Generation 8 Rumours/Fakes/Leaks

[DoctorWhy]

That would imply Zeraora is a gen 8 mon tho, which it it isn't. Also Zeraora would be considered a mythical so it's irrelevant when talking about this event. They're all full legends so Zeraora will get it's own reveal and event that doesn't compete with this.

Not necessarily. There's a few options here:

1. Distribute Zeraora to SM/USUM and simply leave it at that while still releasing Pokemon Switch.

2. Distribute Zeraora to SM/USUM and give it a new form in Pokemon Switch, further incentivizing handheld players to get Pokemon Switch. Of course, this would require that Bank is up and running relatively quickly after release. But that seems workable.

3. Distribute Zeraora to both SM/USUM and Pokemon Switch

There's a few other, non-distributional, possibilities as well:

1. They were undecided on whether to include Zeraora as a Gen 7 or Gen 8 mon because when working on USUM, they didn't know whether or not the Switch game would manage to release in 2018. If Pokemon Switch were to release in 2018, cool, they have their first Gen 8 mon ready for a cool mythical distribution! If not, then, cool, they have one more Gen 7 mythical to release while Pokemon Switch is still being finished up. This was a pretty new situation for them to be in. Remember, we're not really supposed to know it exists.

2. While not cross-generational, XY had data for Mega Lati@s which wasn't released until ORAS, similar things for Zygarde as well. From a development perspective, if Zeraora were like this, this would not be unusual nor unheard of.

 

[dvor]

That would imply Zeraora is a gen 8 mon tho, which it it isn't. Also Zeraora would be considered a mythical so it's irrelevant when talking about this event. They're all full legends so Zeraora will get it's own reveal and event that doesn't compete with this.

maybe zeraora is a gen 8 pokemon, victini was the first gen 5 pokemon in the dex so it can be something like that here too.
i know you can still use it on ultra sun and moon, but maybe they put it in usum just in case pokemon switch won't be ready for 2018.

 

[Kirby4ever]

As someone who have all of the legendary Pokemon besides Ultra form Nercrozma, Lunala, and Cosmoem, I'm not sure if I'm willing to take a trip to Gamestop every month to get the Pokemon I already have unless it's a shiny. If it's an online distribution, then I'm going go get them for the free golden bottle caps.

 

[Plubio]

That would imply Zeraora is a gen 8 mon tho, which it it isn't.

2016 Event Meloetta was distributed to XY/ORAS on December, a month after Sun and Moon.
To be fair I don't think a December release Zeraora is impossible.

 

[Silktree]

maybe zeraora is the december event, like magearna

Meloetta was the December event, while Magearna was unlocked separately via a QR code.

Zeraora will probably be distributed in October or November outside Japan. Chances are that the legendary distribution of that month will be handled via Wi-Fi.

 

[Knightwolf09]

Not really sure how this event solidifies no 2018 release. I'd imagine the event will be around by the games release, if it comes out in 2018 that is.

 

[Jukain]

I find it suspicious that they did not show December. It could be nothing, this seems odd to be building up to something new.

 

[Silktree]

They're just using the legendary pairs from USUM, but I suppose it's a little suspicious that they aren't using Solgaleo/Lunala or a shiny Necrozma or Mewtwo.

 

[Borjitasstoi]

more changes? ITS NOT ENOUGHT REMOVE BADGES FOR TRIALSHIT? no seriously battle system like digimon world ¿what is this? someone tell me someday pokemon turns into digimon right now i believe this guy... sorry but i left for new practices possibly take chance because i dont see anything

 

[Defiant]

Very interesting that they haven't put anything in for December. Especially considering Zygardes inclusion. They could easily have slipped in Solgaleo/Lunala or even Shiny Necrozma.

 

[Brake]

Ho-oh and Lugia will be distributed in November, quite interesting, nop? Considering that the Pokémon Movies usually comes at this month in United States, maybe this is another clue that Lugia will receive a major role on the movie.

Anyway, I don't think this distributions disqualifies a 2018 release for Pokémon Switch, however don't confirm a 2018 release too. For me this event implies in nothing, considering that the both scenarios (a 2018 realase and a 2019 release) continues potentially possibles.

 

[TheMonster6893]

Now that I have a minute here is my 2 cents. I don't think Zeraora will have anything at all to do with this event. First off regardless of whether it's a gen 7 or 8 mon (it's a gen 7 mon guys come on..XP) it's a mythical either way. The event that was announced are all version exclusives and have no ties to mythicals. This will be the same as 2016 where Volcanion had it's own event separate from the mythical distribution that was going on that much I'm sure. (I know technically Volcanion is a mythical, but whatever) Second I do think it's interesting that there isn't one for December. They could very easily have found one more pair that they could have used if they wanted to fill that spot. While not exactly the same this reminds me very much of 2016 where they released all the mythicals. It almost seems like they're prepping people for a jump. Otherwise under ordinary circumstances they wouldn't need to make sure everyone has access to the version exclusives. Also Like I said I feel like they'd finish the year out if there wasn't something coming. Why skip December if there's nothing else to promote? Something seems very similar about this event and the 2016 mythical event. Very suspicious.......

Also while it could very well be nothing and probably is I find the order in which they're all being given out a bit suspicious. Why not do them all in chronological order like they did the mythicals? It doesn't make crazy sense to jump around. I mean it's doesn't really make that much of a difference, but it does make me wonder if there's a bigger plan going on that we don't see.

 

[Rosalia R]

Also while it could very well be nothing and probably is I find the order in which they're all being given out a bit suspicious. Why not do them all in chronological order like they did the mythicals? It doesn't make crazy sense to jump around. I mean it's doesn't really make that much of a difference, but it does make me wonder if there's a bigger plan going on that we don't see.

Well, there's the Ultra Prism TCG set with a lot of Sinnoh influence coming out in the US in February, so maybe that was intended as a tie-in? The Forbidden Light set is supposed to have some Kalos influence as well, and it will come out the same month as Xerneas and Yveltal are to be distributed.

It could be a coincidence, but I can't think of any other reason to do so.

 

[TheMonster6893]

Well, there's the Ultra Prism TCG set with a lot of Sinnoh influence coming out in the US in February, so maybe that was intended as a tie-in? The Forbidden Light set is supposed to have some Kalos influence as well, and it will come out the same month as Xerneas and Yveltal are to be distributed.

It could be a coincidence, but I can't think of any other reason to do so.

that actually makes a lot of sense. Good point to be made there. Even if not all the legends get focal points in the TCG they may have specific ones have new cards or something. We'll likely at least get 2 -3 more sets of TCG after Forbidden light that count for gen 7 imo. It would make sense for them to tie in the legends being distributed in some way. They technically did that for the mythicals too.

 

[Feign]

I find it suspicious that they did not show December. It could be nothing, this seems odd to be building up to something new.

If the rumors of a March announcement of *something* holds true, then I'm guessing we'll have the games in December. Pokemon Sun and Moon were announced in February and released in November while Pokemon X and Y were announced in January and released in October. ORAS were announced in May and came out in November, but as those were remakes, I'm guessing they didn't get quite the same advertising campaign. If we go back to Black and White, those were announced in January and released in September. In Japan, at least. We had to wait until March of the next year. But it seems like a typical marketing campaign for new generation, main series games is about 10 months. A March announcement would definitely point to December, unless Nintendo really pushes them. I'm not expecting it any earlier than November if it does come out this year, but considering March is the 1 year anniversary of the Switch and knowing Nintendo's plans for sales, I doubt we'll be going into April without any solid information. They need a big franchise to meet their goals and I can't think of another that would do it for them the way Pokemon would.

----

Unfounded theory I'm thinking about not aimed at you, just more thoughts as I have them:

I'm going to guess that this will be a return to Kanto in some capacity. Pokemon is a system seller, sure, but Nintendo seems very confident in its numbers. I really think only Kanto will get them that, although it will also have to be new in some way to appeal to both veterans of the series and gamers who have moved on. Both Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey go back to old roots in new ways. Breath of the Wild is still Hyrule, but it's not the same as it was on the NES. More than open worlds, I think the big takeaway here is a re-examination of what franchise can be without losing its core. I'm also not of the mindset that Kanto remakes or sequels will be easier to make. I think they potentially might be harder as people will have expectations. You can't cut things people already know, which a new generation trying to meet a deadline could. Kanto isn't the largest, but making it into a fully realized console game? I don't think there's going to be a route (heh) they can take that'll lead to getting a game out faster.

And if it's not Kanto adjacent, then I'll guess that it's a more mature take on the series. Just look at that first Switch commercial. This is the new target audience:

 

[Midorikawa]

I'm going to guess that this will be a return to Kanto in some capacity. Pokemon is a system seller, sure, but Nintendo seems very confident in its numbers. I really think only Kanto will get them that

I don’t think it will do any good. Sure there are those that love kanto but it would be a bad first Pokémon hame for the switch.

1) they’ve been kanto fluffing so much that a lot of us are sick of it and rather a new place with new Pokémon. Not another kanto thing.
2) if they want to encourage people to buy the system then they need something appealing. Considering they recently released RBY and GS on the virtual console, with crystal coming soon, and the fact that Hgss has a kanto revisit, it’s not as though you can’t enjoy the region for much cheaper.

I know I want to see love for the other regions, and I love a new place to explore. And if I feel like playing kanto. I own rby already, I can play my hgss for it too. If I feel like playing kanto then I’ll do it with what I own. I’m certainly not gong to dish out the money for the switch if the game is just a kanto game again. We’ve had it more than enough. They don’t stop with its Pokémon. We need a break. I want to play a game with new Pokémon I haven’t used much or at all because they weren’t kanto Pokémon.

 

[Knightwolf09]

By the way, has anyone found out what the little kids thing for the switch was?

 

[Rosalia R]

By the way, has anyone found out what the little kids thing for the switch was?

It's Nintendo Labo, basically a Switch game that comes with cardboard. Nothing to do with Pokemon.

 

[TechSkylander1518]

maybe zeraora is a gen 8 pokemon, victini was the first gen 5 pokemon in the dex so it can be something like that here too.

Victini never appeared in Sinnoh's dex, though. Even if it was the first Pokemon in the dex, it should be in its own region.

i know you can still use it on ultra sun and moon, but maybe they put it in usum just in case pokemon switch won't be ready for 2018.

Why would that matter? There's been longer delays in-between releases, and if they were using Mystery Gifts to keep people interested, why not hold off on Marshadow?

 

[Feign]

Oh, other random theory I've been thinking about: I wonder if we're heading toward a split timeline with Mega Evolutions in one and Fusion in the other. It seems like Colress is getting handy at it in the post B2W2 timeline. Plus I keep thinking about N's response after Kyurem and his dragon fuse, which is:

It seems split into even and odd gens.

Gens 2, 4, and 6 manipulated evolution. By this I mean we have Team Rocket creating the shiny Gyrados with radio signals, that then creates further evolutions in Sinnoh. Also babies. Scizor, Steelix, and all the item evolutions of those in Gen 1. New Eevelutions. Kalos introduces Mega Evolution as a step further.

And going back to 1, there were a lot of science experiments going on. We also have a ton of Pokemon like Dodrio, Magneton, Dugtrio. Ditto isn't fusing, but it's copying others DNA to become them. Gen 3 doesn't have much off the top of my head, but it is where we get Deoxys, the DNA Pokemon. Castform is also an artificial Pokemon that takes on the properties of the weather. Then Gen 5 has the Dragons who unfused due to differing beliefs. When Kyurem absorbs one of them, we see fusion as something separate from evolution for the first time. There's also Genesect, who Team Plasma add a cannon to. And in Gen 7 we have Necrozma, who fuses with the box legendary and after a certain move can completely revert back to his true dragon form. Not to mention Type: Null, scientists trying to create God.

Actually, it seems like every other gen seems to have an emphasis on science and experimentation in terms of mythology, whereas the even number gens we get Pokemon like Ho-Oh, Xerneas, or Giratina who are more in tune with spirituality: Life and Death. Diancie is a mutation, Magearna is a creation. Although Alolan forms are interesting. It's not really evolution in the Pokemon sense, I suppose. I'd guess the truth is that they fit the setting and if it's fun for the game then why not? I'm probably thinking about this way too much.