How Long Does It Take To Beat Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?

The newest installment of the everlasting "Pokémon" series releases for the Nintendo Switch on November 18, 2022, and with it comes a number of new mechanics and changes to the formula of the series as fans know it. "Pokémon Scarlet" and "Violet," companion games that make up the series' ninth Generation, are the first open-world games in the mainline series. Yes, "Pokémon Legends: Arceus" was also set in an open world, but it was technically a spinoff being developed at the same time as the new games. 

"Pokémon Scarlet" and "Violet" also feature more than one main storyline, each of which adds to the game's story and overall runtime, plus an open world approach to games can make players take longer to explore them, especially for completionists. Thus, the approach to world design in Paldea and its multiple main storylines has led some to speculate on whether "Pokémon Scarlet" and "Violet" versions will be among the longest in the series. 

Though reviews are only just starting to roll in as of publication — and the game is proving to be divisive among critics — most agree on the approximate length of the game. According to most reviewers, it takes about 20 to 30 hours to beat the game, but that's if a player speeds through everything and takes optimal routes. Taking the time to see everything in the game and completing the Pokédex in "Pokémon Scarlet" and "Violet" versions can make it a much, much longer experience.

The three storylines of "Pokémon Scarlet" and "Violet" include the traditional Gym Leaders/Elite Four story, an auto-battling story that sees players take on Team Star, and the Path of Legends, which tasks players to defeat all five of the game's Titan Pokémon. None of these story modes require players to swap quests in a menu or start a new character or anything like that — but most agree it can take anywhere from 10 to 20 hours to complete each. 

In a thread on the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet subreddit, players discussed the length of the game from their time with the leaked version of "Pokemon Scarlet" and "Violet." Almost everyone who had access to the game said it takes 20 to 30 hours to beat, depending on one's playstyle. Doing everything as fast as possible is obviously on the lower end of that scale, but taking time to not skip dialogue and do some side content leans closer to 30 hours. Other gaming sites, such as Game Haus and The Gamer, corroborated this with a playthrough time of about 23 hours each.

To complete the Pokedex and truly 100% the game — by finishing every story, making every sandwich, beating every trainer, and getting every item — it can take anywhere from 60 to more than a hundred hours, according to Game8. Though fans don't know exactly how long it will take to beat, it won't be long until players head into "Pokemon Scarlet" and "Violet" and start exploring for themselves.