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

[Pulsaro23]

I don't see what's bizarre about people wanting some representation in Pokémon games?

What I find bizarre is that everyone is talking about it like it's as important of an "issue" as graphics, open world-ness and new/returning mechanic are.

 

[Oriden]

What I find bizarre is that everyone is talking about it like it's as important of an "issue" as graphics, open world-ness and new/returning mechanic are.

...because it is kind of an important topic to some people? And we already beat those other topics to death.

 

[Icy Wind]

As someone who is gay who had to deal with lot of repercussions due to being gay, I have to say I'm not surprised to see how some people are against having the LGBTQ+ (not only that but just about any minorities) because they're afraid it'd outshadow the Pokemon game (even though it's clearly not the case at all) and would resort to XXX things.

With all respect, i think you’re making some hasty generalizations here.

Not caring about including LGBT characters doesn’t make someone homophobic as you’re trying to imply. Personally, i’m totally cool with queer characters in Pokemon. I just don’t think it’s productive to talk about these things on a forum, and like i said earlier the discussion clearly started on the wrong foot. I’m sure others feel the same.

 

[prog rocker]

Isn't it possible that they could create new animations for existing models? I doubt they'll do it this gen, given our trailer, but I'd like to hold out hope eventually.

They can, but seeing how they didn't do anything for SM or LGPE makes me doubtful that they will do anything this time.

 

[William-Jdubz]

I don't want Sobble going the chameleon route. I don't particularly like those animals, and besides, we already have Keckleon.

Sobble is based off a chameleon already though lol

 

[Cainhxrst]

Oh ha ha funny man. But seriously it's weird that I suddenly got this much action against me. And I made fakes before this. To go this far for something rather harmless, might be a bit much, unless you said something they don't want others to hear.

you can get banned from 4chan???

 

[Lunala]

Not caring about including LGBT characters doesn’t make them homophobic as you’re trying to imply. Personally, i’m totally cool with queer characters in Pokemon. I just don’t think it’s productive to talk about these things on a forum, and like i said earlier the discussion clearly started on the wrong foot. I’m sure others feel the same.

Well where would you suggest people talk about LGBT representation in Pokemon Sword and Shield then? I'm not sure why here is not good enough, and apparently no forum is good enough.

It doesn't make a lot of sense, and seems a bit condescending. "Oh I don't think it's productive for you guys to be talking about LGBT stuff on this or any forum", I mean there's not a lot of positive ways to interpret that.

 

[Zeosan]

With all respect, i think you’re making some hasty generalizations here.

Not caring about including LGBT characters doesn’t make someone homophobic as you’re trying to imply. Personally, i’m totally cool with queer characters in Pokemon. I just don’t think it’s productive to talk about these things on a forum, and like i said earlier the discussion clearly started on the wrong foot. I’m sure others feel the same.

I understand where you're coming from on that and I apologize if you felt it came off that way! The part mainly about conservatives that happened earlier isn't okay because it's just trying to force something in to stir something up meanwhile for some like me who would like to have some representations in the game!

However, what I am not okay with is that some people came off dismissive and that's my main problem here.

 

[Icy Wind]

Well where would you suggest people talk about LGBT representation in Pokemon Sword and Shield then? I'm not sure why here is not good enough, and apparently no forum is good enough.

It doesn't make a lot of sense, and seems a bit condescending. "Oh I don't think it's productive for you guys to be talking about this on this or any forum", I mean there's not a lot of positive ways to interpret that.

I meant that these issues are controversial and someone is inevitably going to be offended. That’s why I don’t feel it’s productive. I apologize if i came off as condescending.

 

[Knightwolf09]

you can get banned from 4chan???

Apparently. I'm just banned from posting though. Whether it'd be threads or comments.

 

[Pulsaro23]

...because it is kind of an important topic to some people? And we already beat those other topics to death.

But it's not one that would be impactful to the games as the other ones are.

And why Pokémon of all franchises? The series has always struck me as being pretty diverse/inclusive/full of representation/whatever you wanna call it in terms of race and gender. Is it really necessary to add sexuality (of all things) to the list? And is it really that important, to the point that past characters should be retconned into being LGBT only?

 

[William-Jdubz]

The outcry over that was perfectly valid imo.

I think GF was fairly innocent though. I don’t believe it was deliberate as the claims were saying. But for America specifically yeah the change was needing to be addressed.

 

[Lunala]

I meant that these issues are controversial and someone is inevitably going to be offended. That’s why I don’t feel it’s productive. I apologize if i came off as condescending.

Ah, I see. But "stay on explicitly queer forums so nobody gets offended by you if you talk about LGBT" doesn't seem like a great plan to me. But I suppose people have different opinions.

 

[Desdar300]

Part of me wondered if maybe if it's implying that these might be the strongest set of starters to date. Or maybe the starters are the strongest in their own strengths. Like Grookey is the most offensive, Scorbunny is the fastest, and Sobble is the most defensive.

If they're based on atheletes that would be really neat.

 

[TechSkylander1518]

But it's not one that would be impactful to the games as the other ones are.

That's a very subjective thing.

And why Pokémon of all franchises?

Because this is a forum about Pokemon?

Is it really necessary to add sexuality (of all things) to the list?

It's not about necessity, it's about whether it'd be positive.

And is it really that important, to the point that past characters should be retconned into being LGBT only?

Literally nobody has said that we should make every character LGBT.

 

[Saternoir]

Man I really should fly over here more frequently, y'all nuts

 

[Oriden]

But it's not one that would be impactful to the games as the other ones are.

And why Pokémon of all franchises? The series has always struck me as being pretty diverse/inclusive/full of representation/whatever you wanna call it in terms of race and gender. Is it really necessary to add sexuality (of all things) to the list? And is it really that important, to the point that past characters should be retconned into being LGBT only?

It would be a meaningful addition, however minor. This thread is not restricted to discussing only major gameplay elements.

 

[KiranTheWitch]

Here is an opinion from a VERY queer person on this forum. Me: i don't care for inclusion in a Pokemon game. I dont care if I can be gay in this game because thats not what i play Pokemon for. Thats not what I play Animal Crossing for. I play for Pokemon. If i want to have a gay character in my games, I play The Sims 4. Where my whole town can be gay if I want them to be. And a good bit of my townies are.

I play Pokemon for the story and the new Pokemon. Catching and hunting and battling. Exploring. My character being gay doesnt change this. And if I want to have a headcannon with an NPC and my player, then I can. But i don't really care one way or the other if there are LGBTQ people in Pokemon. Not everything has to be a fight for us. And frankly, I'm tired of it seeming that way.

 

[KiranTheWitch]

Apparently. I'm just banned from posting though. Whether it'd be threads or comments.

I'm banned from posting images on 4chan. \シ/

 

[bulbasaur99]

I meant that these issues are controversial and someone is inevitably going to be offended. That’s why I don’t feel it’s productive. I apologize if i came off as condescending.

I won't stop talking about a totally normal thing just because someone might be offended by it. And people's sexual orientations shouldn't be controversial since there is nothing wrong with them. I think we should talk about it when it needed so people can understand everyone is equal and everyone is normal and everyone is human not just some labels.

Gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, these are just illusions, we are all human. But when someone try to act only one thing is normal and the other shouldn't exist, that's a problem and that's the reason why people want some representation.

I am %100 sure having a gay NPC or trans gym leader or anything won't effect your game-play at all. You will catch your pokemon, train them, battle with them, try to be the best.