Why you should play Pokemon Scarlet and Violet again in 2026

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet they officially entered their fourth year in November 2025, and while Pokemon Legends: ZA has been out for a few months now with accompanying DLC, Gen 9 is still a big pillar of the series. That's because it was the last of a brand new generation of creatures that gave fans plenty of content to go through in both the base game and two full-fledged expansions. However, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has had its fair share of problems and controversies, to the point of being bombarded with reviews from fans unhappy with the games performance on the Switch. Despite this, there are many good reasons to play or replay Gen 9 games in 2026.

Pokemon features in scarlet and purple

Huge open world to explore
400 Pokemon in the Paldean Pokedex
- Over 100 new species in the base game
Over 330 Pokemon in the Kitakami and Blueberry Academy DLC Pokedex, total approx 730 unique usable creatures
- 15 new pokemon species in both DLCs
Large VGC community with constant events, including Worlds 2026
Many missions to complete and items to find
Endgame content in the base game and DLC to keep you engaged
Multiple online action to get a unique Pokemon like Scarlet and Violet's Walking Wake and Iron Leaves
Tera Raid Battles play alone and online
One of the best stories in Pokemon games

The Pokemon Pokedex has broken tradition

The Pokemon Gen 10 Pokedex should break the tradition that Scarlet and Violet followed

While Pokemon are known for keeping things pretty much the same from game to game, the next generation of Pokemon would still be a jolt of improvement.

Why You Should Start Playing Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Playthrough in 2026

Get ready for Pokemon Gen 10 in 2026

Complete Pokemon Scarlet and Violetis a Pokedex
Complete the Kitakami Pokedex
Complete the Blueberry Academy Pokedex
Transfer the Pokemon to Home of Pokemon
Catch Pokemon you may have missed, such as the epilogue DLC event Pecharunt or the exclusive Walking Wake and Iron Leaves events.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the franchise and since then a new generation Pokemon the games typically run every three years, with 2026 being the fourth year since Scarlet and purple came out, it's basically confirmed that Gen 10 will be released. Pokemon wind and waveleaked titles for Gen 10, probably coming out between October and November of this year, so a recap Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is a surefire way to be ready for new titles when they drop.

Experience Pokemon Scarlet and Violet on Nintendo Switch 2

Play with enhanced graphics
Have a richer open world with more Pokémon Scarlet and Violet compared to the Switch 1
Play at 60+ FPS, say goodbye to performance issues

When Nintendo's new console came out, it also released a Switch 2 upgrade pack Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. This is an incredible upgrade if you have a Nintendo Switch 2, as the game runs much smoother on the new console, allowing you to explore Paldea at its best ever.

Shiny Hunt in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Complete the Tera Raid battles to get the Mystic Herb
Make shiny sandwiches
Get your favorite Pokemon as shinies
Try the Masuda method for egg shine

Obtaining a shiny charm Pokemon Scarlet and Violet it requires catching all the Pokemon in the game, which is easier if you have two consoles and both copies of the games, but it can also be done by trading. However, once you have it, it will bond with shiny sandwiches with an incredible probability of about 1 in 500 critters. This makes it very easy to find your favorites and is a good way to work your way up to a shiny Pokedex finish.

The Shiny Charm increases your chances of finding Shiny Pokémon in eggs, which can be combined with the Masuda Method for an even higher chance.

Is Pokemon Scarlet and Violet worth playing in 2026?

If none of these reasons have convinced you that now is the best time to return Pokemon Scarlet and Violet or start a new playback, there may be one more. Since this year is the franchise's 30th anniversary, and since Gen 10 could be 9 or 10 months away, there's a distinct chance that new, unique online events will be made available for Gen 9 games.

It could be anything like that Pokemon Scarlet and VioletShiny Rayquaza, Tera Raids for exclusive rewards or ways to shiny hunt legendary and mythic Pokemon that are currently shiny. This isn't confirmed yet, but 2026 will be a big year for Gen 9 games and will serve as their ambassador when the next generation comes out.