Is Pokémon Scarlet Worth Purchasing in 2024?
As an avid gamer and content creator focused on the Pokémon franchise, I give Scarlet a enthusiastic yet qualified recommendation – yes for devoted fans, wait for casual players.
Scarlet made major innovations to the Pokémon formula, but suffered glitches and performance issues at launch. With optimizations continuing into 2023, Scarlet shows promise to become an excellent open world RPG. However some bugs persist, so casual fans may want to wait for further improvements.
Let‘s dive into the evidence across key factors impacting Scarlet‘s value.
Post-Launch Support: Patches Show Commitment to Optimization
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet sold a staggering 10 million units in their first 3 days, becoming the fastest selling Nintendo game ever. However, fans quickly called out performance problems marring the experiences.
In response, Game Freak issued multiple patches addressing technical issues:
- Patch 1.1 (Dec 2022) – Fixed over 100 bugs and glitches
- Patch 1.2 (Jan 2023) – Further bug fixes and stability improvements
Collectively these updates notably enhanced frames per second (FPS) and loading times:
| Performance Metric | Launch | After Patches | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor FPS | 15-20 | 25-30 | +33% to 50% |
| Battle FPS | 15-25 | 30 | +20% to 100% |
| Loading Times | 10-15 seconds | 5-8 seconds | ~50% faster |
While progress has been made, some dips and glitches still occur according to community reports. Yet the commitment to rapid patching shows promise for further optimizations as 2023 continues.
Open World Innovations: Next Evolution for Pokémon Game Design
A key highlight in Scarlet and Violet is the shift to open world design, a drastic transformation for the traditionally linear Pokémon RPG formula. Players can now freely explore the Paldea region, challenging gyms in any order.
This builds upon the Wild Area introduced in 2019‘s Pokémon Sword and Shield, expanding the concept into the core of the adventure. The freedom to roam mirrors trendsetting open world hits like Elden Ring and Breath of the Wild.
Complementing the open approach, Scarlet introduces the Terastallize battle gimmick which crystallizes Pokémon into a specific type each turn. This adds strategy around properly aligning your Tera type against opponents.
However, previous franchise entries have some technical areas where they outshine Scarlet:
- Pokémon Legends Arceus (2022) had faster loading, tighter controls, and better draw distance rendering the surrounding terrain
- Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl (2021 remakes) maintained solid 60 FPS with no major glitches
So while Scarlet pushes the gameplay envelope for the core RPG series, it lacks polish in utilizing the Switch hardware to its fullest potential..
Upcoming DLC Extending Playability & Value
In a surprise announcement, the Pokémon Company revealed Scarlet and Violet will receive a $30 expansion pass comprised of two major DLC packs:
- The Teal Mask – Spring 2023
- The Indigo Disk – Fall 2023
Based on details revealed so far, this paid additional content will add over 230 Pokémon from past games absent in Scarlet/Violet initially. This helps address complaints that the launch versions only contained ~400 Pokémon compared to 900+ in Sword/Shield.
The DLC also brings new story segments, clothing customization options, and Tera Raid events. Given modern AAA games receive ongoing content updates years after launch (e.g. Monster Hunter Rise), this model promises to extend Scarlet/Violet‘s playability through 2023 and beyond.
The Pokémon Franchise Continues Evolving in 2024
With Scarlet‘s new anime now underway starring iconic protagonist Ash Ketchum, 2023 represents major shifts for Pokémon media:
- After 25 years, the original anime aired its emotional finale seeing Ash finally crowned Pokémon World Champion this January
- A new Pokémon animated series called Pokémon Horizons launched in April 2023 featuring two new characters with Ash making occasional guest appearances
- Nintendo CEO affirmed Pokémon development continues to be a core priority for the Switch console this decade rather than shifting focus to a hypothetical Switch successor
This long view shows Game Freak remains fully committed to advancing the Pokémon games. So while Scarlet shows initial rough edges, first party Nintendo franchises historically see great polish and refinement in later sequels or remakes after inaugural experiments.
Final Verdict: Scarlet Worth Buying Now for Fans, Wait for Casual Players
In summary, while imperfect in some technical areas, Pokémon Scarlet pushes the boundaries toward an exciting open world evolution for the iconic RPG franchise. I expect satisfying improvements in 2024 to address lingering issues, further boosted by incoming DLC adding hundreds of additional Pokémon.
For diehard Pokémon fans invested in catching ‘em all, Scarlet already provides a compelling experience. The high points of exploration freedom and deep creature collection outweigh shortcomings for players accustomed to forgiving some bugs.
Meanwhile more casual audiences less tolerant of frame drops may want to wait for further patches, price drops, or the next series entry. With the Pokémon games confirmed to keep advancing on Nintendo platforms, Scarlet likely marks initial steps toward a grander, smoother future vision.
Those are my key insights as a gaming enthusiast closely following this legendary franchise – let me know if you have any other questions on Scarlet‘s merits entering 2023!
