Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are only a few months away, releasing on November 18, 2022. However, fans are returning to the point of contention they've sounded off on in the past: in-game battle animations.Centro LEAKS@CentroLeaksAnother example of how battle animations are worse in #ScarletViolet compared to #PokemonLegendsArceus twitter.com/Lewchube/statu…Lewtwo@Lewchubereally wonder why theyre deciding to remove the movement from contact moves8270536really wonder why theyre deciding to remove the movement from contact moves https://t.co/AEX95F0JH6Another example of how battle animations are worse in #ScarletViolet compared to #PokemonLegendsArceus twitter.com/Lewchube/statu…Since the successful release of Pokemon Legends: Arceus, many trainers in the community have hailed the title as a step forward in animations, battle included. However, some are considering the in-game animations of Scarlet and Violet to be lacking, with Twitter user @Lewchube remarking that even physical contact moves don't exhibit contact between opponents any longer. In response, user @pory_leeks sarcastically referred to Game Freak as "a small indie company" that would be "incapable" of implementing Legends: Arceus’ standard of battle animations to the upcoming Generation IX titles.PoryLeeks@pory_leeks@CentroLeaks But…but…game freak is a small indie company. 🤭🤭There is not enough budget to incorporate such a heavy task. 🥴🥴🥴Also Gen 9 was in development before PLA, it was impossible to add such a new feature when they were already in deep development.🫣🫣🫣 it’s only fair…. Lmaooo2458@CentroLeaks But…but…game freak is a small indie company. 🤭🤭There is not enough budget to incorporate such a heavy task. 🥴🥴🥴Also Gen 9 was in development before PLA, it was impossible to add such a new feature when they were already in deep development.🫣🫣🫣 it’s only fair…. Lmaooo https://t.co/6rUXrZB3opPokemon GO: Battle animation criticism stokes an old problem for Game FreakLarvitar and Pikachu face off in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (Image via Game Freak)Game Freak's release of footage of Pokemon battles in Scarlet and Violet has surely opened an old wound for some players in the fanbase. In previous games such as Generation VIII's Let's GO! series and the Sword and Shield titles, Game Freak received criticism for recycling battle and idle animations of various Pokemon that were previously seen in Pokemon GO.Game Freak weathered the criticism, with the respective titles resultingly still selling well, but a segment of the fanbase never forgot the controversy. Some players have even remarked that Scarlet and Violet's battle animations are a step back after the progress made in Legends: Arceus.seth 🦑@squishyboyseth@eskamoo00_alex @CentroLeaks this is quite literally objectively worsephysical moves should do physical damagepoison jab should be making contact, not hitting from five feet away.63@eskamoo00_alex @CentroLeaks this is quite literally objectively worsephysical moves should do physical damagepoison jab should be making contact, not hitting from five feet away.Louis-Marcel@LouisMa15@CentroLeaks Oh no… we’re going backwards7@CentroLeaks Oh no… we’re going backwardsDefinitely Not Broccoli@defnot_broccoli@Purp_29 @CentroLeaks So every game can't be special? Certain games don't deserve special treatment because why? Legends attack animations aren't even special, it's just what should exist. If fan games can do it, and Gamefreak can do it, then they can reuse assets and do it twice.13@Purp_29 @CentroLeaks So every game can't be special? Certain games don't deserve special treatment because why? Legends attack animations aren't even special, it's just what should exist. If fan games can do it, and Gamefreak can do it, then they can reuse assets and do it twice.While some players in the community pointed out that Scarlet and Violet began development before Legends: Arceus was produced, many trainers didn't let that excuse come to pass. According to these critics, Game Freak is one of the most robust and well-funded developers in gaming, and making changes to attack animations is well within their capabilities, especially since they could have done so after the production of Legends: Arceus. Since both titles share a parallel timeline, some have seen the animations in Scarlet and Violet as a conscientious decision as opposed to one out of necessity.Centro LEAKS@CentroLeaks@ladygravity129 The model/animation framework for both games was developed in parallel using a single team. It was a conscious decision to have the worse animations.9378@ladygravity129 The model/animation framework for both games was developed in parallel using a single team. It was a conscious decision to have the worse animations.✨ Violet ✨@VioletZoroark@CentroLeaks I don't get that why remove such a cool addition, like Pokemon moving towards the enemy to act out attacks is so cool. Now it's just back to static animations playing with no extra movement flare.4@CentroLeaks I don't get that why remove such a cool addition, like Pokemon moving towards the enemy to act out attacks is so cool. Now it's just back to static animations playing with no extra movement flare.Dragon Master@TheDrgonMaster@CentroLeaks Probably related to the whole simultaneous development thing. Maybe the PLA battle system had to be somewhat reconstructed and that allowed them to add new stuff whereas S/V just ripped it directly from Sw/Sh. We probably won't see a combination of all the good until next gen.1@CentroLeaks Probably related to the whole simultaneous development thing. Maybe the PLA battle system had to be somewhat reconstructed and that allowed them to add new stuff whereas S/V just ripped it directly from Sw/Sh. We probably won't see a combination of all the good until next gen.While there is still some time before Pokemon Scarlet and Violet release in November, turning things around and re-tooling the in-game battle animations at this point in production is highly unlikely.Despite the number of resources Game Freak has available, the two Generation IX games have been in production for years and are likely well past the point of reworking aspects of battle. This is especially true considering that the games are released in only a few months, which is considered the end of a game's given production cycle in most circumstances.While the animations are certainly a point of contention for some trainers, they appear to be a vocal minority, as much of the reception towards the upcoming titles has been quite positive.Only time will tell if these discrepancies cause issues in sales for Game Freak and Nintendo. Still, the companies have weathered their fair share of criticisms in the past and have continued with exceptional sales for their mainline franchise titles in most situations.