You May Be Able to Celebrate the Midnight Release of 'Pokémon Scarlet' and 'Violet' at GameStop

Any lifelong gamer will likely remember going to a GameStop (or other store where video games are sold) to pick up a physical copy of a highly-anticipated title the night it released. Though GameStop's future has been in the lurch in recent years, these in-person midnight release events still hold a healthy dose of nostalgia for many — but are they truly a thing of the past?

With the upcoming release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (and the pandemic finally settling down), many are hoping for a chance to pick up their copy of the game in-person at midnight, letting them be some of the first to play the game while connecting with others who are also big-time Pokémon fans.

Is GameStop (or any other store) hosting a midnight release for the Gen IX Pokémon game?

Since video games are easily downloadable to enjoy at midnight the night they release, few brick and mortar stores will host midnight launch events for video games anymore. During the pandemic, these types of in-person gatherings became almost non-existent due to restrictions, but now that in-person gatherings are able to happen more frequently, many are hoping this is one aspect of pre-pandemic life that will return.

Though there's no official announcement from Nintendo about GameStop hosting in-person release events in the U.S., many on Reddit claim that their local GameStop is still hosting a midnight launch for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Though there isn't an official listing for the events, you can call your local GameStop to see if they're planning to do an in-person event, which would allow you to pick up a physical copy of the game (and any preorder bonus) right when it launches at midnight on Nov. 18.

If you're in Canada, it seems there's also a handful of GameStop stores that will be hosting an in-person event. According to the Nintendo Canada website, these are the locations that will be hosting the in-person events in the evening of Nov. 17:

British Columbia (8pm PT):

• GameStop Burnaby at Metropolis at Metrotown
• GameStop Surrey at Guildford Town Centre
• GameStop Victoria at Hillside Shopping Centre

Alberta (9pm MT)

• GameStop Edmonton at Southgate Centre
• GameStop Calgary at Southcenter Mall
• GameStop Calgary at Chinook Centre

Ontario (11pm ET)

• GameStop Markham at Markville Shopping Centre
• GameStop Toronto at 267 Yonge Street
• GameStop Mississauga at Square One Shopping Centre
• GameStop Oshawa at Oshawa Centre

At this time, none of the big-name stores like Target or Walmart have announced country-wide midnight release events for the title. If you're wondering if there's another store in your area that may be hosting a release, the best bet is to call that store to inquire, as some smaller business or local branches are organizing events for the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet release.