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

[El_]

Thats the difference between Square and Gamefreak though. Gamefreak has the money, the power and the demand is there and they will fluff on these sorts of things.

For me personally, would want to see overworld Pokemon acting as actual animals, which has an impact on how they can be captured. For example, if you have a nearby pond, you could see Ponyta/Blitzel using it as a watering hole, requiring you to use the "sneak mechanic" to encounter them. Otherwise, they would flee into the tall grass where they can still be encountered, but making their encounter rate much lower. This could also be made more fun by having to chase down faster Pokemon w/running shoes or on a bike before they can flee to the grass.

Or, if you have certain species of bird Pokemon, having to wait for them to land or perch on something before battling them. It would also help to see animations of these Pokemon "grazing" or bird Pokemon pecking at the ground or cleaning their feathers. Because I agree with the earlier poster in this thread, that simply having them walking aimlessly isn't really that appealing for immersion. I'm actually kinda thinking of Pokemon Snap, when it comes to some overworld animations of Pokemon behaving in the wild.

Encountering "every" Pokemon in this way like some may be suggesting isn't the aim. My idea blends the traditional encounters in tall grass with overworld encounters, the latter is just adding depth to the process. Just a thought anyways.

 

[William-Jdubz]

For me personally, would want to see overworld Pokemon acting as actual animals, which has an impact on how they can be captured. For example, if you have a nearby pond, you could see Ponyta/Blitzel using it as a watering hole, requiring you to use the "sneak mechanic" to encounter them. Otherwise, they would flee into the tall grass where they can still be encountered, but making their encounter rate much lower. This could also be made more fun by having to chase down faster Pokemon w/running shoes or on a bike before they can flee to the grass.

Or, if you have certain species of bird Pokemon, having to wait for them to land or perch on something before battling them. It would also help to see animations of these Pokemon "grazing" or bird Pokemon pecking at the ground or cleaning their feathers. Because I agree with the earlier poster in this thread, that simply having them walking aimlessly isn't really that appealing for immersion. I'm actually kinda thinking of Pokemon Snap, when it comes to some overworld animations of Pokemon behaving in the wild.

Encountering "every" Pokemon in this way like some may be suggesting isn't the aim. My idea blends the traditional encounters in tall grass with overworld encounters, the latter is just adding depth to the process. Just a thought anyways.

That sounds like a beautiful way to go. It def would help to make you feel immersed in the experience.

 

[PinkIceFox]

Considering I'm hugely not into most sports I'm really hoping that each stadium doesn't have some kind of sports gimmick and it's really more of a colosseum type thing than a sports arena... though that shot with the character in a sports jersey is making me feel many disappointments.

Though I should be glad this is a European sports thing so if it's Football it's gonna be the fun Football and not American Football, which is my least favorite of all the sports despite the fact I'm American...

Man why can't it be Tennis or Badminton or Volleyball. Especially Badminton. ANd it's not just because the 'ball' is called a shuttlecock and I'm immensely immature. Shuttlecocks have an awesome looking shape to me (its like a feathery mushroom cap~) and its just really satisfying to smack em with a badminton racket.

...Nintendo give me a bird that looks like a shuttlecock. Could make it electric. Call it Shuttleshock.

 

[ParasectfulDreams]

Considering I'm hugely not into most sports I'm really hoping that each stadium doesn't have some kind of sports gimmick and it's really more of a colosseum type thing than a sports arena... though that shot with the character in a sports jersey is making me feel many disappointments.

Though I should be glad this is a European sports thing so if it's Football it's gonna be the fun Football and not American Football, which is my least favorite of all the sports despite the fact I'm American...

Man why can't it be Tennis or Badminton or Volleyball. Especially Badminton. ANd it's not just because the 'ball' is called a shuttlecock and I'm immensely immature. Shuttlecocks have an awesome looking shape to me (its like a feathery mushroom cap~) and its just really satisfying to smack em with a badminton racket.

...Nintendo give me a bird that looks like a shuttlecock. Could make it electric. Call it Shuttleshock.

Badminton is my favorite sport-- only one I play, too. If there is no Shuttleshock in the game, that's what I'm naming my bird when I catch one. I just woke up, but I think that's the best thing I've heard in the last 24 hours.

Bibarel is Normal/Water though, so Diggersby isn't the only dual-typed one.

I think Bibarel keeps it's Primary typing Normal, though, while Diggersby's Primary typing flips to Ground, with Normal relegated to Secondary. I don't know how much of an oddity that is, though.
Nevermind, it's too early to read correctly, I guess. >o<

 

[Ambrose7]

Thats the difference between Square and Gamefreak though. Gamefreak has the money, the power and the demand is there and they will fluff on these sorts of things.

I agree that GF should have implemented over world Pokemon, but, that's not really a fair comparison. Square is much larger than GF. DQXI was in development for a very long time, had way more people working on it and then took even more time for being ported to Switch.

 

[BackSet]

Are rabbits technically rodents? I'm unsure

Rabbits are lagomorphs.

 

[William-Jdubz]

I agree that GF should have implemented over world Pokemon, but, that's not really a fair comparison. Square is much larger than GF. DQXI was in development for a very long time, had way more people working on it and then took even more time for being ported to Switch.

While its unfair to compare Square with GF, we have had smaller teams work on amazing JRPG games with full on monsters in the overworld and amazing world design. I personally think GF should be able to get to that level eventually and should aim for that.

 

[NinjutsuSen]

I've thought about the possible lenght of the 8th generation and I really think this may be our first 4 years generation since the fourth.

Gen 9 is probably also going to be released for the Switch, but Gen 10 is definitely going to be on the Switch succesor. I am also thinking that they may time it that way, that they're aim them to be released on the 30th anniversary of Pokemon, which is in seven years. For that to happen they need to make this or the next generation four years long and I think they tend to choose the first generation of a new console so there's less time between a generation for an old system and a new generation on the new system. Also DP remakes would help a lot filling a four years generation. Also Ishihara said, that developing on the Switch was a difficult task to do so I think they also need more time for the ninth generation and also a break next year. Also if the lifespan for the Switch is going to be similar to the last Nintendo systems (6-7 years), then we'll probably get the new hardware in 2024. Adding two years until the first Pokemon game like in most cases -> 2026 release.

So considering that I think the Switch era is going to look like this:

2019 - Gen 8: Sword and Shield
2020 - Break year (Possible Mystery Dungeon game)
2021 - DP Remakes
2022 - Gen 8 Third Vesion/Sequel or Lets go 2 or something completely different)
2023 - Gen 9 Main Game
2024 - Gen 9 Special versions/third version/Lets go 2 if not in Gen 8)
2025 - Break
2026 - (30th anniversary) Gen 10 for the new hardware system

 

[TexasBugTrainer]

Guys, the Let's Go games are meant to bridge the gap between Go! and the main series games. Overworld Pokémon were used in LGPE to make it visually similar to playing Go! I'm unsure why so many people thought this would become a feature of the main series. They stated from the start that LGPE was meant to be a game seperate from the main series, a more casual, "beginners" Pokémon, so to speak.

 

[Poke Dragon]

I've thought about the possible lenght of the 8th generation and I really think this may be our first 4 years generation since the fourth.

Gen 9 is probably also going to be released for the Switch, but Gen 10 is definitely going to be on the Switch succesor. I am also thinking that they may time it that way, that they're aim them to be released on the 30th anniversary of Pokemon, which is in seven years. For that to happen they need to make this or the next generation four years long and I think they tend to choose the first generation of a new console so there's less time between a generation for an old system and a new generation on the new system. Also DP remakes would help a lot filling a four years generation. Also Ishihara said, that developing on the Switch was a difficult task to do so I think they also need more time for the ninth generation and also a break next year. Also if the lifespan for the Switch is going to be similar to the last Nintendo systems (6-7 years), then we'll probably get the new hardware in 2024. Adding two years until the first Pokemon game like in most cases -> 2026 release.

So considering that I think the Switch era is going to look like this:

2019 - Gen 8: Sword and Shield
2020 - Break year (Possible Mystery Dungeon game)
2021 - DP Remakes
2022 - Gen 8 Third Vesion/Sequel or Lets go 2 or something completely different)
2023 - Gen 9 Main Game
2024 - Gen 9 Special versions/third version/Lets go 2 if not in Gen 8)
2025 - Break
2026 - (30th anniversary) Gen 10 for the new hardware system

Actually, Nintendo plans to support the Switch for a whopping 10 years, also, the reason why developing for the Switch was difficult at first is because it had a completely different infrastructure than the 3DS. I highly doubt we are going to get a 4 year generation again and honestly, I prefer shorter Gens if it means we get remakes sooner rather than later.

 

[emerson.brant]

I really hope we get steampunk-themed or industrial Pokemon this gen, like that train 'mon on the fake CoroCoro scan a few pages back. Since one of the themes of this game might be industrialism vs ruralism, Pokemon based on stuff like the printing press or the assembly line would pretty cool imo.

Now meltan makes sense...

 

[Grass Type Gardenia]

Officer Jenny in the new anime will probably resemble a British Policewoman this time around. Nurse Joy will obviously be the same as all the other Nurse Joys we've seen from Gen 5-7, including having an Audino.

 

[RileyXY1]

Officer Jenny in the new anime will probably resemble a British Policewoman this time around. Nurse Joy will obviously be the same as all the other Nurse Joys we've seen from Gen 5-7, including having an Audino.

Nurse Joys in Gen 6 used Wigglytuff and in Gen 7 they have Comfey.

 

[Mimikyupichu]

Hey guys I found this "leak" on 4chan as always,claiming that armored pokemon is true but aren't obtainable
They are use by NPC's maybe like bosses.This one for me would be likable

 

[Grass Type Gardenia]

Nurse Joys in Gen 6 used Wigglytuff and in Gen 7 they have Comfey.

so I wonder what Gen 8's Nurse Joy have?

 

[Oriden]

Now meltan makes sense...

How...? It was made for Gen 7.

 

[Silktree]

Actually, Nintendo plans to support the Switch for a whopping 10 years, also, the reason why developing for the Switch was difficult at first is because it had a completely different infrastructure than the 3DS. I highly doubt we are going to get a 4 year generation again and honestly, I prefer shorter Gens if it means we get remakes sooner rather than later.

They said 7 to 10, so until 2024-2027. If it's the latter, then Game Freak will either need to release three generations for the Switch or two 4-year ones followed by a very swift transition to the next system. But predictions beyond the current generation are silly.

How...? It was made for Gen 7.

They did tie Genesect to Kalos as an afterthought. Apparently, Team Plasma found its fossil there.

 

[Kevzo8]

do we know when's the next wave of leak/reveal? I'm kinda excited

 

[CynthiaLover]

do we know when's the next wave of leak/reveal? I'm kinda excited

Not really, though most people, myself included, think that the next official reveal won't be until at least the end of the month, if not April. As for potential leaks, that's very much up in the air, as leaks come and go very randomly, with no real set pattern. So, in terms of official content, we foresee either late March or early April (though earlier would be better). Just as long as they don't take the SM route, which was a 3 month wait after just showing the titles, then I think we'll get a bone to chew on in a few weeks.

 

[Joker901]

How...? It was made for Gen 7.

While that's true...it's also true that Meltan would fit the Galar theme, so I think it's not impossible to find references to it in the same way Zygarde was included in Gen 7.