Biggest winners and losers in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet patch 1.2.0

Pokémon fans are always quick to judge content from the franchise, whether it be a new title, content update, or a simple patch that is looking to improve the general gameplay experience. And now they are already picking the winners and losers for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s version 1.2.0 patch. 

This is one of the largest patches Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have released for the Gen IX Pokémon games since they launched in November, with the main goal being to finally address a number of bugs while also beginning to take measures to combat the game’s well-documented performance issues. 

The patch, which is now live, has a clear focus on patching out issues impacting players in Tera Raid Battles and standard gameplay, too. The problem is that none of the listed changes have fans hopeful for wider improvements to the game’s performance. 

There is a lot to look forward to with Scarlet and Violet’s version 1.2.0 patch, but here is what most players view as the best changes being made and the areas that could use more work. 

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet version 1.2.0 best changes

If you have already beaten Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s main story and are only doing post-game content, this patch is for you and will be a big winner. 

A majority of the changes being made in version 1.2.0 revolve around Tera Raid Battles and other content that pertains to online play. Specifically, a big chunk of very well-known bugs that have made Tera Raids a pain in some instances will be fixed in this update. Here are the key areas being fixed for that mode: 

• A bug that can prevent an opposing Tera Pokémon’s HP gauge from properly reflecting damage done by certain moves (such as Play Rough) or certain status conditions may occur in Tera Raid Battles, resulting in the Tera Pokémon’s HP gauge fluctuating in an unusual manner is being fixed. 
• A bug that causes all Pokémon on your side to faint at once despite their HP gauges indicating that they still have HP in Tera Raid Battles against Pokémon with the Mightiest Mark is being fixed. 
• A bug that can temporarily prevent a player from entering any input into the game may occur if a Tera Pokémon takes certain actions while the player is choosing the target of their move is being fixed. 
• A bug that causes players joining a Tera Raid Battle from the Tera Raid Battles search screen to be brought to a Tera Raid Battle against a Pokémon different from the one they saw displayed is being fixed. 

Outside of that, players who are training multiple teams of Pokémon or frequently using Pokémon Boxes for organizing teams are getting some good changes too, like being able to change nicknames, moves, and more without leaving the box. 

Plenty of changes for normal battles, online battles, and catching Pokémon are also being implemented. And, despite what some fans are saying, there are performance improvements included in this patch. Most of them likely aren’t directly listed since they will not change a front-facing gameplay element to make those changes happen in a way that will make the game run better. 

As part of this patch, the new Paradox Pokémon Walking Wake and Iron Leaves were added to the game as part of a new Tera Raid event. This will run through March 12 and is leading up to the big DLC drop in Fall 2023.

Related: Best counters for Walking Wake and Iron Leaves Tera Raid in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Fans of non-VGC battling also finally got the ability to play custom battles with a 60-minute timer after more than four years of begging Game Freak to add that option to the game. Content creators rejoice!

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet version 1.2.0 biggest letdowns

While it is true that Pokémon fans are being a bit harsh with this patch, there aren’t enough elements within the notes themselves that communicate just how Scarlet and Violet will be improved from a performance perspective. 

Yes, all of the listed changes are good and will prevent annoying bugs from popping up as frequently as they have been while playing the game both offline and online. However, the fact that improvements to things like stuttering, camera glitches, and other more general issues dealing with performance aren’t explicitly mentioned is what most fans will be hung up on. 

No changes will please everyone, but unless these changes really improve things, it is likely that fans won’t care too much and will focus on the issues that still persist post-version 1.2.0.