Pokemon ScarletandViolethave been announced with a short trailer during the Pokemon Presents for Pokemon Day 2022. As the kickoff to Gen 9,Pokemon ScarletandVioletwill introduce players to a whole new region with new Pokemon. With release dates later in 2022, this continues the three-to-four year pattern that each generation ofPokemongenerally follows. Despite this, and greater hype seemingly built aroundPokemon ScarletandViolet, information on the games are still sparse.
The reveal of thenew starter names Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxlyoffers some idea about where their inspiration comes but not too much else. The Spanish influence in their names is strong and only the first in a series of clues aboutPokemon ScarletandViolettaking place in a region based on Spain. When combined with the reveal trailer from the Pokemon Presents, more evidence adds up that appears to confirm many fans' suspicion despite Game Freak not identifying the region’s inspiration by name as of yet.
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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Catalonian Design
Early on in the trailer, a live-action portion shows a guard entering a cluttered room full of different artifacts, memorabilia, and miscellaneous items. While not all of these feel incredibly significant, there is a corkboard with a map that stands out at the 56-second mark. The map itself is surrounded by different postings, but it includes an image of the Iberian Peninsula as well as the Islas Baleares. This is substantial evidence thatPokemon ScarletandVioletwill take place in a region inspired by the peninsula, likely with a special emphasis on the country of Spain itself. When combined with Spanish terms in the name ofthe new Fire-type starter Fuecocoand Grass-type starter Sprigatito, the evidence begins to add up.
Further support appears later in footage fromPokemon ScarletandViolet’sannouncement. The first scene of game footage depicts a castle-like city in the background with magnificent spires towering over the landscape. As the reveal forPokemon ScarletandVioletcontinues, closer shots of this structure provide more information. While the building itself is reminiscent of other castles that have appeared in previousPokemongames it bears a striking resemblance to a real-world landmark: Antoni Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia located in Barcelona, Spain.
Other views of the city provide more evidence thatPokemon ScarletandViolet’s region will be based on locations from the Iberian Peninsula. The architecture of the city itself is light with mosaics and tile art spread throughout its different sections that invoke imagery of Barcelona. Alongside designing La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi also did numerous works throughout his native city that used these mediums and techniques, suggestingPokemon ScarletandVioletare probably drawing on his work to flesh out the Spanish-inspired region - rather than aPokemonGen 9 inspired by Indiaas some may have believed.
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Evidence of the Iberian Peninsula in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
In the last moments ofthe Pokemon Presents 2022, the main character enters their home where smaller details are noticeable. While the architecture present is different than views from the larger city, there are some pretty important sights that point to Spain and the rest of the Iberian Peninsula asPokemon ScarletandViolet’s influence.
The pictures leading up the stairs inside depict a woman dancing, as well as windmills. The dancing figure is reminiscent of forms used in Flamenco dances. Flamenco itself has been a part of Spanish culture for centuries, and the art is easily recognized by many people. Given its prominence, it makes sense that there would be something associated with Flamenco inPokemon ScarletandViolet.
The windmills also have significance as they have a striking resemblance to the Spanish-style windmills described inDon Quixote,found near Consuegra. While large windmills aren’t special in themselves, the design stands out thanks to their white bases and dark tops. This aesthetic also shows up earlier in the trailer with windmills in the region that use a similar color scheme but are much taller than their inspiration. It suggests that multiple Spanish cities have been pulled on for the new region.
Topping all of this off are the final moments of the trailer. The in-game footage ends with a shot of a Nintendo Switch, but just before this a portion of a map can be seen at the 2:19 mark. It looks a lot like the coast of Portugal with three islands added. Portugal has several islands as part of its territory that these could be, but there’s also the likelihood that the real world has been changed for design purposes. This likely means the map that’s seen shows the western coast of the Iberian Peninsula, with the Islas Baleares moved from the eastern to the western portion of the region.
Overall, thePokemon ScarletandVioletannouncement is full of little pieces of inspiration that give players a better understanding of everything incorporated into Gen 9’s new region. Seeing as only a portion of this location has been shown, it could be a situation where a larger or smaller area are focused on than players expect. Either way, this is all major considering there was the possibility thatnoPokemonGen 9 presence would appear with the Pokemon Presents.
Many fans feel that the supporting evidence is strong enough to confirm Spain is the focus without official confirmation. The maps used in the trailer suggest the Iberian Peninsula as a whole, but it’s clear that what’s been shown so far is strongly tied to the country of Spain specifically. It will probably take a little while longer for The Pokemon Company to deliver an answer for players, but for now there’s still a lot of fun to be had in picking apart that trailer and hypothesizing aboutPokemon ScarletandVioletdoing what’s best for the series.
Pokemon: Scarlet and Violetare set to release in late 2022.
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