Nintendo has officially shared two new 4K screenshots of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet running on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, offering fans their first look at the game’s free next-gen upgrade. The images highlight a stunning leap in visual fidelity, suggesting significant improvements in resolution, frame rate, and in-game performance.
Earlier this year, Nintendo confirmed that several current-generation titles—including Pokémon Scarlet and Violet—would receive a free update to take advantage of the Switch 2’s upgraded hardware. This announcement follows criticism the games faced at launch in 2022 for poor performance and underwhelming visuals, especially in their ambitious open-world settings.
The newly revealed screenshots depict two lush in-game locations populated with a variety of Pokémon. While the graphical enhancements are immediately noticeable—sharper textures, better lighting, and more detailed environments—some fans are speculating that the Pokémon spawn rates may have also been increased based on the density of creatures in the images.
Despite the 4K resolution seen in the screenshots, there’s ongoing debate about whether the Switch 2 will natively support 4K output, or if this enhancement will be limited to upscaling or docked mode visuals. CentroLeaks suggests the images may not reflect native in-game performance but rather promotional renders.
Regardless, the free upgrade marks a redemption arc for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, which launched amid widespread backlash for their lack of polish. Nearly three years later, it seems Nintendo and Game Freak are ready to deliver the performance and visual quality fans expected from the franchise’s first full open-world titles.
With more upgrades potentially on the way, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet may finally reach their full potential on Nintendo’s next-gen console.