As popular as they are Pokémon games are in dire need of some reinvention. The games have been following the same tired formula with little deviations here and there for years now, and while changing them completely isn’t exactly the right way to go – change is needed, at least in some capacity. The highly anticipated and upcoming Nintendo Switch Pokémon games are just the ones to bring about this change. People are expecting great things from these titles and there’s a lot of potential here to take some of the most established features of the handheld core series games and build off of that.
Rumors regarding these new Switch titles have been floating around the internet for a good while now, but have only recently hit fever pitch as many leakers and theorists are anticipating some significant news regarding the games very soon. It’s anybody’s guess as to what the reveal will bring and which supposed leaks actually turn out to be true. There are a ton of rumors currently out there; some involving the starter Pokémon you’d get, some involving aspects of the game, graphics, gameplay, etc…
Regardless of whatever rumors come true you can be sure that these new games are going to be the most anticipated in recent memory.
Here are 15 Pokémon Switch rumors we’d love to see come true (and 10 that would be terrible).
25 Hype: 2018 Release
It’s probably what most fans are hoping for the most with these new Pokémon games. After all, who wouldn’t want to get their hands on such a hyped up and exciting game as soon as possible? It seems as though the pattern within the Pokémon community involves constantly talking up and theorizing about next-gen games, enjoying said games once they come out and then going right back to awaiting a new entry in the series. Well, it seems as though we’ve been stuck on the first step for a while now – some would say not all that long after Sun & Moon released.
A Pokémon Switch game release in 2018 would be huge for fans and Nintendo as well.
The Switch surprised many of its critics with rave reviews and quickly became one of the most successful console launches in recent memory. While it’s doing alright, the console desperately needs this core Pokémon title sooner rather than later, as do fans. BotW and Mario Odyssey are fantastic games, but they can only hold players’ interests for so long. Nintendo needs another huge hit to add to its newest consoles library and fans are pretty much begging to see what a non-handheld Pokémon game will look like. So while there is a case to be made for Game Freak taking their time with this monumental title, the sooner they put it out the better.
24 Hype: A Brand New Type
This next entry has to do with another rumor we’ll be discussing in much more detail later on (so stick around for that), but we’ll just stick to one aspect of it for now. As it stands, there are currently 18 Pokémon types in the games. However, the introduction of a new generation might change that. It wouldn’t be surprising in the slightest for a new type of Pokémon to be introduced when we get new games – it’s happened many times in the past and is almost assured to happen this time around. This rumor has it that the new kind of Pokémon we’ll be seeing is the Time-type. It’s an interesting concept that would be interesting to explore further – regardless of its legitimacy. As you’d imagine, these Pokémon would be time themed and have something to do with time itself. While that seems like something of a vague description, Game Freak has been getting much more experimental with the newer Pokémon designs as compared to the older ones most fans are used to. So they could definitely fit some strange creatures into this category. One other interesting thing to note if you want to get a better idea of what Time-types would be is the rumored change of two legendary Pokémon’s types – Celebi and Dialga – to half Time-types.
23 Terrible: Remake Or Reboot?
Some of the talk surrounding the new Switch titles has suggested that the games will be remakes, similar to the Gen III Gen I remakes and the Gen IV Gen II remakes that were so popular among fans. This would most probably go over well with fans, regardless of the Generation chosen for the potential remakes. But there’s another rumor attached to this one that might have some older fans a little worried. The new games might not be remakes of older games, but an entire reboot of the franchise altogether. This is huge and would most likely change the dynamic for the series as a whole. For most games, a reboot is just a reimagining when it comes to various plot aspects. But for games like Pokémon that aren’t really all tied together, this could mean that the games themselves are going in a different direction. With a series of games that’s been around for over 20 years now, it isn’t exactly all that surprising to think that changes are on the way. But many Pokémon fans are comfortable with what they’ve essentially had since childhood. While these new Switch titles most likely mean big changes within the franchise, it may also alienate a chunk of loyal long-time fans.
22 Hype: Fully 3D Graphics
As the years have gone on and we’ve seen more and more entries in the series, the Pokémon games have had considerable advancements in graphical quality. Just compare anything from Silver to US & UM and you’ll see that we’ve clearly come a long way from black and white sprites. But this next rumor should have nearly every Pokémon fan excited, as it suggests something that fans have been wanting for years. While there’s nothing wrong with how Pokémon games look, fans have always wished for some more impressive / high definition graphics to better bring the adventure to life. Something akin to Pokkén would do wonders for the series. While this wasn’t really possible on handheld devices, the Switch is an entirely different story. It might not boast the same graphical capabilities as Sony and Microsoft’s consoles, but it’s still a big step up and serves as the best chance fans have of seeing the world of Pokémon in a drastically new and remained way somewhat akin to how the games looked when fans saw them in full color for the first time. While this does nothing for the gameplay itself it’ll definitely shape how we experience this new adventure.
21 Hype: Past And Future
Odds are that this next rumored release isn’t going to pan out but that shouldn’t stop us from looking deeper into it and exploring some of the interesting things it potentially brings to the table. Pokémon Past and Future are two versions of supposed next Gen Pokémon games that are yet to be announced. A video that initially gave this rumor the attention it has now was posted on a non-Nintendo affiliated YouTube account on April 1st of this year. So yeah, that’s not the best sign.
Having Pokémon games that explore the past and future simultaneously is an incredibly experimental but interesting idea.
But in the video we saw a lot of interesting things that would definitely make fans happy. Things like version exclusive enemies, each having to do with their own storylines set 100 years apart between the two versions of the games. Some cool looking starters including a Water/Poison-type and those HD battles fans have been dreaming of for a while. It even comes with a November release date, just in time for the holidays. That’s about the only part of this rumor that seems likely though. The rest is all wishful thinking.
20 Terrible: Diamond And Pearl Remakes
This rumor has some tread on it as it’s been circulating on the internet for a while now and has been the subject of many theories and discussions when talking about the next Pokémon remakes. However, this all seems more like a section of the fanbase wishing for something to happen more than anything else. The thing with the Diamond & Pearl remakes is that they’re assumed to be coming eventually simply based on the pattern that the remakes have followed so far. Gen I was remade in Gen III, Gen II in Gen IV, and not all that long ago we got some pretty impressive Gen III remakes in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. So to assume that these Gen IV remakes are going to be made eventually – or are already in development, as we’re sure fans of those games would love – isn’t all that bad of a guess. But one reason to hold off on this – at least for now – is the predictability of it. The ORAS games were teased by Game Freak very lightly before they got announced and no one really saw it coming until that point. With Gen IV being so popular it might be better for Game Freak to hold off on the immediate satisfaction of giving the fans what they want now, better acquaint themselves with the Switch and finally put out an incredible product down the line.
19 Hype: Are These the New Gen 8 Starters?
Every time a new Pokémon game seems like it’s just around the corner we get a ton of supposed leaks that feature what could or could not be new starter Pokémon. Choosing your starter is the first and one of the most iconic decisions you’ll have to make in any Pokémon game and any time you mention new starter Pokémon, fans get pretty darn excited. So while these starter leaks might not be real, they’re still worth checking out if just for the effort put into them. These leaks hit the internet earlier this year and had fans buzzing for a while. The leaks gained some steam on sites like Reddit and ResetEra, and were discussed quite feverishly by fans arguing their legitimacy. The starters included a Fire-type that seemed to be a sort of bunny with a noticeably bushy tail. The Water-type is a somewhat generic looking platypus that has a certain adorable charm to it. And the Grass-type starter is some sort of monkey with a green mane and incorporates berries into its fighting style somehow. All three of these would be great options as starters based on what we see so far but the chances of this being real are pretty much zilch.
18 Hype: Ultra Shiny
Shiny Pokémon were first introduced to the series in Gen II, and have since become a popular and elusive group that many trainers covet and put hours into obtaining. In terms of stats or battle use, there’s no real difference between Shiny Pokémon and their regular counterparts. The main draw here is the alternate color scheme which in some cases, makes certain Pokémon – like Gyarados for example – look even better than they do in their original design. So when anything having to do with Shiny Pokémon is mentioned – or rumored in this case – you can be sure that it’s going to raise a few eyebrows. It seems that Nintendo registered a new trademark in Japan a while ago for something called Ultra Shiny Pokémon. When this was first found out most thought it had something to do with the Sun & Moon games given the presence of the Ultra Beasts. But that was never used and it looks more and more likely that this will have something to do with the Switch games as focus is shifted onto those titles. What this could be is a complete mystery, but we can speculate that it’ll change Shiny Pokémon in some way and that seems incredibly exciting.
17 Terrible: A Simplified Battle System
As is the case with many of the less favorable rumors on this list, this next one would change the games in a drastic way if it turned out to be true. And while there’s always an argument to be made for change, too much isn’t necessarily the answer either. Pokémon games aren’t all that hard and even newcomers shouldn’t have all that difficult a time picking up the basics within a few battles. So making the battle system somehow easier is a simultaneously impossible and ridiculous idea. Heck, the new games will even tell you which moves work best against whichever Pokémon you’re facing in battle!
We struggle to imagine how much simpler Game Freak can make Pokémon battles at this point.
The new battle system has been compared to the Digimon World games. Those games use a real-time battle system that lets you choose whether to block or attack an opponent from a menu. So while it would still be turn-based it’d be nothing like what we’re used to. Another game that’s battle system has been compared to is Pokkén Tournament. This is much more of an eyebrow raiser and is in a similar vein as the previously mentioned Digimon games. Hopefully though, this rumor is just that: a rumor.
16 Hype: Pokémon Go Influence
Pokémon Go took the world by storm when it first released and had plenty of controversy surrounding it to go along with all the success it brought and praise it received. While things have calmed down on all fronts, recent rumors suggest that the mobile game might have much more of an impact on Pokémon games going forward than you might’ve thought. Things in the new games – particularly in relation to how players obtain their Pokémon companions – could very well be a lot more similar to how things are in Go than they’ve been in previous entries in the series.
Catching Pokémon might rely on motion controls in the new games.
That being said it’s highly unlikely that Nintendo and Game Freak are expecting players to go out and walk in the middle of the street with their Switch every time they feel like catching a new Pokémon. That’ a pretty disjointed experience. But given the Switch’s reliance or at least inclusion of motion controls, you may see how that aspect of it might be worked in somehow. It could be a really cool addition that’d make catching Pokémon feel as real as it ever has. Why push a button when you can actually make a throwing motion?
15 Hype: Pokémon Go Imports
Yet another rumor directly connected to Pokémon Go, it seems that – if these are to be believed, or even turn out to be true in some way or another – Nintendo is very interested in taking what they saw as improvements made in Go and working them into the new games. It’d make sense for them to want to connect the two in some way, seeing as they’re both very popular among fans. One thing that’s sure to get players of both the mobile and core games excited is this one involving the Pokémon you catch in Go. Should this be legit, it’d mean that players can bring those Pokémon over into the new games. This would most definitely be a welcomed feature that would not only add to the experience in the new Switch games, but would add an extra element to Go as well. While figuring out how this would work in regards to Natures and abilities is something to think about – that’s definitely something that would be covered during the announcement or sometime afterwards. This obviously affects some fans more than it does others, and those that it does affect should be excited by this idea.
14 Terrible: Pokémon Go Integration
We’ve been singing Pokémon Go’s praises for the last couple of entries so far, so why are we criticizing this rumor you might ask? Well, let’s dig deeper here. While Pokémon Go is a fun and engaging mobile experience, it also differs very differently from the mainline games. This makes sense seeing as it’s a mobile game that has completely different mechanics from the turn-based games we all know and love. The thing about this rumor is that full Go integration would mean some major changes as opposed to the slight additions mentioned before.
Change is good, but too much drastic change can ruin a franchise.
One bit of information that’s tied to this rumor is the Pokémon Go Plus-like device that might be a companion accessory to the new games. The features of this device are up in the air, with the rumors only stating that the device would communicate with both Pokémon Go and the new games in some way. It all feels like a little bit too much being shoved down players’ throats at once and might ultimately hinder or congest the experience for the casual or even hardcore fan who just isn’t interested in all these additional cross-platform features.
13 Hype: New Region Inspired By Spain / Italy
The Pokémon games are known for having rich and immersive regions that really draw the player in as they’re filled with a sense of adventure. Initially, the games were based on different regions of Japan. But as the years have gone on the locales have shifted to take influence from various other cultures and incorporate them into the Pokémon universe. One particular rumor regarding the upcoming Switch titles suggests that the new games will once again be borrowing upon European influences in the form of either Spain or Italy. This would be a great idea, especially for fans of the Kalos region as the two areas could have the same sort of connection that Kanto and Johto had. Some fans are speculating that it’s leaning more towards Spain at this point as Ash’s new getup in the upcoming Pokémon movie (more on that later) seem to resemble Spanish colors more than Italian ones. Regardless of which is chosen, both of these regions are so culturally rich that they’ll definitely inspire some interesting locations and nuances exclusive to the new region. Though it might be another while until we find out, there’s still plenty of guesswork to be made and that’ll probably continue until the full details are made available.
12 Hype: Mysterious Starter Pokémon Riddle
Here we have yet another rumor regarding starters that has a little bit of a dense history behind it. Back when Sun & Moon were on the horizon, the Pokémon fan community was set ablaze when an online leaker known as the Chinese Riddler leaked the starters designs for those games. They did it via some clues that fans would have to decipher in order to get a picture of what the starters would be. Well, earlier this year a similar thing happened, this time in regards to the much-anticipated Switch titles. But the Riddler’s MO was all too apparent in this new set of clues. It’s important to note that this is an entirely different leaker. Though it seemed to be the same person at first, the consensus is that this is a different leaker and by extension a less credible source. The three clues are: the Hero of Dragon Quest VIII, some sort of Labyrinth, and the Chinese character Sha Wujing. What these mean exactly are anyone’s guess and there’s been rampant speculation on various comment sections and forums. Though this is one of those rumors that’s more likely to be false than anything, it’s still kind of fun to use these “clues” to guess and engage with other fans at the identity of these three highly anticipated new starters.
11 Terrible: No New Mega Evolutions
Mega Evolutions were first introduced to fans in Gen VI and have gone over well with the majority of the fanbase. In terms of gameplay, they make certain Pokémon all the more covetable due to the stat increase these transformations bring. They also radically change a Pokémon’s design and in all honesty, make them look way better than they initially did. It just works on all fronts and has quickly become a staple of recent Pokémon games and battles. So naturally, fans want more of these useful and exciting Mega Evolutions. But they might have to hold their breath.
Fans would love to see more Mega Evolutions, especially with certain Pokémon that many feel have been neglected with this new mechanic.
There are 46 different species of Pokémon that can Mega Evolve, with Charizard and Mewtwo each having two possible forms. That’s a total of 48 Mega Evolutions. Given the fact that there are over 800 Pokémon out there that number isn’t very high, but plays a large role in why these Pokémon are so coveted. The rumor that there might not be any new Mega Evolutions in the new Switch titles is pretty disappointing for fans who were hoping to see some of their old favorites get a complete overhaul.
10 Hype: Let’s Go!
The current hot rumor involving the Switch titles right now – and if you’ve been following this news closely, the most likely to be legitimate at this point. Fans of Gen I will be happy with these rumors as it seems more and more likely that we’ll be getting some Gen I remakes (or reboots) of Pokémon Yellow. The Games will be titled Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee Edition and as you could guess, will give the player the option of starting with either Pikachu or Eevee at the beginning of the game.
Of all the rumors out there, this one seems the most likely and might very well be announced sooner than you’d think.
While this news might disappoint some fans hoping for a completely new Gen of Pokémon games, the chances that these rumors might pan out are pretty high. The aforementioned Eevee movie rumor along with a number of Twitter posts by Game Freak producer Junichi Masuda featuring the aforementioned Pokémon at least suggests that something is going down with these two fan favorites. The rumors originates from a 4chan post way back in March that only recently began to stir up all this excitement. So there’s some cause for skepticism here as well. But so far it’s the most legitimate sounding one out there.
9 Terrible: Red And Blue As Rivals
As iconic as the original Gen I games are, so are the two main characters at the center of its plot. A simple dynamic that would be worked into pretty much every following Pokémon game from then on, Red and Blue are rival trainers that have become some of the most well-known characters in the series. Blue is pivotal to the main goal of the first games; becoming a Pokémon Master by defeating all eight Gym’s and eventually the Elite Four. He serves as a consistent and unpredictable challenge that keeps the player on their toes at all times. While seeing these two loved characters is always a treat for fans, one rumor that’s been floating around suggests that these two might be appearing in the rumored Gen I Switch remakes/reboots. However, they wouldn’t be resuming their roles as main character and rival. Much like the latest Pokémon film, these two would get written over and instead appear in the games as sort of secondary rival characters – obviously playing a significantly smaller role. For many older fans of the series, there is no Gen I without these two and so this kind of rumor could be very worrying to fans who want to see their old favorites in the spotlight again.
8 Hype: Movie Eevelution Reveal
Pokémon movies have always been kind of a big deal, even though there are so many of them. The films often take the opportunity to do something interesting with storylines, examine and feature certain Pokémon that haven’t been featured heavily in the anime and on several occasions even introduce audiences to new types of Pokémon that’d later appear in new generation games. Pokémon the Movie: Everyone’s Story will bring Ash together with five other characters and their Pokémon. One trainer, in particular, has a Pokémon that’s very well liked by fans.
It wouldn’t be all that surprising with a new generation of Pokémon to kick off with an Eeveelution reveal.
Eevee and its evolutions have managed to stay as some of the most popular Pokémon among fans. So it’s only natural that the inclusion of an Eevee in this new movie would prompt some fans into thinking that big Eevee news is on the way with a new set of games on the horizon. The idea is that this Eevee would transform into an entirely New Eeveelution and it’d be one of the first examples of a Switch next-Gen Pokémon we’d get before the games launched. If this is true then it would certainly cause a stir and serve as an interesting way to build up more excitement for the upcoming games.
7 Terrible: No Random Encounters
Let’s try and examine the good with this new rumor first as it does bring some interesting things to the table. This next rumor involves something fans have wanted for a while in Pokémon games; a fully animated overworld that lets players get a better idea and feel for the environment around them. Imagine it: you could be roaming around the map and see Pokémon running through the tall grass, flying in the air, swimming in the water. It’d make the whole experience feel all the more real. Imagine a Tales game if you’ve ever played one of those. But there lies the problem with this rumor. The flip side of all that interactivity is the removal of random encounters. Some fans could very well go for this idea, as encounter rates sometimes make finding a specific Pokémon a tiresome task. But for many fans of the series, random encounters are a staple that make finding and training specific Pokémon all the more rewarding. That’s why this is such a hard rumor to dislike. On the one hand, it could add a new dynamic to the games that we as fans would definitely appreciate on some level. But the price to pay there would be altering the games dramatically.
6 Hype: Tradition Vs Innovation
The Pokémon games have been around for a long, long time. As have the various other forms transmedia based on the games. It happens in most cases – when you’re talking about series’ this old – that they fall into certain patterns or comfort zones that simultaneously help them sell games and get flak from longtime fans as being too formulaic. These new Switch games represent a chance to change all that. To make a core Pokémon game that we’ve never experienced before and please both sides of the fence in the process. It’s a tough task and one that the new games are rumored to focus on. The Switch games are said to follow the theme of tradition vs innovation and if that’s true, then it mirrors the current state of Pokémon games rather well (intentional on the part of game Freak surely). If done well this can be a landmark entry in the series. Some fans might’ve been worried that Game Freak would play it too conservative while others were afraid that the games would change too much. What we need is a nice sweet spot somewhere in between and rumors like this should make fans excited for that possibility.
