Pokémon Legends: Arceus is hitting shelves, and already has people falling in love with the beloved franchise all over again, and quite a few of us still have Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl in our backlogs. Despite the Gen IV remakes mixed reception, the games have proven a success, selling 6 million copies their first week. With 2021 being Pokémon’s 25th anniversary, fans have had a lot to be grateful for. But after Pokémon Legends: Arceus, what could be next for the franchise? And more importantly, could it be time for the Ninth Generation of Pokémon?
The Pokémon games can be easily broken into “generations,” based on games that share similar hardware, mechanics, and themes, and usually have some sort of cross connectivity. Every few years, the company has introduced a new generation with new games and new Pokémon, as well as in-game items, abilities, and moves. The Eighth Generation of Pokémon (Stylized as Gen VIII”) began with Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield in 2019, and has truly left its mark on the series, but 2022 might be the year for a new generation.
For the last several years, Pokémon has released some sort of game just before the Holidays, often in October or November, dating all the way back to when Pokémon Sun and Moon which came to the 3DS in 2015. Though it’s far away, it’s safe to assume that the Pokémon Company has SOMETHING planned for the 2022 Holidays. And I think we might hear what it is soon.
February of 2021 was when Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl were announced for a November release. With February 2022 sneaking up on us, it’s very likely that something new is announced very soon. But will it be the ninth generation of Pokémon? (Gen IX?)
I think it’s possible. Pokémon Legends: Arceus feels like a great finale to Gen VIII, and nothing else has been announced for the foreseeable future. Could it be that the Pokémon Company is hard at work at the next generation of games, complete with a new region, new Pokémon, and *gasp* new types?
The answer could also very well be “not yet.” It’s likely that there will be some kind of DLC for either Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl or Pokémon Legends: Arceus, with Gen IX not heading our way until 2023. Only time will tell.
What Pokémon announcements do you think are coming our way this year? Will we finally get Pokémon Coke and Pokémon Pepsi? Or something entirely different? Let us know in a comment below, or join the Boss Rush Discord.