Step aside, whatever “Pokémon Café Remix” is — the ninth generation of Pokémon is coming. This morning, a Pokémon Presents broadcast announced “Pokémon Scarlet and Violet,” the latest installment in the main series Pokémon games after “Pokémon Sword and Shield” came out in late 2019. The Nintendo Switch games are expected to be released in late 2022.
Check out the extremely dramatic trailer here:
From the trailer, the graphics look similar to the recently released (and very fun) “Pokémon Legends: Arceus,” but the footage may not show actual gameplay, so it’s still up in the air if we’ll encounter over-world Pokémon again (that implementation worked in “Arceus,” but let’s not pull a “Pokémon Let’s Go” again, please.) But, the YouTube description of the trailer declares, “Welcome to the open world of Pokémon,” so maybe this game will take a nod from “Arceus” (which isn’t technically an open world game, but it’s the closest thing the Pokémon franchise has to a “Breath of the Wild”-style adventure).
We see some familiar friends like Magnemite, Lucario, Hoppip, Drifloon, Combee, Meowth, Pikachu and others in the trailer, but the only new Pokémon we see are the generation nine starters, which have yet to be named. (Update: apparently these new friends are: Sprigatito, a “capricious, attention-seeking Grass Cat Pokémon;” Fuecoco, a “laid-back Fire Croc Pokémon that does things at its own pace;” and Quaxly, an “earnest and tidy Duckling Pokémon.” Don’t ask me how any of these are pronounced.)
We’ve got a strange trio here. There’s a cute little grass kitty (easily my pick), an apple-shaped, fire-type dinosaur (serious potential for a final evolution here, don’t let us down), and a water Pokémon that literally looks like Donald Duck — don’t tell Disney’s legal department.
In other Pokémon news, the broadcast announced that Pokémon from the Alola region will now appear in “Pokémon Go,” there are some minor updates to “Diamond and Pearl” and “Arceus,” some new playable Pokémon in the “Pokémon Unite” and “Pokémon Masters EX” side games, and… I don’t know, something new in whatever “Pokémon Cafe Remix” is supposed to be.
Find out for yourself on a replay of this morning’s broadcast: