Game Freak and Nintendo caught most fans off guard when they released the announcement trailer for the ninth generation mainline Pokémon games, Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Not much information is yet known about them beyond what was in the trailer and a small amount of text released on the Pokémon website, but fans are already making bold predictions about what they expect to see.
Most guesses this early are likely to end up incorrect, but some astute Redditors have connected dots to put together claims that seem pretty plausible. From evolution methods to plot points, only time will tell what predictions are spot on and which were little more than wishful thinking.
There have always been some rare Pokémon throughout the franchise's history, but it wasn't until Pokémon Sword & Shield that players actually weren't allowed to use certain creatures. Previously, if a game didn't feature a specific Pokémon, players could still import them from other games or Pokémon Home.
This removal because known as "Dexit" among the fan community and was a significant mar on the launch of Sword & Shield. Referring to whether they think this decision will be reversed, RaysFTW predicts, "It won’t. Precedent has been set already and I doubt GF will be changing anything."
Plot details are currently nonexistent for Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, but the announcement did show the protagonist wearing what appears to be a school uniform. This clothing has led some fans to believe that a school will play a role in the game.
Erikikoy guesses that the "Story revolves around a school/academy. "Orange"(scarlet) and "Grape"(violet) emblems are basically rival houses akin to Griffyndor/Ravenclaw." This narrative would provide an exciting twist on the "leaving home" trope that has been in almost every game so far and would give ample opportunities for antagonists and allies.
Originally, Pokémon players could only move their monsters from one game or save file to another via a proprietary link cable. That eventually evolved into wireless trading. Then, Pokémon Home attempted to provide a bank that could store and transfer Pokémon between every game on modern systems.
However, Home has fallen behind the most recent releases, and trainers cannot access their most iconic Pokémon from each game. Redditor ModestVolcarona, however, is optimistic that it will return, noting, "We could expect Home compatibility 100% for the new games and compatibility for BDSP and PLA has been announced weeks/months ago."
Ever since Pokémon X and Y transitioned the franchise to 3D graphics, fans have complained about graphical fidelity and art style. Pokémon Scarlet & Violet still don't appear to be graphics powerhouses, but fans are already expecting the games to be the best-looking Pokémon titles yet after seeing the reveal trailer.
Minnale's post, "Comparisons of Pokémon models and textures of sword and shield and scarlet and violet," showcases many improved textures. Gamers are optimistic that this will carry over into more lively environments as well.
While not much is yet known about the three starter Pokémon in Scarlet & Violet, fans are already running rampant with speculation about what their evolved forms will look like. It's not rare for starters to take inspiration from their region; last gen's UK-inspired games had the soccer-themed Cinderace and James Bond-ish Inteleon.
Hombrebax makes a prediction based on this trend, saying, "Taken account that the region is inspired in Spain, the cat is probably inspired by the Iberian Lynx." If this prediction comes true, this grass Pokémon will join one of the strongest Sun & Moon Pokémon in the category of cat-based starters.
Few fans expected a new mainline entry in the Pokémon franchise so soon after Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl. By the time generation nine releases, Game Freak will have put out three games in one 12 month span.
While this is exciting for players looking for more content, others are worried that the lack of development time will result in a lack of polish. Mefisofeles1 worries, saying, "Yes my first impression is that this isn't a good thing. Surely this [sic] games are being rushed." While multiple development teams are undoubtedly being used, it's still the least amount of time ever between three games.
There is a popular fan theory that all Fire-type starter Pokémon are inspired by the animals of the Chinese Zodiac. This has led some to believe that Fuecoco, the "Fire Croc" Pokémon, will evolve into some kind of snake.
Most, however, believe that Fuecoco will stay as a crocodilian and prove that the Zodiac theory was never real in the first place. Xahnel explains the root of their doubt, explaining, "There is no secret zodiac theme. If there was a theme, then Game Freak would just do it in an obvious fashion."
Most Pokémon that evolve do so by reaching a certain level, but some require players to meet very specific requirements. The most famous are trade evolutions like Haunter and Machoke, but some are truly bizarre and never explained well in-game.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus introduced several new evolutions, and many of them require non-traditional evolution methods. Reiker0 expects this to continue in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, explaining, "I'd expect this to continue. PLA had some really weird and tedious evolution methods for the new mons. I think there might be like 1 NPC that vaguely explains each one..."
From Pokémon X & Y on, each generation of games has featured a unique battle mechanic, so it's fair to assume Pokémon Scarlet & Violet will have one as well. There is a six-pointed shape on the Scarlet & Violet logo, and gmm38162 believes, "...it could be a reference to having your Pokémon take on a light form? Or light affecting Pokémon to evolve in a completely different way."
The game's logo does feature what appears to be a glimmer, and some fans think "Scarlet" and "Violet" may connect to the infrared and ultraviolet portions of the light spectrum.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus shook up the franchise's traditional gameplay look in many ways, and some of those changes have been quite popular with the fan base. One significant change was that trainers could throw Pokéballs to catch monsters without battling them.
Some fans are hoping this feature returns in Scarlet & Violet, but Willowed-Wisp doesn't think it will, saying, "Frankly, it made more sense to catch them that way in PLA when you needed tons of Pokémon. I doubt you'll need to catch as many in the new games."
