The reality is that not all games in the series get additional content after the release, so the big question for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet was will there be DLC content to play. The good news is the The Pokémon Company has made an official announcement confirming two DLC releases to add to clues in the game and we also know when it’s coming out.
On the negative side of the spectrum was the fact that Pokémon Legends Arceus, which came out early in 2022, has no DLC content whatsoever. It was a departure from the main series with dodge rolls and pseudo boss fights, so you could argue that it wasn’t the best indicator for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
AdvertisementThings get more positive when you look at Pokémon Sword and Shield, which had its release back in 2019. There were hints about DLC in the game right from the start and then it went on to get The Isle of Armor in June 2020, before the second expansion, The Crown Tundra, landed in November later that year.
However, we now know that there will be two new DLC expansions for the Pokémon Gen 9 game. You can find out everything that we know so far about them in the section below including when it’s coming out. If you read on past this you can find out more about the clues that were teased in the game before the announcement.
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Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC details
The two Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC expansions are collectively called The Hidden Treasures of Area Zero, which kind of indicates that they will be linked to the ending to the core game. This took place down in the crater of Area Zero, which contained a portal in time through which different Pokémon had gotten through.
AdvertisementWe’ll cover our theories for this a little further down the page, but Part 1 will be called The Teal Mask and it’s due to come out in Fall/Autumn 2023. It will then be followed by Part 2: The Indigo Disk in winter 2023, so it looks like it’s going to follow a similar timing to the Pokémon Sword and Shield DLC.
As things stand, the main thing we know about the two expansions other than the release date window is that it will be one story told in two parts. This will start things off in Part 1 and then the story will be brought to a close in Part 2.
Our initial theory for the DLC was that it could have been linked to the portal at the heart of Area Zero. The idea was that one of the expansions for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet would see you going back in time to explore Paldea of the the past and the other would see you going to the future.
However, we now know that it’s actually going to be two map expansions with the first being to the Land of Kitakami on a school trip. The second will see you studying as an exchange student at Blueberry Academy. Nintendo has also confirmed that this will bring in familiar Pokémon that aren’t present in Paldea.
You can also see in the announcement trailer that there should be a couple of new Legendary Pokémon to pick up (pictured above). The first will come in The Teal Mask, and it’s called Ogerpon, which looks like some kind of double-faced mask Pokémon. The second, Terapagos, will follow it in The Indigo Disk with what looks like a new turtle/terrapin Pokémon.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC clues
AdvertisementBefore the official confirmation for The Hidden Treasures of Area Zero, there was the fact that the last main series game got two huge expansions. The Sword and Shield DLC landed well and helped to extend the life of the game by a year or so. We’ve had a lot of Pokémon games in recent years, so it was good to get a boost to an existing game instead of just churning out new titles.
With Gen 8 getting DLC, the natural progression was for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet to follow suit. However, just because it’s a main series title that didn’t mean that it would definitely get any expansion content, but there was more in the game itself.
The biggest clues in favour of it were easy to see and it was a similar case with Pokémon Sword and Shield. The big tell was on the map, which had a big chunk of land to the North of Galar that was a dead giveaway for DLC.
This went on to be the Crown Tundra area and the Isle of Armor had a big chunk of sea to place itself in. It’s a similar story with Scarlet and Violet, except it’s a bit easier to miss. Either The Pokémon Company is hedging its bets or they’re trying to hide their tracks a little better than the last time.
AdvertisementIf you check on the map to the far North East you’ll see an area of land that is greyed out, which is kind of similar to the more obvious section for The Crown Tundra. If you head up there on Miraidon or Koraidon you will find a tall rock face that can’t be climbed.
It may not have a sign on it that says “DLC… Coming Soon”, but it was as good as it got and that stage. If that isn’t enough, the whole Paldea region is also a massive island, so there was plenty of space off the coast in any direction for yet another location for the expansion content.
It’s possible that this will not actually be linked to the DLC with our theory above about it possibly being linked to the time portal in Area Zero. But it’s also possible that you’ll have to explore further out into Paldea to find Ogerpon and Terapagos to unlock the secrets of Area Zero.
Another big clue is the number of Pokémon in the games. When Sword and Shield first came out it had around 400, but after the expansion it went up to over 600. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet first landed with 400 too, so there’s a clear space for extra ‘Mon to arrive in downloadable content form and updates later on.
When does the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC come out?
AdvertisementAs it’s now confirmed, we now know that the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC will come out in two parts with the first in fall/autumn 2023 and the second in winter 2023. There is no exact date for either as of yet, but that should give you something to aim for.
If you compare this to the Pokémon Sword and Shield DLC release dates there’s definitely a correlation. Both games came out in November, but S&S had it’s first expansion in July the following year and the second part followed in 2023. Part 1 for S&V will be a little later in the year, but Part 2 should follow suit with a November release.
We’ll update you with more details on the when the Scarlet and Violet DLC will be coming out as it’s confirmed. You can also check out our computer games section to keep tabs on the game. Visit the Pokémon website at www.pokemon.com/ for more details.
