Official Pre-Pokémon Sword & Pokémon Shield Speculation & Leaks thread

[colours]

I don't know, maybe I just didn't pay that much attention to the overall fan response to cross-gen evolutions at the time, but I really don't think (and doubt) there was really that much uproar over them. Game Freak would've had to have been paying attention to some incredible minority of the fanbase. From the best of my recollection (which obviously isn't perfect, mind), at absolute worst, some people might not have liked say, Lickilicky's design or Rhyperior's design and ridiculed both of them, but that's far from being revolted at the idea of cross-gen evolutions as a whole.

I still believe it's just more of a design reason than a reactionary one. Otherwise Game Freak would've been put off from doing Alola forms which is essentially the same concept, different execution.

 

[Oriden]

They really oversaturated Mega Evolutions; there are 48 Mega Evolutions released within a single year, compared to 34 cross-generational evolutions released within 7 years. Keep the feature limited to 3-stage Pokemon that actually need the boost.

And bring back Madame as a regular evolution without any design change. She should have never been erased.

Madame and so many of the other lost betas. D= Although I could see Madame getting a redesign just to soften the dominatrix motif it's got going on. That maaaaybe wouldn't go over with parents well.

I don't know, maybe I just didn't pay that much attention to the overall fan response to cross-gen evolutions at the time, but I really don't think (and doubt) there was really that much uproar over them. Game Freak would've had to have been paying attention to some incredible minority of the fanbase. From the best of my recollection (which obviously isn't perfect, mind), at absolute worst, some people might not have liked say, Lickilicky's design or Rhyperior's design and ridiculed both of them, but that's far from being revolted at the idea of cross-gen evolutions as a whole.

As I mentioned before, I personally believe it's just more of a design reason than a reactionary one. Otherwise Game Freak would've been put off from doing Alola forms which is essentially the same concept, different execution.

Granted, this is the same franchise that hasn't produced a Kadabra card in the TCG since the Uri Geller drama and hasn't allowed Porygon in the anime after the incident with its debut. Not saying that it's definitely due to any fan outrage (fans outrage over Kanto but obviously that stopped nothing) but the franchise certainly isn't without its history of avoiding concepts like the plague after an upset. I imagine that if there was enough hatred expressed within the Japanese fanbase over the Gen 4 cross-gens, then they miiiiight have gone hardcore avoidance after. It's definitely within the realm of possibility.

Mostly, though, I think I would contribute it to these factors:

Gen 5 - soft reboot, tried too hard to be an "all-new" region
Gen 6 - mega evolutions, meaning that we technically got cross-gen evos, just in a weird way
Gen 7 - regional variants​

So I'm hoping that Gen 8 won't be focusing on any new or specific concept so we can distribute some attention between cross-gens, megas and variants equally... well, equally or just a few cross-gens and megas and a lot more variants because honestly, I think they fell really short with those. We could use more regional variants than anything else, especially to make up for the Kanto overdose that we got.

 

[Aulos]

Well, the problem, as I’m sure you know, is that they can’t exactly know in advance that a design they all like and approve of isn’t going to go over well with the public once the games are released. “Just make better ones” is a lot easier said than done, because “better” is completely subjective. For instance, I actually like Electivire quite a bit, so I hardly recognize your indictment of it as a “bad” design.

Of course, I was teasing when I said "Just make better designs. It's simple!". However, it does seem like the Eevee evolution designs are generally pretty well received, and that includes the Generation IV ones as well. I don't know if it's just that Eevee evolutions are easier to make appealing or if the designers are told to put extra love and care into Eevee evolutions because they are such a big deal. If it's the latter, I'd love to see that love and care put into other evolutions.

Of course, not all Gen IV cross-gen evolutions were bad. Some of them are very natural to me at this point, but those three I mentioned...

 

[Boss1708]

For me, Mega Evolutions and Cross Gen Evolutions, are the exact opposite case of each other:

I dislike Mega Evolution as a concept (it is restrictive and exclusionary) but I like most of the designs it gave us.

I like Cross Gen Evolutions as a concept, but I dislike pretty much all of the final evos introduced in Gen IV (I do like pre-evos introduced in Gen II, like Pichu and Elekid, but I don't really care about them since they are not viable for in-game usage).

 

[Silktree]

@Meta Boss What about the evolutions introduced in Generation II? I like just about all of them.

 

[Oriden]

For me, babies and eeveelutions aside, I think the best cross-gen evos were...

Gen 2 - Bellossom, Slowking, Steelix, Scizor, Hitmontop, and Blissey
Gen 4 - Honchkrow, Tangrowth(ish), Togekiss, Porygon-Z, Gallade and Froslass

...hum, is it just me or did Gen 3 not release any cross-gens aside from babies? And Gen 6 had cross-gens in the form of Megas... could it be that cross-gens are like eeveelutions and appear every two years? Maybe there is hope for Gen 8.

 

[Esserise]

However, it does seem like the Eevee evolution designs are generally pretty well received, and that includes the Generation IV ones as well. I don't know if it's just that Eevee evolutions are easier to make appealing or if the designers are told to put extra love and care into Eevee evolutions because they are such a big deal.

As I understand it, almost all of them have been designed by the same person (Atsuko Nishida). I think that would probably have something to do with it.

 

[Boss1708]

@Meta Boss What about the evolutions introduced in Generation II? I like just about all of them.

I do mention them in the above post of mine.

I like them all, especially Elekid and Pichu, but I kinda look at Pokémon evolutionary lines as a whole. And Gen IV screwed all the lines with cute pre evos.

 

[Silktree]

Evolutions, as in final stages. You keep mentioning the Johto babies only.

@Oriden Yes, there were no cross-generational evolutions in Hoenn, Unova or Alola. My fear is that they'll do fusions or something equally stupid now.

Personal favorites:

Johto evolutions: Espeon, Umbreon, Porygon2, Blissey, Slowking, Kingdra
Sinnoh evolutions: Leafeon, Weavile, Honchkrow
Mega Evolutions: Absol, Pidgeot, Sableye
Alolan variants: Vulpix line, Sandshrew line, Marowak

 

[SinnohEevee]

We did get a cross-gen evolution in Gen VI, but it was only Sylveon.

I do think GF is unnecessarily complicating stuff by adding too many gimmicks, and I don't want a new one in Gen VIII. But they may feel it's better for marketing to keep adding gimmicks, and at the end of the day, they are a business.

I want Gorochu, but I dunno how it could work. Maybe a split evolution for Pikachu with another item. Raichu also had an Alola Form.

And I want something for Arcanine, he got nothing in Gen VI and Gen VII.

 

[colours]

Even if Game Freak wanted to add another gimmick, what other ideas could they even come up with in the next generation that hasn't already been done so far? We already have regional variants, megas, cross-evolutions... the only thing I see left at this point is adding fourth stage evolutions which... in my honest opinion would be rather disappinting.

 

[Esserise]

I do think that they should never go near fusions outside of specific cases like Kyurem and Necrozma. Mega Evolution already strains my perception of Pokémon as natural creatures, and fusion being a widely-available capability would probably shatter it completely.

As for favorites, may as well:

Gen 2 evolutions: Bellossom, Politoed, Espeon, Umbreon, Slowking, Steelix, Scizor, Kingdra. However, I really like all of the remaining ones as well, aside from Hitmontop (but even then, I am a fan of the Spaceworld version).
Gen 4 evolutions: Mismagius, Honchkrow, Lickilicky (it’s adorable goddammit), Tangrowth, Electivire, Togekiss, Yanmega, Leafeon, Glaceon, Probopass, Dusknoir, Froslass. Weavile, Magnezone, Gliscor, Mamoswine, and Porygon-Z aren’t bad. Ambipom is serviceable. I don’t care too much for Rhyperior, Magmortar, or Gallade.
Mega Evolutions: Kanto Starters, Pidgeot, Alakazam, Kangaskhan, Gyarados, Ampharos, Gardevoir, Sableye, Mawile, Medicham, Manectric, Glalie, Lopunny, Lucario, Audino. Houndoom and Steelix have some interesting things going on, but strike me as somewhat odd or unbalanced. I go back and forth on Mega Blaziken, but in general I think it works. Mega Garchomp is a fairly cool design, but it didn’t need to exist. Diancie and Rayquaza are both cool but profusely overdesigned, but I think that works in their favor given what each of them are going for. The rest are whatever.
Alola Forms: Sandshrew, Vulpix, Ninetales, Dugtrio, Meowth, Persian, Muk, Exeggutor, Marowak. I don’t mind the others; they’re fine.

 

[Poke Dragon]

Honestly, the only fusion I want and care about is a triple fusion for the Tao trio, the rest doesn't matter to me. As for Megas, I really hope they spread them out for newer generation Pokemon. Hydreigon could've used the Steel-typing after how it went from being one of the most feared Pokemon to being a pushover because of the Fairy-typing being introduced. A Mega Hydreigon could have tank parts as part of its design, an idea originally intended for its evolutionary line.

 

[Oriden]

Evolutions, as in final stages. You keep mentioning the Johto babies only.

@Oriden Yes, there were no cross-generational evolutions in Hoenn, Unova or Alola. My fear is that they'll do fusions or something equally stupid now.

Personal favorites:

Johto evolutions: Espeon, Umbreon, Porygon2, Blissey, Slowking, Kingdra
Sinnoh evolutions: Leafeon, Weavile, Honchkrow
Mega Evolutions: Absol, Pidgeot, Sableye
Alolan variants: Vulpix line, Sandshrew line, Marowak

Oh shoot I forgot about Kingdra!

And... eeeh, I could maybe see fusions becoming a thing one day but I'm really wary on it and hope it doesn't happen until the far future at least. Like if they did it now, it would just be too much too soon, we just had two generations of new concepts, we can take a break from shaking things up for awhile.

This is about the only reason I'd ever want to see a fusion, though-

Pokefusion - Pyreot

We did get a cross-gen evolution in Gen VI, but it was only Sylveon.

I do think GF is unnecessarily complicating stuff by adding too many gimmicks, and I don't want a new one in Gen VIII. But they may feel it's better for marketing to keep adding gimmicks, and at the end of the day, they are a business.

I want Gorochu, but I dunno how it could work. Maybe a split evolution for Pikachu with another item. Raichu also had an Alola Form.

And I want something for Arcanine, he got nothing in Gen VI and Gen VII.

I'd really like to see Gorochu become a Mega Raichu. I know Raichu had an Alolan form but Alolan Raichu itself got a Z-move while leaving regular Raichu with nothing- it would be nice to see one form get a Mega Evolution and the other can have the Z-move.

Also I want that Water Arcanine that didn't happen. I knew it was a fake rumor when it went around but man the designs for it were so good.

 

[Silktree]

Even if Game Freak wanted to add another gimmick, what other ideas could they even come up with in the next generation that hasn't already been done so far? We already have regional variants, megas, cross-evolutions... the only thing I see left at this point is adding fourth stage evolutions which... in my honest opinion would be rather disappinting.

1. Fusions have only been done for two sets of legendaries. It's a possibility at least.

2. An expansion of Ash-Greninja (ugh). That is, Pokemon-human fusion as some fans clamored for two years ago.

3. Super abilities. Probably the most likely option and not a bad idea if they do it wisely.

 

[prog rocker]

2. An expansion of Ash-Greninja (ugh). That is, Pokemon-human fusion as some fans clamored for two years ago.

I guess this is one of the few ideas I don't like. Maybe if done correctly and giving it some nice lore I may end up liking it, but I hope it's not added. However, an Ash-Greninja expansion can work by giving similar forms to Chesnaught and Delphox. I know Greninja is popular, but c'mon, how hard it was to make a Serena-Delphox and Calem-Chesnaught? I hope this gets fixed like they did with Mega Blaziken.

3. Super abilities. Probably the most likely option and not a bad idea if they do it wisely.

Can you explain what do you mean by this?

 

[Silktree]

I hope this gets fixed like they did with Mega Blaziken.

Nah. Those characters are old news and a return to Kalos isn't likely anytime soon.

Can you explain what do you mean by this?

You'd use a held item to transform your Pokemon's ability into something better. For instance, Static would paralyze more often and Intimidate would lower the opponent's Attack by two stages.

Since there are so many abilities, it would be more practical to pick an assortment of Pokemon like with Mega Evolution. But who knows.

 

[prog rocker]

Nah. Those characters are old news and a return to Kalos isn't likely anytime soon.

Nah, I didn't mean that I wanted a return to Kalos (at least not now), or that they have to use Calem/Serena, what I want is that they get similar forms to Ash-Greninja because why the hell only one starter gets love but the other two don't? That's why I mentioned Mega Blaziken. It kind of annoyed me that he got a mega, but after playing ORAS and seeing that the other two got Megas too I stopped feeling like this. You could say it's my OCD acting up.

You'd use a held item to transform your Pokemon's ability into something better. For instance, Static would paralyze more often and Intimidate would lower the opponent's Attack by two stages.

Since there are so many abilities, it would be more practical to pick an assortment of Pokemon like with Mega Evolution. But who knows.

Maybe not an assortment of Pokémon, but of abilities. This could help Pokémon that have absolutely horrible abilities like Run Away, Slow Start or Illuminate, or help Pokémon that have abilities that are useless to them (like Fan-Rotom). It can work.

 

[PocketMonster]

gorochu could come about if we had a regional pichu or pikachu variant. (or maybe a new evolutionary stone?)
I definitely don't want pokemon fusions. I know we technically have them in a way... but I don't want more. Actually it was seeing the fusion on black and white 2 that turned me off to those games.
I know slowbro in a way could be a "fusion" too, but that "fusion" makes sense. If it is done in that light, then maybe. MAYBE.

 

[Silktree]

Run Away could change to "retreat automatically if the opposing Pokemon has a type advantage, without wasting a turn."