system in Scarlet and Violet

Scarlet and Violet will have a PvP system, just like any regular multiplayer mode. Players can battle against other players in the Battle Stadium in Casual, Ranked, and Online Competitions. You can even share battle teams of other players through Battle Stadium.

Choose the ‘Link Battle’ option in your Poke portal to enter PvP battles. Here’s how each battle format is different from the other:

• Casual battle: They areLow-stake battles where results are not recorded. 

• Ranked battle: These are competitive battles in which you battle trainers from all over the world. The ranks of players change based on their battle results. Trainers will be sorted into different tiers based on their ranks. 

• Online Competition: There are two kinds of online competitions. In official competitions, you will compete against other players in special battles with certain rules. Meanwhile, in friendly competition, you can set up your own competition or join a battle set up by other players.

Besides the diverse battle formats, you can also use battle teams of other players through a function called ‘Rental Teams.’ To borrow a team, simply input the ID of the team that has been shared online.

About Pokémon

Pokémon was first released in 1996 and is set up in a world where humans catch monsters and store them in pocket-sized poke-balls.

They are creatures with an affinity to certain elements and some superhuman abilities related to that element.

Revolving around a teenage boy Ash Ketchum, Pokémon takes us through his journey to becoming the most accomplished Pokémon trainer the world has ever seen.