As one might imagine, the announcement of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet got fans excited from the moment it was announced. As Sword and Shield's era has wound down, the announcement of a new generation of games became inevitable, but few expected it to be announced quite so soon. Nevertheless, not only have Nintendo and Game Freak revealed Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, but the games are set to release in 2022. That means that Nintendo will undoubtedly be discussing the details of these ninth-generation Pokemon games very soon, revealing new Pokemon, providing details on the region, and potentially highlighting some new mechanics.

However, Pokemon fans are just as attached to old parts of the franchise, as they are interested in new developments. That's why Pokemon Legends: Arceus raises some interesting questions for Scarlet and Violet. Although Pokemon Legends: Arceus is generally beloved, it's very different from a standard Pokemon game, partially because it lacks a few core mechanics that fans have grown accustomed to. It's possible that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will imitate Pokemon Legends: Arceus, omitting longstanding features in favor of new content. That approach may have worked for Pokemon Legends: Arceus, but it would be better if Scarlet and Violet stuck with franchise tradition.

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Missing Mechanics in Pokemon Legends: Arceus

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Before Pokemon Legends: Arceus released, a leaker claimed that some core Pokemon features wouldn't be in the game, and soon those leaks were proven true. For one thing, Pokemon breeding isn't available in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Players may be able to collect tons of Pokemon in the wilderness of the Hisui region, but there's no Pokemon Day Care from which players can get Eggs, even though fostering Pokemon seems like it would be appropriate for a research-heavy Pokemon game. Pokemon breeding usually sees a lot of use, thanks to Shiny hunters and competitive players angling for specific movesets, but Pokemon Legends: Arceus doesn't offer these.

Held items also aren't a part of Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Normally, players can amp up their in-game strategy by carefully equipping Pokemon with healing items, stat-boosting Plates, training gear, and other valuable tools, but Pokemon Legends: Arceus lacks this level of strategy. It does make up for it in a few other ways. Lots of former held items repeat their usual functions in new ways, and players do have access to Agile and Strong Style moves if they want a tactical approach to combat. Still, the loss of held items is unfortunate for players who are eager to tweak how each Pokemon functions.

Perhaps the most remarkable omission of all is Pokemon Abilities. Generally, each Pokemon has a passive Ability that gives them a special function inside or outside of battle. Lots of rare Pokemon normally have exclusive Abilities that set them apart, but unfortunately, Pokemon Legends: Arceus doesn't let players benefit from Abilities. Even though Pokemon Legends: Arceus comes up with some clever mechanics, like the newfound ease of changing a Pokemon's moves, Pokemon themselves have a far harder time being distinct from one another without their unique passive Abilities.

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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Should Preserve Tradition

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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet could certainly try to follow in Pokemon Legends: Arceus' footsteps, making up for the loss of mainstay mechanics by innovating in other areas, but it would be better if Scarlet and Violet retained these features. The innovations of PL:A are great, but few of them actively try to serve as alternatives or close replacements to the mechanics that the game got rid of, meaning there's still a void left behind by held items, breeding, and Abilities. Scarlet and Violet ought to reintegrate these mechanics, rather than trying to come up with new functions that are meant to fill their place.

While Pokemon spin-offs come up with all kinds of original takes on the franchise's concept and lore, games in the core Pokemon franchise generally focus on building on one another, rather than constantly replacing and restructuring the Pokemon formula. Each Pokemon generation may have temporary gimmicks that set them apart, such as Mega Evolution, but they're usually built around features that have stood the test of time and always prove useful without needing to change much. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet ought to lean into that tradition-centric identity by bringing back some or all of the mechanics that Pokemon Legends: Arceus omitted.

Dropping the same abilities as Pokemon Legends: Arceus seems like it would actively harm PL:A's identity as well. The game's identity isn't solely reliant on its place in Pokemon lore; the missing abilities help give Pokemon Legends: Arceus a unique type of gameplay that could be carried forward into an ongoing series of Pokemon Legends games. By imitating Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Scarlet and Violet could actively hurt Pokemon Legends' chances of becoming a distinct subseries that offers fans an alternative to traditional Pokemon mechanics. In other words, both franchises will be better off if they work to differ from each other.

Scarlet and Violet's Impending Release

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It's a relief to think that Pokemon fans won't be left wondering what the new games are like for too long. If the ninth generation of Pokemon really will begin by the end of 2022, then Scarlet and Violet will almost certainly appear at E3 2022 or during some other summer Nintendo Directs. There's probably only a few months to go before players get a good look at the new region's mechanics. While fans should naturally keep an eye out for a new twist on the Pokemon formula, it'll also be interesting to see if Game Freak addresses longstanding mechanics like Abilities and held items.

While Pokemon Legends: Arceus could very well have been Game Freak's way of experimenting with drastic changes to the Pokemon franchise, its name strongly suggests that Game Freak is interested in developing a Pokemon Legends franchise, meaning its mechanical adjustments are probably intended to remain separate from the main Pokemon games. Hopefully that's the case. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet should innovate in meaningful ways, but they also need to preserve some of the functions that flesh out the world and give players more options. To be both fresh and familiar, Scarlet and Violet must balance preservation and change.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet release in late 2022 for Nintendo Switch.

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