Pokemon Scarlet & Violet DLC leaks confirm 15 species will be left out on Nintendo Switch
Despite the Nintendo Switch featuring two new generations of Pokemon, remakes of Gen 1 and 4, and a new spinoff experience, there are still 15 Pokemon that are missing from the hardware that may never make it, according to Scarlet & Violet DLC leaks.
2023 marks the Nintendo Switch’s sixth year since launch. It has been a revolutionary console not only for Nintendo games but also for the Pokemon franchise. The mainline Pokemon titles moved away from handheld exclusivity and found a new home on the hybrid console.
And these past six years have been massive for The Pokemon Company as the series made strides in its transition from 2D to 3D to open-world. And with Generations 8 and 9, the total number of Pokemon species has surpassed 1,000.
But even with five mainline releases—nine games total—and four waves of DLC, a handful of Pokemon might miss the Nintendo Switch altogether. While we aren’t 100% sure which Pokemon will make it into Pokemon Scarlet & Violet’s DLC, recent leaks claim that 15 Pokemon will be left out of this console generation.
Which Pokemon can’t be caught on Nintendo Switch?
The Pokemon Company stated that over 230 species would be returning in the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet DLC, and a notable data miner (@mattyoukhana_) claims to have uncovered which Pokemon will be making their way into Gen 9.
When adding this list to the Pokemon available in Sword & Shield, Legends Arceus, BDSP, and Let’s Go P/E, there are 15 species left over that have yet to appear in a Nintendo Switch game. Those Pokemon are:
- Snivy
- Servine
- Serperior
- Tepig
- Pignite
- Emboar
- Patrat
- Watchog
- Simisage
- Pansage
- Simisear
- Pansear
- Simipour
- Panpour
- Furfrou
These Pokemon were pointed out by Reddit user Jumpsand. Replies to the post were filled with players mourning the exclusion of their favorite Pokemon, while others were baffled that, of all 1,000 species, the dozen-plus included two popular starter lines.
That said, we still can’t be certain that these Pokemon won’t ever make it onto the Nintendo Switch. In fact, this theory is based on another theory that claims The Pokemon Company won’t release another Pokemon game on the Switch.
This assumption is believable, as there have never been more than two new generations of Pokemon games—surrounded by spinoffs and remakes—on a single console. What’s more, is that players suspect the Nintendo Switch is nearing the end of its lifespan.
However, according to other believable leaks Nintendo is preparing to launch a new Switch model alongside the release of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet’s DLC.