Why you should replay Pokemon Scarlet and Violet in 2026

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet officially entered their fourth year in November 2025, and while Pokemon Legends: Z-A has been out for months now with its accompanying DLC, Gen 9 is still very much the pillar of the series. This is because it was the last brand-new generation of critters, giving fans a lot of content to go through both in the base game and two full-fledged expansions. However, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet did have their fair share of issues and controversies attached, to the point that they were review-bombed by fans unhappy with the games’ performance on the Switch. In spite of this, there are many good reasons to play or replay Gen 9 games in 2026.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Features at a Glance

A vast 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, for a total of around 730 unique usable critters
- 15 new Pokemon species across both DLC
A sprawling 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 events to get unique Pokemon, like Scarlet and Violet‘s Walking Wake and Iron Leaves
Tera Raid battles to play both solo and online
One of the best stories in Pokemon games

Pokemon Gen 10’s Pokedex Should Break a Tradition that Scarlet and Violet Upheld

While Pokemon is known for keeping things largely the same from game to game, the next Pokemon generation would still be improved by one shake-up.

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

Prepare for Pokemon Gen 10 in 2026

Complete Pokemon Scarlet and Violet‘s Pokedex
Complete the Kitakami Pokedex
Complete the Blueberry Academy Pokedex
Transfer Pokemon to Pokemon Home
Catch Pokemon you may have missed, like the DLC’s Pecharunt epilogue event or the event-exclusive Walking Wake and Iron Leaves

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the franchise, and since new generations of Pokemon games typically launch every three years, with 2026 being the fourth year since Scarlet and Violet came out, it’s basically confirmed that Gen 10 will come out. Pokemon Wind and Wave, the leaked titles for Gen 10, are likely to come out between October and November this year, so replaying 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 improved graphics
Have a richer open world with more Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet compared to the Switch 1
Play at 60+ FPS, say goodbye to performance issues

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

Shiny Hunt in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Complete Tera Raid Battles to get Herba Mystica
Make shiny sandwiches
Get your favorite Pokemon as shinies
Try the Masuda method for egg shinies

Getting the Shiny Charm in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet requires catching all the Pokemon in the game, which is easier if you have two consoles and both copies of the games, but can also be done via trading. However, once you have it, it combines with shiny sandwiches for incredible odds, at around 1 in 500 critters. This makes it very easy to find your favorites, and it’s a good way to work through a shiny Pokedex completion.

The shiny charm increases your odds of finding shiny Pokemon in eggs, which can be combined with the Masuda method for an even higher chance.

Is Playing Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Worth It in 2026?

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

These could be anything like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet‘s shiny Rayquaza, Tera Raids for exclusive rewards, or ways to shiny hunt Legendary and Mythical Pokemon that are currently shiny-locked. This is unconfirmed as of now, but 2026 will be a big year for Gen 9 games and will act as their sendoff for when a new generation comes out.