How Long is the Day and Night Cycle in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, like Pokemon Legends: Arceus, uses an in-game clock instead of a real-time clock. This departure from previous titles affects the game in a serious way, and will have a major impact on what you can achieve. With that in mind, you may be wondering how the day and night cycle works. This guide is here to answer that. 

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Day/Night Cycle Explained

We discovered that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has its own day/night cycle lasting 72 minutes. These are divided into four smaller phases indicating specific times of day or night. Here’s how the games divide the 72-minute cycle:

• Morning: 6 minutes.
• Day: 30 minutes.
• Evening: 6 minutes.
• Night: 30 minutes.

You must keep these phases in mind when playing as they determine what Pokemon will spawn, what Pokemon evolution will become available, and so on.

What Pokemon Can be Found during the Morning and Day

Here’s a list of the Pokemon that spawn during Morning and Day:

• Kirlia
• Gardevoir
• Sunkern
• Sunflora
• Espeon
• Ralts
• Starly
• Staravia
• Staraptor
• Gallade
• Lycanroc

What Pokemon Appear During the Evening

Here’s a list of the Pokémon that spawn in the Evening:

• Lycanroc

What Pokemon to Expect at Night

Here’s a list of the Pokemon that spawn at Night:

• Venomoth
• Gastly
• Haunter
• Umbreon
• Drifloon
• Drifblim
• Murkrow
• Misdreavus
• Shuppet
• Banette
• Mismagius
• Honchkrow
• Lycanroc

While Pokemon spawns and evolutions are affected by the day/night cycles in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, some in-game elements, such as Mass Outbreak and Raid resets, remain dependent on the real-time clock. Other elements, such as the Porto Marinada Auctions, however, depend on the in-game day/night cycle.

Those who want to force the in-game time to move forward to the next phase, such as Morning or Night, like how it’s done in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, however, will find that there’s no way to do it at the moment. The only thing you can do is wait for a few minutes until the desired phase arrives. For more, visit our Pokemon Scarlet and Violet guides hub.

Featured image via Nintendo.