Is Pokeros in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?
no. Surprisingly, Pokérus is no longer a feature in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the newest entries in the long-running franchise.
What is Pokeros in Pokemon?
Throughout the Pokémon franchise, Pokérus has been a virus that Pokémon can catch. This has been extremely useful for trainers trying to boost their Pokémon’s stats, as Pokérus improves the stat points (or effort values, as fans often call them) that Pokémon gain through combat, improving the stats of frequently used Pokémon. As you might expect, it’s a combination of the words “Pokémon” and “Virus” but it doesn’t carry the unfortunate connotations you’d normally expect from a virus infection.
Pokérus has been a part of the franchise since the Gen 2 games, being included all the way up to Gen 8. Getting a Pokérus into Pokémon Sword and Shield or many other games was highly sought after, as the status doesn’t last very long. This longtime inclusion in the series is what makes the lack of Pokérus in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet so surprising.
Adding to this shock, the lack of Pokérus was not discussed prior to the game’s launch. Instead, everyone finds out as soon as the games become available worldwide.
So, if searching for infected Pokémon – and thus in order to give them a boost – is a compelling part of playing Pokémon games, you might want to consider playing through an older game for now. Even a newer title like the 2019 entries, Pokémon Sword and Shield. It’s not out of the question that future DLC or expansion could introduce Pokérus in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, but given that it’s not part of the base game, we find it somewhat unlikely.
Don’t let the lack of Pokérus with these latest games put you off right away. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have new features like Titans, and there’s a lot that’s been done here to change the usual formula and feel of the Pokémon game. If you’re someone who’s been complaining about how Pokémon games haven’t changed enough in the past few years, say goodbye to Pokérus and try Scarlet and Violet.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are currently exclusively available on Nintendo Switch.