Official Pokémon Sword and Shield speculation thread (Updated June 5th, 2019)

[Diamond & Pearl]

I wouldn't mind, because I'm not a Kanto fanboy?

If I had it my way, Johto and Hoenn would be more popular than Kanto.

What does my question have to do with your heart's desire and being a Kanto fanboy or not?

People don't nottice, but Kanto is still a majority favorite

When it comes to the top favourite Pokémon individually, then yes (although the results contradict with that of the Japanese questionnaire with Greninja as top favourite by a certain extent, so the results of this questionnaire can't be generalised and its validity is questionable). However, outside the top favourite Pokémon according to that questionnaire, the conclusion that Kanto is a majority favourite is a bit populisitc.

 

[Pax Unda]

Tangent: Wasn't there supposed to be a big news thing called CoroCoro Ichiban that's dropping in like 2 days? I'm surprised it hasn't leaked yet if it is

 

[Knightwolf09]

Tangent: Wasn't there supposed to be a big news thing called CoroCoro Ichiban that's dropping in like 2 days? I'm surprised it hasn't leaked yet if it is

Oh it has, it just didn't have anything substantial

 

[FaeKing17]

Ok then... Kanto bad.

Now you're getting it.

 

[FaeKing17]

Spoiler

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/pokemon/comments/c0w4s0/favourite_pok%C3%A9mon_survey_results/

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/pokemon/comments/c0w4s0/favourite_pok%C3%A9mon_survey_results/



People don't nottice, but Kanto is still a majority favorite

God I hate this so much.

 

[Diamond & Pearl]

God I hate this so much.

Comparing this with the Japanese survey, it can be seen that the results of both surveys don't have a parallel correlation, thus making this survey not representative and valid. Also, the survey is most probably not designed by a professional.

Spoiler: The Japanese survey

The Japanese sure have a more diverse and open view than us on Pokémon...

 

[Knightwolf09]

Why's it mostly legendaries on the list?

 

[Silktree]

If you're going to quote that giant post, use spoiler tags. I personally find that poll weird for Mewtwo (or any legendary/mythical) not being among the Top 10, but whatever. The Japanese poll was targeted at kids in the context of a movie distribution, so it's even iffier.

 

[PocketMonster]

Kanto may be well loved by individuals when looking at individual pokemon but that doesn't mean kanto alone should get spot lights. There are favorites in other generations too. I also feel like Johto is often forgotten, ignored and left out the most compared to other generations.

 

[Diamond & Pearl]

If you're going to quote that giant post, use spoiler tags. I personally find that poll weird for Mewtwo (or any legendary/mythical) not being among the Top 10, but whatever.

Well, for the sake of nuance, Mewtwo is eleventh, so it just didn't make it to the top 10...

Why's it mostly legendaries on the list?

(With taking the fact that legendaries are among the most notable and popular Pokémon in mind):

Maybe because the Japanese aren't exposed to Kanto pandering as much as Westerners are? Greninja is their favourite because, besides its design, it appeals to the Japanese culture and maybe this also goes for other Pokémon we don't know about.

Kanto may be well loved by individuals when looking at individual pokemon but that doesn't mean kanto alone should get spot lights. There are favorites in other generations too.

That's the point.

 

[The Haymaker]

I really feel like questioning the sense of ‘balance’ of the person who thought it was a good idea to put stealth rocks into a game without a way to remove them. (LGPE, if I’m not mistaken).

They didn't consider balance at all for LGPE, but that's also because it was a simplified, casual remake. There's not even VGC or an official competitive format in LGPE.

Part of the problem is that GameFreak was handwavy with the details and gave vague reasons for their decision. It might not have changed anything, but at least it wouldn't have left so much room for interpretation. I wish Masuda would've just came out and said it, but it seems like they were highlighting the issue of numbers when talking about balance. Too many possibilities can make things too complicated. It's why they made the decision to leave out Megas and Z-moves (and that's one thing I can definitely understand, although most probably don't agree). With Dynamax, all 3 would be a lot going on in a battle, and having just Dynamax scales back some of the power creep that's amped up since Gen 5.

 

[Grass Type Gardenia]

Imagine the Sherwood Forest Gym Leader being based on Robin Hood.

 

[Silktree]

Well, for the sake of nuance, Mewtwo is eleventh, so it just didn't make it to the top 10...

I was referring to the Reddit poll.

 

[The Haymaker]

Comparing this with the Japanese survey, it can be seen that the results of both surveys don't have a parallel correlation, thus making this survey not representative and valid. Also, the survey is most probably not designed by a professional.

Spoiler: The Japanese survey

The Japanese sure have a more diverse and open view than us on Pokémon...

Yeah, if research methods for my sociology major has taught me anything, it's that creating valid samples of a population is really tough. It'd be really difficult to perform an accurate analysis on favorite Pokemon or most popular region. It's the same reason why the online discussion isn't a good indicator of the overall opinion of Sword and Shield. There are millions that have watched the Direct(s) but not the gameplay or have seen everything and just don't discuss things like this online. Plus, people are more likely to voice their opinion when they are unhappy compared to when they are indifferent or satisfied and are more likely to remember negative memories than positive ones, etc.

 

[Knightwolf09]

Kanto may be well loved by individuals when looking at individual pokemon but that doesn't mean kanto alone should get spot lights. There are favorites in other generations too. I also feel like Johto is often forgotten, ignored and left out the most compared to other generations.

As someone who grew up with and started in Johto, by comparison it doesn't offer much to remember in terms of pokemon. There's are only about a handful of pokemon and evolutions I actually care about

 

[BigBadButterfree]

It's really a cyclical thing. People like Kanto Pokemon because they're exposed to them more, and GF gives us more Kanto Pokemon exposure because people like them more. It's never gonna end unfortunately.

 

[Diamond & Pearl]

I was referring to the Reddit poll.

Oops. Also, judging from my statistical background knowledge, the Japanese poll is way less iffier than the one on Reddit. Give me a source that it's targeted towards kids. And even if it is, that does say something, but not too much. I can't see the factor age having a significant influence on one's favourite Pokémon, which is mostly a matter of taste and matter of taste shouldn't be too different over the ages.

 

[Silktree]

As someone who grew up with and started in Johto, by comparison it doesn't off much to remember in terms of pokemon. There's are only about a handful of pokemon and evolutions I actually care about

I care about them plenty, but I'm rather indifferent to which generation gets represented the most in terms of Megas/forms (Megas are evidently disposable, while forms rarely change viability all that much). Cross-generational evolutions are a different story, and I'd agree that Farfetch'd should be the only one for Kanto this time. Corsola, Qwilfish, Dunsparce, Sudowoodo, Sunflora, Girafarig and Stantler await their turn, but they might just be removed with Dexit rearing its ugly head...

People forget that the Alolan forms were given to fairly neglected Generation I species. Don't hold their region against them just because Game Freak were too lazy to add new ones in USUM.

 

[jonathan keller]

If I had it my way, Johto and Hoenn would be as popular as Kanto.

It's not really a weird example for anyone who is even remotely acquainted with communism.

So you're comparing the pandering to a certain generation of fictional monsters to a ideology that has killed numerous people throughout history. In what way is that a good comparison? Please don't try to insult me, i'm well aware of how communism works.

 

[FaeKing17]

I don't think every single or 2 stage Pokemon needs an evolution tbh