Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are finally out, but unfortunately, they suffer from an inconsistent frame rate and poor performance.

If you were hoping that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet had been optimized since those initial trailers, you might be disappointed.

While the game manages to look spectacular in moments, unfortunately, the performance can be terrible at times.

What Is the Frame Rate Like in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?

Unfortunately, the frame rate in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is pretty poor in both docked and handheld modes.

Players can expect regular dips below 20 FPS (frames per second). It is worse in cities or when it rains, which can make exploring Paldea feel stuttery and slow.

the player riding Koraidon in Pokemon Scarlet

At their worst, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet feel like they’re hitting 10 FPS. This will likely feel unplayable to most, especially those used to a higher standard of gaming.

Of course, if you know how to fix low FPS and improve performance in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, you can avoid this headache altogether.

Are There Any Bugs & Glitches in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?

Fortunately, there are no hugely game-breaking glitches or bugs present in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. However, there are a number of visual issues that may ruin the experience for some.

Texture pop-in and flickering character models are the worst offenders. However, players can also expect NPCs to move at very slow frame rates, even when walking right by you.

the player stood in the Naranja Academy in Pokemon Scarlet
Characters will very frequently not load unless you go right up to them (there should be three Pokemon sat on those chairs and a student reading at the distant bookshelves)

When Are Nintendo Fixing Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Frame Rate & Performance Issues?

While there has been no official word on a future update that will resolve these issues, Breath of the Wild (which had similar problems) got a patch shortly after release that improved its FPS.

It is very likely that Nintendo will release a patch in the near future that addresses the poor performance of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.

In the meantime, if you’re going to explore Paldea at a low frame rate, you might as well do it with friends. So, make sure to check out how to play online with friends in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.