Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet are 2022 role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for the Nintendo Switch. They are the first instalments in the ninth generation of the Pokémon video game series. First announced in February 2022, they were released on 18 November 2022. Unlike the previous instalments in the Pokémon franchise, Scarlet and Violet take place in an open world. The games take place in the Paldea region, based on the Iberian Peninsula. There are three separate stories the player can follow. Scarlet and Violet introduce 103 new Pokémon, alongside two new regional forms. Also introduced are time-displaced creatures known as Paradox Pokémon, and the Terastal phenomenon,[d] which allows a Pokémon to transform into its exclusive "Tera Type". The games maintain features from previous modern Pokémon games, including large open areas and Pokémon appearing in the overworld. Scarlet and Violet received mixed reviews from critics. The games were praised for their open world formula and story, while their graphics and technical problems at launch received criticism. The games sold over 10 million copies in their first three days, making them Nintendo's biggest launch of all time, and has sold over 20 million copies by the end of 2022.
