When is the exact release time for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet in all regions? Answered

Play the game as early as possible.

Image via The Pokémon Company

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Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will launch soon, and fans all over the world anxiously await beside their Nintendo Switch, waiting to download the game as quickly as possible. The game officially releases on November 18, but people in different time zones will have access at varying times. The exact hour when you can download the game depends on where you live, so let’s take a look.

Related: Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will get a hefty 1 GB day 1 patch for online play

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet expected release time.

artists-imagine-the-final-pokemon-scarlet-and-violet-starter-evoluitions-and-new-regional-variants
Screenshot via The Pokémon Company

It is standard procedure for Nintendo Switch games to unlock the night before at 9 PM PT. Scarlet and Violet unlock at the same time across the United States, but because of Time Zone differences, the download period is a bit different all across the country. When converting all the time zones from the West Coast release time for Scarlet and Violet, you get the following hours:

  • 10 PM MT
  • 11 PM CT
  • 12 AM ET

About Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are in the ninth generation of Pokémon games. The new games take place in the Paldea Region, based on the real-life Iberian Peninsula. The titles take inspiration from cultures in Spain, Portugal, Central America, and South America. In the games, you will have to complete three quests. One quest requires you to collect all eight Gym badges, a staple in the franchise. The second quest has you confront five giant Pokémon called Titans, and the third quest is you challenging all the leaders of Team Star.

Weeks before the game officially launched, fans got an early copy of the game and began leaking images across the internet. The leaks revealed several new Pokémon, including the evolutions for the three starter Pokémon — SprigatitoFuecoco, and Quaxly.