Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have been out for a little while now, and while there are fans still exploring all Paldea has to offer, others are preparing competitive teams and waiting for DLC to come. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC has not yet been announced, but it's easily Game Freak's worst-kept secret. Not only does the game tease at it by rewarding players with an Ultra Ball when completing the Pokedex, but there have been several reliable leaks to back this up, with datamined Pokemon not yet in the game and new Pokemon/forms too (Paradox Suicune, Paradox Virizion, the Third Legendary).
But Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC is just one element of Gen 9, and with the new games officially kicking it off, many fans may be curious about what's to come over the next couple of years. Of course, some things are hard to predict, but looking at past generations shows a reasonable selection of games fans can expect.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC to Dominate 2023
The expansion of core Pokemon games has changed over the years. For a while, generations would receive a special third game like Pokemon Yellow, Pokemon Crystal, Pokemon Emerald, and Pokemon Platinum. Moving forward from there, a few generations received proper sequels like Pokemon Black 2 and White 2, as well as Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. DLC is relatively new to core Pokemon games, but its role in Pokemon Sword and Shield shows fans what to expect this year for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Basically, the entire year following Pokemon Sword and Shield was dedicated to its DLC, and fans can expect the same out of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet in 2023.
At least two major DLCs seem viable, with both releasing this year. As to what these will contain exactly remains to be seen, but many fans would have no problem discovering more about Area Zero, adventuring into southern Kalos, and catching new Paradox Pokemon.
Pokemon Black and White Remakes Are Due
Most generations feature some form of Pokemon remake, ranging from Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen to Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. With the latter, Game Freak showed a willingness to let another dev take the wheel, with supervision of course. Developer ILCA worked on Pokemon BD/SP, and it stands to reason it could return with the next remakes. After all, relying on outside help makes some of each gen easier on Game Freak, and it speeds up the rate of the remakes. Again, not every generation gets a remake, but most do—and ILCA would speed that up.
With all of that in mind, Pokemon Black and White are next in line for remakes. That's a relatively safe bet. In fact, Pokemon Black and White remakes may not be the only visit to Unova this gen.
A New Pokemon Legends Game OR A New Pokemon Let's Go Game
Perhaps the biggest variable for this gen, right now, is whether fans will get a new Pokemon Legends game, and if they don't, what they would get in its stead. Pokemon Legends: Arceus launched early in 2022, and many fans fell in love with it despite its shortcomings. Its new approach, many would argue, should constitute a new series in Pokemon. It's hard to guess what region the new Pokemon Legends game would go to, but the relatively safest bet right now is Unova itself. In Pokemon Gen 8, fans visited Sinnoh twice: in BD/SP and in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, if as Hisui. Moving forward from Sinnoh in Pokemon Legends makes the most sense, and seeing a past version of each region alongside a remake sounds like a solid strategy.
Of course, none of that is certain—and it's hard to deny how many fans want to see a new Pokemon Let's Go game. The originals played quite well, even if everyone wasn't happy to see Pokemon GO features in the games. The next step for it would obviously be a Pokemon Let's Go, Johto game, though it's uncertain what Pokemon would replace Pikachu and Eevee. Furthermore, some have expressed concern that the Let's Go feature in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is essentially reducing this potential game series down to a mechanic.
Ultimately, a new Pokemon Legends game does seem more likely, but either way, it probably won't occur until near the end of this generation.
Pokemon Experimental/Spin-Off Game
Ultimately, the hardest Pokemon Gen 9 game to predict would be Game Freak's experimental/spin-off games. The past few years have seen updated/new versions of Pokemon Snap and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon release, while many fans would love to see a new Pokemon Ranger, Pokemon Colosseum, Pokemon Conquest, Pokepark, or even something more akin to Pokken Tournament 2. And, of course, it's entirely possible the experimental/spin-off game of this gen is something brand new.
There are likely to be some others scattered between the biggest releases of Pokemon Gen 9, but these are easily the biggest to expect from this generation. It's hard to say for sure what's going to happen, but Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, despite their shortcomings, have set up what could be one of the best gens in recent years, depending on where Game Freak takes it from here.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for Nintendo Switch.