As Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s launch approaches, fans of the series are still wondering whether the National Dex will make its return. Introduced in Gen 2, the National Dex functions as an the regional Pokédex by enabling players to catch Pokémon from outside a game's region. However, since Gen 7, the National Dex has been absent from the Pokémon games. This has been met with controversy by players, as the exclusion of the National Dex limits the amount of Pokémon species present in a game.
Though Gen 9 is fulfilling fan wishes by providing the first main series open world Pokémon games, Scarlet and Violet are likely not going to feature the National Dex. The reason for this is actually related to the major changes Gen 9 is bringing to the series: Pokémon games have become too large and complex for the National Dex. Between an active three-dimensional overworld, a huge roster of pocket monsters, and the limited capacity of the Nintendo Switch, it would be incredibly difficult for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet to make all Pokémon available with the National Dex.
Why Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Is Likely Too Big For The National Dex
Indeed, the current number of Pokémon species makes bringing back the National Dex quite difficult. When the National Dex was first introduced in Pokémon Gold and Silver as the "Old Pokédex Mode," there were only 251 pocket monsters total. Nowadays, there are 905 with more new species to come in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Bringing back the National Dex comes with the expectation that most if not all pocket monsters would then have to be coded into the game, a task that is much harder now than it ever was before.
The active three-dimensional design of newer Pokémon games does not help with the National Dex issue either. Pokémon are no longer the static 2D sprites they once were; they are animated 3D creatures that exist in a 3D environment. This makes the process of coding pocket monsters into a game much more difficult, as each unique design is more complex and comes with specific animations. On top of this, Pokémon are expected to interact with the overworld outside of battle like in Pokémon Sword and Shield's Wild Area. This requires developers to find ways to integrate the already complex designs of Pokémon into more complicated situations. Reintroducing the National Dex and trying to do all of this with over 905 Pokémon would be nigh impossible.
The Herculean task of reintroducing the National Dex is difficult enough as it is, but the limits of the Nintendo Switch only exacerbate the problem. On a stronger, larger console, a modern Pokémon game with a National Dex could be reasonable. However, on the Switch, the amount of data and power required to run such a game would likely put a lot of stress on the system. And considering how Sword and Shield's and Legends: Arceus' graphics already suffer from criticisms and performance issues, trying to integrate even more Pokémon into the game would only make things worse.
The prospect of the National Dex coming back in Gen 9 is thus very unlikely. Nevertheless, fans still have much to be excited for. Even if Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are cutting out fan-favorite features from the past, they are introducing many new elements to the main series games.
