Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are two incredibly complex games with a significant amount of things to complete. They're designed to be engaging and replayable, so the player can get as much out of their experience as possible. There are a number of factors, then, that go into determining how long a Pokemon game can take to complete.
Training up teams, exploring every nook and cranny, defeating all the Gym Leaders and the Elite Four are only a small part of the journey. There's also completing the Pokedex, exploring the post game, challenging the Battle Tower, even shiny hunting. Getting the most out of the game ultimately depends on the desired player experience. Overall, for full completion of the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, players are looking at a total of 75–105 hours, but let's break it down.
Completing The Main Storyline
The main storyline of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet is estimated to take around 25-30 hours to beat. This estimate takes into account time spent battling trainers, catching Pokemon, and exploring the various towns and cities throughout the game. Of course, the playtime will vary depending on individual play style and how much time is spent training and leveling up Pokemon, but that is the general average.
Completing The Pokedex
One of the most time-consuming elements of the game is completing the Pokedex. This process will take considerably longer than the main storyline, as there are over 400 Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet to collect. Depending on individual luck with Pokemon encounters and overall dedication to catching them all, completing the Pokedex can take anywhere from 40-60 hours, or even longer.
Exploring The Post Game
Once the main storyline is complete, there is still plenty to do in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. There are various side quests to complete, special Pokemon to catch, and powerful trainers to battle. Exploring the post-game content can take anywhere from 10-20 hours, depending on how many tasks the player chooses to take on.
The Ace Academy Tournament, which can be replayed as many times as the player wants, is a great way to get some experience with Pokemon battling in preparation for PvP. In order to unlock the Tournament, however, players must revisit each gym leader and take them on a second time, which is sure to be time-consuming.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are available now on the Nintendo Switch.