The hype surrounding the future of the Pokémon franchise has reached a fever pitch. Despite the anticipation for the multi-part DLC for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the hype machine is already in full swing regarding the next mainline Pokémon game. And in the world of Pokémon, where there is smoke, there’s fire-type speculation.
The latest information comes via Pokémon leaker extraordinaire, Riddler Khu, who has a solid track record of leaking high-quality and accurate content related to Pokémon Legends Arceus and Pokémon Scarlet And Violet, among others. His most recent breadcrumbs of insight point towards the next installments being a continuation of the Generation V pair of games, Pokémon Black And White. Instead of a more traditional remake, the leaks imply the forthcoming game mirroring Pokémon Legends Arceus’ approach to Diamond And Pearl, injecting freshness into familiar lore.
The speculation surrounding a fresh journey into the world of Generation V Pokémon isn’t merely wishful thinking. It’s also grounded in sound logic. Pokémon Black and White are the chronological successors to receive a revisit. Furthermore, the noticeable scarcity of Generation V Pokémon in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet mirrors the missing Generation IV Pokémon in Sword and Shield ahead of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl’s release. Intriguingly, a prevalent Past/Future theme, similar to Scarlet and Violet, is also a fundamental component of the Black and White saga.
Whats on your wishlist? Place your bets.
— Khu Beating Around The Bush (@Riddler_Khu) July 4, 2023
⚠️POTENTIAL HUGE SPOILERS⚠️Umm ok-I think we may have cracked khu’s riddle on one of those indigo disk characters being a big spoiler for the games after Sudachi.After khu’s Iris/Drayden hint,plus his previous gen 5 poll,PLUS the gen 5 past/future themes that we see in Opelucid… https://t.co/xS5gA4fYbo pic.twitter.com/Oe9R99X5l3
— SoulSilverArt (@soulsilverart) July 14, 2023
Rumors are further fueled by other sources, claiming that a new Unova-based game is in development. Unova, first visited in Gen 5, took a step outside Japan’s borders, drawing inspiration from New York City and its surrounds.
With the Pokémon franchise recently shifting gears with the release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, there’s been a thematic exploration of time. Legends: Arceus delved into Sinnoh’s past as the Hisui Region, while the latest entries, Scarlet and Violet, investigated the Paldea Region’s enigmatic Area Zero, which spanned across ancient times and the distant future.
The thematic shift to time aligns perfectly with the Unova Region, given the stark differences between Pokémon Black and White. For instance, depending on the game version, players will stumble upon Opelucid City as either a rustic village or a futuristic city, even the city’s gym leader varies with time. The ancient structures like Dragonspiral Tower and Relic Castle are ripe for exploration in a Pokémon Legends-styled game, mirroring how Pokémon Legends: Arceus probed the history of Mt. Coronet and the Spear Pillar of Sinnoh.
Our favorite leaker, Riddler Khu, dropped another cryptic tweet suggesting a character from the upcoming Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC would feature prominently in the next game. The hints haven’t ruled out a new Pokémon Legends: Arceus-styled Unova game, further escalating the anticipation.
The desire for a new Legends: Arceus-styled game is shared by many fans who loved its fresh take on the series’ formula. Even if the region or game it’s based on isn’t confirmed, the return to the open-world exploration and freedom of Legends: Arceus is top of the wishlist.
Besides, what better way would there be to show off the power of the next Nintendo Switch than by going the open-world Pokémon route? Nintendo usually bundles its consoles with a big game at launch. After the original Nintendo Switch came packaged with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in 2017, the Unova-based Pokémon could be available around the same time the Switch 2 comes out. It’s wishful thinking, but a fan can certainly dream.
