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

[Oriden]

Okay, do you guys think the rumoured Pokémon Direct will announce before or during Pokémon-day?

And on what days does it usually air?

I'm gonna say "before" because being in the US means I'd likely get it on the 26th anyway.

 

[Joker901]

Okay, do you guys think the rumoured Pokémon Direct will announce before or during Pokémon-day?

And on what days does it usually air?

Honestly now they've decided to wait till the 18th, I dont see why they should not wait for Pokemon Day rather than announce the games on a random and meaningless day.
Clearly I consider 26-27 Pokemon Day because we cannot get it at the same time.

 

[Cainhxrst]

I think they'll announce it on the 25th or 26th, for Wednesday

though I would love if it was announced this week as I have the week off school and can afford to spend time being distracted lol

 

[Esserise]

But Masuda doesn't direct any more. So there might be a change of mind.

I mean it ain't like he's out of the company, and I don't think the process of deciding what new Pokémon to create was ever a unilateral thing. From what I remember reading, it sometimes it comes from the director, sometimes it comes from the battle developers, or sometimes it comes from the art team's own inspiration. There are already a lot of hands on that wheel, and within that collaboration, I doubt that Masuda is imposing some kind of iron-clad embargo around certain designs. The way it works is probably more like, someone gets an idea and brings it up to Sugimori or Masuda or whoever, and if after a discussion they think there's something usable, they move forward with it. Check back a while later, is it still working? Have their been any developments in other areas of the game that might call for adjustments? Etc.

Besides, here's the relevant quote:

"None of the Pokemon that we worked on, got to a point, and then discarded them have actually ever re-appeared yet, so I would say the chances are low. We always have this base criteria at Game Freak of being able to explain why a certain Pokemon is in the world or why it exists in that world, trying to make it feel believable within the fantasy. And usually the ones that get rejected are Pokemon that we weren't able to justify, I think. Usually there's a reason for why they weren't implemented, and as long as that reason still exists, they probably won't be put in the game. We always say Pokemon isn't a 'character game.' It's not a game where it's just the characters, but it's a game that shows this world where these living creatures are existing in a space. That's kind of a slight nuance, but that's what we always try to go for at Game Freak. It's not good enough that they're just cute. They have to have something more to it."

Even there, what he's saying is more about how Game Freak as a studio tend to function rather than saying foreclosing on the idea himself. He thinks the chances are low, because Game Freak generally don't go mining through their bottom drawer debris for ideas, because those ideas were usually scrapped for a reason. And realistically, what compelling reason would there be to resurrect the Gorochu design when Pikachu is already part of a three-stage line, and gets more emphasis than Pichu and Raichu anyway? And what makes that design more worthy of their time and effort than other designs?

 

[Oriden]

I mean it ain't like he's out of the company, and I don't think the process of deciding what new Pokémon to create was ever a unilateral thing. From what I remember reading, it sometimes it comes from the director, sometimes it comes from the battle developers, or sometimes it comes from the art team's own inspiration. There are already a lot of hands on that wheel, and within that collaboration, I doubt that Masuda is imposing some kind of iron-clad embargo around certain designs. The way it works is probably more like, someone gets an idea and brings it up to Sugimori or Masuda or whoever, and if after a discussion they think there's something usable, they move forward with it. Check back a while later, is it still working? Have their been any developments in other areas of the game that might call for adjustments? Etc.

Besides, here's the relevant quote:



Even there, what he's saying is more about how Game Freak as a studio tend to function rather than saying foreclosing on the idea himself. He thinks the chances are low, because Game Freak generally don't go mining through their bottom drawer debris for ideas, because those ideas were usually scrapped for a reason. And realistically, what compelling reason would there be to resurrect the Gorochu design when Pikachu is already part of a three-stage line, and gets more emphasis than Pichu and Raichu anyway? And what makes that design more worthy of their time and effort than other designs?

Kind of a false statement if you consider Leafeon, though. We have evidence that concepts have been revived after they were dropped. What he might mean is that no scrapped Pokémon ever gets used the way they are because their design certainly was scrapped for a reason- but I think if they can make sense of it later, they might go back and repurpose or redesign the concept.

 

[Poke Dragon]

This actually happened with Tirtouga, it was designed in Gen 2, but it wasn't implemented until Gen 5 with a design change.

 

[Joker901]

Kind of a false statement if you consider Leafeon, though. We have evidence that concepts have been revived after they were dropped. What he might mean is that no scrapped Pokémon ever gets used the way they are because their design certainly was scrapped for a reason- but I think if they can make sense of it later, they might go back and repurpose or redesign the concept.

Actually there are more than a couple of pokemon that were reused after a long time. Tirtouga, Shellos, Mime Jr. are among them...

 

[Fairy Type Arceus]

Anyone know whats happening in this video

View: https://youtu.be/rAQZxcb9Wmo

 

[SodiumChloride]

Anyone know whats happening in this video

View: https://youtu.be/rAQZxcb9Wmo

It's the ga-ole arcade game I mentioned earlier
I guess they added in z-moves or something

I found some leaks on 4chan

Pokémon Noble and Pokémon Regent

Region is based on England and Northern Ireland

Graphics are similar to Pokken--only models are more cell-shaded like in Town and Breath of the Wild

Colors are red and gold for Noble and royal blue and gold for Regent

The game is very non-linear and made for exploration. After you get to the region's main city (based on London) and have the first gym badge, you can challenge the rest of the gyms in any order.

Gyms have been made to be similar to the trials--only instead of battling wild Pokémon as you do throughout a trial, you battle trainers.

The story of the evil team of the region was divided into independent missions or "parts" that fit together like a puzzle. The player can experience any of them in any order and they form a somewhat coherent story by the end of things.

There are a lot more cutscenes in the game than in Sun and Moon, but the transition from gameplay to cutscene is very smooth.

The main city serves as a kind of hub world. It will be the location for most of the online modes and in the post-game an area unlocks that is kind of like the battle subway from Gen V. It's based on the London Underground.

There is a new evolution mechanic that will involve certain "compatible" Pokémon like Mew and Mewtwo. It's a bit similar to the way that Meltan evolves. It will be featured in the new movie.

About 110 new Pokémon including mythicals. Getting mythicals will be somewhat like it was in Gen IV. Nintendo Online members will get access to event items that will unlock new missions and side-stories in which the mythical can be obtained.

Trainer customization is back and includes more options that ever before.

You can designate a Partner Pokémon to follow you and/or ride on. This Pokémon doesn't have to be in your party. If it's not in your party, the Pokémon will not be able to battle or gain exp. However, it will be shown beside your trainer during battles

I dig the names

 

[SinnohEevee]

More tasty meat (actually Tofu) for the starved masses.

Such changes in typing could be torture for the fandom, and I doubt GF wants that.

 

[Esserise]

Kind of a false statement if you consider Leafeon, though. We have evidence that concepts have been revived after they were dropped. What he might mean is that no scrapped Pokémon ever gets used the way they are because their design certainly was scrapped for a reason- but I think if they can make sense of it later, they might go back and repurpose or redesign the concept.

Obviously they've dredged up a few old designs (and always reworked them, usually quite heavily), but it's not something they go out of their way to do without good reason, and it's a relatively rare occurrence in comparison to the creation of brand new designs.

 

[Poke Dragon]

It's the ga-ole arcade game I mentioned earlier
I guess they added in z-moves or something

I found some leaks on 4chan



























I dig the names

I find those reasonable guesses except for the names and the graphics being like Pokken, unless they retexture the models, because the models are sure as heck staying.

 

[Silktree]

Non-linear gameplay isn't what I'd call a reasonable guess.

and it's a relatively rare occurrence in comparison to the creation of brand new designs.

It's such a shame in several cases. To name a recent example, I don't understand what makes Meltan and Melmetal better picks for Kanto than most of the unused designs. I do see how they're better picks for Go, though...

 

[Oriden]

Non-linear gameplay isn't what I'd call a reasonable guess.


It's such a shame in several cases. To name a recent example, I don't understand what makes Meltan and Melmetal better picks for Kanto than most of the unused designs. I do see how they're better picks for Go, though...

Yeah, Meltan seems to have clearly been designed for Go to me, so it kind of makes perfect sense in that regard.

That BS about it being an "ancient" pokemon, though... not so much.

 

[KiranTheWitch]

It's the ga-ole arcade game I mentioned earlier
I guess they added in z-moves or something

I found some leaks on 4chan



























I dig the names

would love all of that but it sounds very wishlist and fanservicy

 

[TheElderKing]

I really like the Regent-Noble ‘leak’, but I agree with @KiranTheWitch that it sounds like a wishlist.

The part about gyms being challengeable as we prefer, along with the evil team part, appear to be what people want their parts of the game to be in an open world/exploration based Pokémon game. Which while cool, seem very difficult to be implemented. How would the level scaling work for the various gyms, for example?

 

[FlashFire926]

I remember a leak that got all of pokemon black/white right, but with one exception:
they listed 157 pokemon instead of 156, and that last pokemon was a hexagonal green snake that never made the game.

Well of course we all know that Zygarde for gen 6 now. Most likely another design that was reused.

 

[Icy Wind]

The part about gyms being challengeable as we prefer, along with the evil team part, appear to be what people want their parts of the game to be in an open world/exploration based Pokémon game. Which while cool, seem very difficult to be implemented. How would the level scaling work for the various gyms, for example?

Considering there are fan games that have gym scaling/let you choose the order, like crystal clear, I don't think it’d be difficult for GF to implement something like that.

Whether they’re willing to implement it is a different story.

 

[techitisJ]

I absolutely love this Noble and Regent leak, but yes it does feel very full of fanservice.

First off, the names are really cool, and they compliment each other very well. The only problem I do see with them is actually very similar to the Crown and Scepter names. Noble is a pretty well known word ,but I don't know about where you guys live, but that is definitely my first time ever seeing the word Regent. Like I had to look up the definition for it. I did go ask my roommate if she had heard it or read it before, and she reads/writes a lot more fantasy than me (but I'm slowly getting into it), and she has heard it and read it and knows the whole definition of it, but the question is would a kid, who the games are more marketed to, know it. I do think these names work very well together, they are very unique and they compliment each other very well. Probably one of my favorite parts about this leak.

I love how the gyms and story is more non-linear. It's almost exactly like how I imagined a non-linear Pokemon game to work. I think that will make the games feel a lot more refreshing and new, while still keeping that same old Pokemon feel. I also like how they made the gyms similar to the trials, but still have that gym like quality to them. Best of both worlds almost.

The new evolution mechanic the game talks about is also a good way to promote the games with the movie, and I can imagine that if this leak was real, we would probably get an explanation on the mechanic shortly before the movie came out, or even shortly after.

And that is a awesome amount of new Pokemon. On one hand it feels fake because Pokemon has been doing less Pokemon designs these past couple of games, but looking at that from the other side of the spectrum, maybe it's because they wanted to make the first game on a home Nintendo console a really big blowout, so maybe they had some designs in XY's and SM's development that they scrapped for later games. Or they have just spent more time designing Pokemon for this game. Idk, just a thought. I am more leaning towards this leak being fake because that is quite a few new Pokemon though. The mythical being obtained similar to gen 4 also makes it feel a bit more wishlist like instead of an actual leak, just because that is something people have been voicing recently.

Overall, it's a really good leak, but it feels like too much of a wishlist to be real.

 

[AngryBinacle]

The reason why other games probably had less Pokémon was kind of obviously because of alternate forms / mega's.

I think both of those let generation 6 and 7 reach +-100 designs.