Don't expect to see the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet starter evolutions before launch

Fans are eager to see the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet starter evolutions, but the marketing cycles for other recent Pokemon games suggests we probably won't be getting an official reveal for launch.

Every time the developers reveal a new bit of Scarlet and Violet information, like today's look at the ghostly good boy Greavard, there's a minor outcry from fans. They're saying, in essence, 'yeah that's neat and all, but when are we seeing the starter evolutions?' If you're reading this, you're probably one of those fans.

The answer is that we probably won't be seeing the starter evolutions at all prior to launch. The Sword and Shield starter evolutions were not revealed before that game's launch in 2019. They were revealed ahead of the Sun and Moon launch in 2016, though that generation suffered one of the biggest leaks in the series' history, a full month before its launch. Going back to Gen 6 with Pokemon X and Y in 2013 takes us to an entirely different era of marketing that may not be relevant here.

With Switch-era Pokemon titles, the devs have established a pattern of withholding insight into what the starter evolutions look like. So, uh, maybe just imagine what Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly will turn into.

The key, of course, is that even if there's no official reveal for the evolutions, there's a very good chance that leaks will reveal them ahead of launch. The Sun and Moon leak was particularly extensive, but even Sword and Shield had its starters revealed by leakers two weeks before launch.

We're currently three weeks from the launch of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet on November 18, so whether you prefer to seek out or avoid spoilers, be aware that they may be landing soon.

Check everything revealed for the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Pokedex so far.