Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Multiplayer Guide

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are now out and players can get their hands on the latest installment of the Pokemon games. While a level of multiplayer has been part of Pokemon since the game's inception, with trading and battling, Scarlet and Violet are the first Pokemon game to boast a truly synchronized multiplayer experience. In this Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Multiplayer Guide, we'll go over the features, and potential limitations, of this new step for the Pokemon franchise.

How do I access Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Multiplayer Modes?

You will not have access to Multiplayer features from the very beginning of the game. In order to gain access to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's multiplayer you must progress through the story until you reach a Pokemon Center for the first time. This should take between 30 minutes to an hour depending on how quickly you're progressing.

Once you have access to multiplayer a new option will appear on your pause screen called the Poke Portal. This is where all of the online features including Mystery Gift are located.

What is returning for Pokemon Multiplayer?

Returning multiplayer features for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet include the following:

• Link Trade
• Surprise Trade (The new name for Wonder Trade)
• Link Battle
• Battle Stadium
• Mystery Gift

Each of these options is fairly self-explanatory from the title, but the new features are Union Circle and Tera Raid Battle.

How to start group multiplayer?

Players of Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet can join one another and play the entire game in a multiplayer mode sharing the overworld with one another. This is what's called Union Circle in the game. You can start Union Circle by opening up the Poke Portal and selecting the Union Circle option, one player can choose to host a game while the others can join using a code provided by the host.

During Union Circle you can do the following with your adventure:

• You CAN progress through all story goals and cutscenes allowing you to progress through your own story mode sharing the game world with another
• See other players in real time and can watch them in battle, though the battle view is somewhat out of sync 
• Track players on the map
• There is a Pokemon that also requires you to be playing in this multiplayer mode to evolve

What happens to exclusive pokemon when you're in Union Circle?

Pokemon will spawn based on what game the player that generated them is from. This means if you're in a location where a Scarlet-exclusive Pokemon would spawn and a player who originated from Pokemon Scarlet walks around the area the Pokemon will spawn for any other player to interact with. This allows a Scarlet and Violet player playing together to not worry about version exclusives, or needing to trade exclusives.

What happens with Shiny Pokemon?

If a Shiny Pokemon originates in the world then there's only one of them. Unfortunately, that means whoever initiates a battle with it and successfully catches it will be the one to obtain the Shiny Pokemon.

What are Tera Raid Battles?

The new raid system in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet consists of fighting Pokemon in Tera Raids. You can complete these solo or with a group of other players. These online Tera Raid Battles can be initiated by interacting with a Tera Raid Crystal in the overworld, but selecting it from the Poke Portal it allows you to hop into a Tera Raid from anywhere in the world.