Pokemon Scarlet and Violet didn't have the smoothest initial run after their release. This was largely due to multiple performance issues and bugs prevalent throughout the Generation IX titles. Although Game Freak has made fixes since November 2022, some fans haven't forgotten the in-game bugs that once plagued or continue to hamper the two entries.
On Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's official subreddit, the player Arcaintos shared a review slapped on a copy of Scarlet at their local game store. The review read:
"Do you like Bug types? Because this game has a lot of bugs, and types".
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Pokemon players certainly opined on the image in the comments, from cracking some jokes to making prudent points about the state of Scarlet and Violet.
Pokemon fans discuss and crack jokes about Scarlet and Violet's bugs
Game Freak may have made fixes to some bugs in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, but it still isn't unheard of to run into a few during normal gameplay. Some fans in the comments claimed not to have noticed any bugs, but others cited stories of running into a few, some of which even crashed the game or corrupted their save file.
A few players also wondered how the experience differed so greatly between individuals, as the disparity has created even more questions.
A conversation also sparked surrounding Pokemon fans' willingness to complain about the game but continue to buy it. Some players have advocated after Scarlet and Violet's sloppy release to "vote with their wallet" and boycott the games until improvements are made.
However, others disputed the notion and pointed out that a wide swathe of players will continue to buy the games regardless. A few also stipulated that they could still enjoy the games yet condemn these technical shortcomings.
As players continued to discuss their standards for a quality Pokemon game and their own experiences with bugs, some pointed out that Game Freak had tried to address the most egregious bugs in-game.
The performance issues such as framerate drops and stuttering are still very much part of the two Generation IX titles, but addressing those that may be tethered to memory leaks is much more daunting than graphical glitches.
The discussion as to whether Game Freak should be punished for what was considered a subpar set of games by many fans continues to rage on. Though some called for a boycott and either refused to buy Scarlet/Violet or refunded their copies, the two titles have sold over 22.1 million copies, making them among the highest-selling Nintendo Switch games ever.
If players did attempt to hurt Game Freak's bottom line with their purchasing decisions, it doesn't seem to have made a substantial impact.
Whatever the case, Scarlet and Violet have upcoming patches and DLCs to consider. It's unclear whether the performance issues or remaining bugs will be addressed, but Game Freak would certainly win back a lot of fans if they made an effort.
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