The next mainline Pokémon video game could surpass the 1,000 Pokédex-entry milestone, raising questions about how devs will tackle the long list.
Decades of new designs have expanded Pokémon's original Pokédex from 151 species to an impressive 898 in Pokémon Sword and Shield. This gradual increase in number over eight generations of games has added both adorable designs like Sylveon and unfortunate ones like Trubbish. While the discovery of new species is part of the fun for players journeying into any new region, the next new games' batch of creatures will likely cause the series to hit an impressive milestone in its total number of Pokémon.
Each Pokémon generation has integrated different methods to keep incoming creatures interesting for trainers. Generation 2 saw the addition of Steel- and Dark-type Pokémon, while Generation 6 added Fairy. Old Pokémon designs were spruced up with regional forms, and battle mechanics were changed to add Mega Evolution and Dynamaxing. However, as the releases have continued and the total number of Pokémon has increased, it has gotten harder for every creature to get a spotlight. Because of this, adding more Pokémon in the next main game for the series could see some potential issues.
After Pokémon Sword and Shield were announced, fans were frustrated and upset to learn not all the Pokémon from previous generations would be making an appearance in the initial release. The difficulty for the game arose from trying to fit all 898 species into the game's Wild Area and routes. While many more of the Pokémon from previous games were added in later DLC expansions, Game Freak discussed in an interview with Polygon that instead of spending all their time and resources on making and rigging Pokémon models, they wanted to focus on new gameplay ideas. They had to find a balance between how many Pokémon they put in the game, and inventing new ways for players to enjoy Sword and Shield.
When the 9th Generation of Pokémon is released in the next main game for the series, the total number of Pokémon will probably hit a new milestone, likely breaking 1,000 different species for players to catch. The number of Pokémon will require even more time to rig and update for a new game, and will likely result in a situation like Pokémon Sword and Shield, causing the number that are initially available in game to be cut down to give developers time to focus on other content, though they could potentially add more Pokémon with the addition of future Pokémon DLC similar to The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra DLC for Galar.
While the 1,000 Pokémon milestone is impressive as an achievement for the series, the sheer number will likely influence how the future games are laid out. Currently there is no concrete news about a new generation in the coming year, with rumors instead leaning towards a potential remake of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, so it will likely be some time before players see new Pokémon added to the current lineup. However, when the next main game does get announced, it will be interesting to see how the Pokémon series will incorporate and tackle 1,000 different species in one game.
