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How to Update Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet

In this article, you'll learn how to update Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet.

Important: Approximately 1GB of memory must be available in your Nintendo Switch console’s system memory or on your microSD card to download the update data for version 1.0.1. Please see this page for details about checking memory and managing data.

Note:

  • This update must be applied in order to use the game’s online features.

  • A Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to use the game's online features.

  • Save data will still be available for use after downloading the update.

  • The update will download and install automatically if the console is connected to the internet and the Automatic Software Updates setting is enabled. If there is not enough space in the system memory or on a microSD card to download the update, you will first need to expand or free up memory space and then follow the steps below.

  • All players must be using the same version of the software to play together. Please make sure you have the same update version as the person you are playing with.

On 27 February 2023, a new software update for Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet became available for download. Please take a moment to download and install this update while your Nintendo Switch console is connected to the internet.


Complete these steps

  1. Connect the Nintendo Switch console to the internet.

  2. From the HOME Menu, highlight the icon for the software you wish to update without actually starting the software.

  3. Press the + or - Button on your controller, then select Software Update followed by Via the Internet.

  4. Once the update is installed, the newest version number will be displayed on the title screen.


Update history

Ver. 1.2.0 (Released 27 February, 2022)

Thank you for playing the Pokémon series.

On Monday 27 February, we released the version 1.2.0 update for the Nintendo Switch exclusive software titles Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet.

With this update, we have added new features, new functionality for Pokémon Boxes and fixes for bugs that affected game progress, among other changes. We will continue to take your feedback very seriously and take measures to improve your gameplay experience.

Newly Added Features

  • The Nintendo eShop page for The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC for Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet can now be accessed via the main menu. For more details on The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC, please visit The Pokémon Company.

  • Trainers can now enjoy Online Competitions and Friendly Competitions in the Battle Stadium, and entries are now open for an official Online Competition: Paldea Prologue.

  • Players can now connect their games to Pokémon GO.

Feature Adjustments

  • Additional functionality has been added for Pokémon Boxes:

    • From a Pokémon’s summary, players can now change its nickname, markings, held item and mark- or Ribbon-related title, as well as reorder moves, have Pokémon remember or forget moves and use TMs.

    • Players can also now swap out held items by pressing the Y Button when in the Held Items view.

    • Players are now able to select All Boxes while moving Pokémon or items in the Party and Boxes view and Held Items view.

    • When in the Battle Team view, Pokémon in your Boxes that are assigned to a Battle Team will now have their icons displayed in a darker hue if those Pokémon are members of the Battle Team that is currently being displayed.

  • The News screen will be displayed when you connect to the internet from the main menu, just as it is when connecting to the internet from the Poké Portal.

Bug Fixes

Tera Raid Battles

  • A bug could prevent an opposing Tera Pokémon’s HP gauge from visually reflecting damage dealt by certain moves (such as Play Rough) or damage dealt at the same time that certain status conditions are applied, causing the Tera Pokémon’s HP gauge to fluctuate in an unusual manner. This has been fixed.

  • A bug that caused all Pokémon on your side to faint at once despite their HP gauges indicating that they still have HP could occur in black crystal Tera Raid Battles against Pokémon with the Mightiest Mark. This has been fixed.

  • A bug that temporarily prevented a player from entering any input into the game could occur if a Tera Pokémon took certain actions while the player was choosing the target of their move. This has been fixed.

  • Errors could occur when someone connecting to a Tera Raid Battle saw a different Pokémon displayed on their screen than what the host saw. This has been fixed.

  • A bug could occur that caused players joining a Tera Raid Battle from the Tera Raid Battles search screen to be brought to a Tera Raid Battle against a Pokémon different from the one they saw displayed. This has been fixed.

  • A bug that caused Tera Raid Battle crystals to stop appearing for a set amount of time could occur under certain circumstances. This has been fixed.

Battles

  • Type matchups against Pokémon that have fainted will no longer appear when selecting a move or target during Double Battles.

  • We have fixed a bug in which a Zoroark that had Terastallized and was disguised as another Pokémon via its Illusion Ability could have been identified as a Zoroark by using the Check Target option.

  • We have fixed a bug in which the type matchups of moves targeting a Zoroark that had Terastallized and was disguised as another Pokémon via its Illusion Ability would display based on the type of the Pokémon that Zoroark was disguised as, rather than Zoroark’s Tera Type.

  • We have fixed a bug in which the stats of a Dondozo with a Tatsugiri in its mouth increased when Dondozo used Order Up when the move should have been negated (for example, by an opponent using Protect).

  • We have fixed a bug in which the effects of Destiny Bond failed to activate if a Pokémon Terastallized the turn after using Destiny Bond and then fainted.

Other

  • We have addressed an issue that made the game prone to forcibly closing at certain locations. As a result of this fix, there may be fewer Pokémon and people displayed in certain towns or in the wild.

  • We have fixed a bug in which a Pokémon that is not a part of the Paldea Pokédex was displayed as being registered to the Paldea Pokédex after being obtained through a Link Trade.

  • Certain actions prevented the main character’s expressions from changing until the game was closed and reopened. This has been fixed.

  • A bug occurred for some players after Ranked Battles Season 1, wherein visiting the Ranked Battles screen immediately after the season’s results had been calculated caused an error right after these players received their rewards. Following this error, players were unable to participate in any further Ranked Battles. This has been fixed.

  • We have fixed a bug in which a player may not have received the Master Rank Ribbon if they had registered several Battle Teams but had not used the Battle Team in the first slot when winning Ranked Battles in the Master Ball Tier.

  • We have fixed a bug in which a Pokémon you caught may not have listened to your commands in accordance with what is written in the profile app (“Pokémon caught at Lv. XX or below will listen to your commands”) if that Pokémon was Link Traded back to you from another player.

  • We have fixed a bug in which new information may not have been added to your Pokédex after you received a Shiny Pokémon or a Pokémon caught by a Trainer who plays in a different language via Surprise Trade if you already had that species registered to your Pokédex.

  • Objects such as Poké Balls could be displayed in certain areas unintentionally. This has been fixed.

  • Passersby are no longer displayed during certain battles that take place in towns during the main story.

  • A number of other bug fixes have been implemented.


Ver. 1.1.0 (Released 2 December, 2022)

  • Season 1 of Ranked Battles will kick off, allowing you to enjoy Ranked Battles through the Battle Stadium.

    • Please check the in-game notice for more details about Ranked Battles Season 1.

  • An issue has been fixed that caused the music to not play correctly during the battles with the Elite Four and the Top Champion in the Victory Road path.

  • Other select bug fixes have been made.

We are aware that players may encounter issues that affect the games' performance. Our goal is always to give players a positive experience with our games, and we apologise for the inconvenience. We take the feedback from players seriously and are working on improvements to the games.


Ver. 1.0.1 (Released 11 November, 2022)

Various bug fixes and adjustments have been made to make your gameplay experience more enjoyable.

  • NOTE: In order to enjoy Mystery Gifts and features using online play, you will need to have downloaded the latest data.

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