Hands-On: Pokemon Scarlet & Violet's Free Switch 2 Upgrade Might Be The Most Important Next-Gen Update Of All Time

Typically, next-gen upgrades of older games are the least exciting thing about a new console launch, but is an exception. A multitude of performance issues has plagued what is otherwise the most transformative en༒try in the entire series, holding it back from receiving the credit it rightly deserves as the first mainline, fully open-world Pokemon game. Scarlet and Violet represented a giant leap forward for Pokemon, but for many, its graphical and frame rate isꦍsues made it difficult to enjoy.

A Group Of Players Riding On Koraidons And Miraidons In Paldea In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Is Getting A 60fps Update, But Only On💛 Switch 2

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet will be able to hit 60fps with its free Switch 2 upgrade, after ♒its initial Switch release was a technical disaster.

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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s free Switch 2 update aims to address many of the performance problems that held back the games on the original Switch, and boy does it. There's been a lot of buzz over the last few days about new foꦚotage showing the games 🦩running at 60fps on the Switch 2, and after playin𝓰g it myself at the Pokemon’s US office this week, the hype is totally warranted. Multiple upgrades make this version of Scarlet and Violet infinitely more playable, to the point where it wouldn't be unfair to call this an unofficial remaster. This is Scarlet and Violet the way they were always meant to be, and fans will be shocked at how good it feels to explore Paldea again for the first time.

A Checklist Of Must-Have Updates

Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Nintendo Switch 2_Screenshot 1

A lot of what Scarlet and Violet's Switch 2 update has to offer are things you'd expect to see in any next-gen upgrade. The resolution has been increased to 1080p in handheld mode to take advantage of the Switch 2’s bigger display, while in docked mode you'll get a crystal clear 1440p resolution. I got to see the game running in real time in both 1440p and 1080p s༒ide-by-side, and the 1440p version looked significantly crisper. I did not get a chance to play handheld, but I exꦏpect a similarly noticeable improvement.

Draw distance has been improved as well. Environments and Pokemon appear much further away than bef🍌ore, making the world feel more immersive and authentic. Shiny hunters will have a much easier time scoping out the te🔥rrain from the air now, while those of us who just enjoy a nice vista will have more to look at, simply because we can see further than before.

One of the most noticeable changes is the density of wild Pokemon. There are a lot of Pokemon on screen. Sometimes, 🗹maybe too many. While exploring the mountainous area east of Mesagoza, it wasn't uncommon to have 15-20 Pokemon roaming around together in a clearing. And while they weren't doing much other than roaming, it was fun to see packs and herds commingling together. I see a Houndoom with Houndour pups of all different sizes hanging out under a tree next to a group of six Gogoats galloping around, and it gave me the wildlife exploration feeling I've always wanted from Pokemon.

Note: You do not want to get caught in the middle of one of these Pokemon mobs unless you'r🤡e looking to fight every single one o🎉f them.

I can't say whether having denser groups of wild Pokemon increases the rate that you'll find shinies, but it stands to reason that more Pokemon = more Shiny Pokemon. I'll be interested to see how many ways this update helps out shiny hunters once f🐲ans are able to test.

Truly Game-Changing Upgrades

Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Nintendo Switch 2_Screenshot 2

File all of the things I've mentioned so far under ‘nice to have’. From here, we get into the upgrades that truly make these versions of Scarlet and Violet completely different games. The first point is of course the frame rate. I can't overstate how much locking into a stable 60 improves the experience. The wildly fluctuating frame rate in the Switch versionꦑ made Scarlet and Violet frustrating to ඣplay, to say the least. Even if you didn't notice the dips, for many people they still contributed to headache-inducing eye-fatigue. Frame rate is like input delays or audio desync. You don't notice it when everything's fine, but when there's a problem, it can completely ruin the experience.

That problem has been virtually eliminated from Scarlet an♚d Violet. While you'll still experience pop-ins both near and far (NPCs, surface texture, and Pokemon still appear right in front your face frequently) you don't have to worry about those jittery, stuttering frame dips that are always at their worst when there’s the most to look at on screen. It's remarkable how much a stable frame rate makes Scarlet and Violet more enjoyable to play, and it brings the entire experience closer to what we expect from games in 2025.

The most important upgrade - and possibly least exciting - is the improvement to load times on the Switch 2. We've all seen those tech showcase side-by-sides that demonstrate how reloading your save after being fireballed by a dragon in Skyrim is 800ms faster on the Xbox One X, but I gotta tell you, those 800ms really matter. Not to get all existentia🧔l, but that's your time, and you're not getting any of it back. A second here and there adds up a lot over a 30 hour playthrough, even if you don't notice it.

In Scarlet and Violet, you definitely notice it. Everything in the original version feels like it takes a second or two longer than it should, which really slows down the pace of the gꦿame. Getting into a raid battle, terastallizing your Pokemon, executing your move, waiting for your opponent to attack - there's a loading delay built into all of those moments that simply doesn't exist on the Switch 2 version. It's incredibly snappy, letting you spend more time playing and less time waiting𓆉.

There's no delay getting in and out of cutscenes anymore. Even fast traveling is nearly instantaneous. Combined with a higher frame rate and longer draw distance, the games just feel so much faster to play now. It's amazing how all of these little improvements add up to create a completely new experience of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, but there's no denying it - this is the version we wish we had played three years ago. You might f⛦eel it's 🐻too late now, but I say better late than never.

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Get A Fresh Start

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Game Freak didn🌟't need to do this. Despite what jaded adult fans and chronically online complainers have to say about it, these are the best-selling Pokemon games on the Switch, and there's no doubt the next mainline will sell tens of millions of copies, too. Game Freak could have easily ignored the criticisms and soundly slept on its giant Dragonite pile of🅰 Poke Gold, but the way I see it, it wanted to do right by Pokemon fans with this update. It doesn't make it okay that Scarlet & Violet was released in such a sub-par state, but it definitely helps.

I have to confess, I did not play this generation at launch. Writing for a gaming we🍸bsite kept me steeped in the discourse that surrounded these games at launch, and I saw enough footage from editing our review and guides to know I didn't have the patience to put up with the technical issues. Thanks to the Switch 2 update (and my good luck securing a Switch 2 pre-order) I'm finally going to get to play Scarlet & Violet, with all of the DLC, in a version that runs and looks fantastic. The patient gamer wins again, it seems. Though I'd argue anyone lucky enough to get their hands on a Switch 2 this month is a winner. Of all the upcoming launch titles, this is surprisingly the one I'm most excited to play.