The release of DLC for almost any given game usually coincides with a patch that implements bug fixes and other improvements big and small. Naturally, today’s release of The Teal Mask DLC expansion for Pokémon Scarlet & Violet serves as no exception. Specifically, it came alongside the Version 2.0.1 patch that aims to improve the experience that much more. And arguably, the most significant fix the patch introduces to Pokémon Scarlet & Violet comes in the form of loading time optimizations when scrolling through the PC boxes where you can store your Pokémon.
From what I have seen, before the patch dropped, many players expressed their frustrations with how slowly the games loaded their PC boxes when navigating the menu containing them. A post by Reddit user CrimsonishWitch from about ten months ago said that it could take upwards of five seconds just for the game to show which Pokémon resided in which box.
Addressing major fan complaints
Fortunately, players have confirmed that the patch makes the boxes load significantly faster now, which makes scrolling through them much less of a headache. Reportedly, however, this optimization does come at the cost of making the Pokémon sprites in each box appear in a noticeably lower resolution, which Reddit user rtwipwensdfds showcases in a linked image. Of course, that’s a sacrifice many would undoubtedly be more than happy to make in exchange for a more functional interface.
The patch notes for this Pokémon Scarlet & Violet update don’t outright specify this loading fix, only saying the developers “have made adjustments to the way Pokémon icons are displayed in the Boxes.” Despite the lack of attention drawn to the fix, it appears to surpass all of the other patch’s additions and fixes in terms of importance. Many of the changes come in the form of quality-of-life improvements for the game’s camera feature which, while nice, don’t substantially improve the experience the way the loading improvements do.
Screenshot: Nintendo
