What Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Starters Mean For Gen 9

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have officially been announced, and trainers got their first glimpse of the new Gen 9 Starter Pokémon that will be featured in the franchise’s next games. The trailer, which premiered at the end of the Pokémon Company’s 26th Anniversary Pokémon Presents livestream, featured both live-action and gameplay footage, revealing the Starters in a photograph hanging on the wall in the live-action segment. The official website for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet has also gone live, revealing the names and other attributes of the newest Starter Pokémon to join the franchise.

The announcement that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will be released the same year as Pokémon Legends: Arceus took many fans by surprise as Gen 9 wasn’t expected to be revealed until 2023 or later. Following Legends: Arceus’ semi-open world gameplay, Scarlet and Violet promise to expand on its free-roaming Pokémon, bringing the revolutionary changes it made to the Pokémon series into the modern era. According to the official Scarlet and Violet website, players will be able to travel seamlessly between towns and wild areas in an open world unlike the open-zone Hisui region of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Pokémon can appear anywhere in this new open-world as well, including towns and cities, which promises to be a new immersive experience for the Pokémon series.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Starter Pokémon have already captured the hearts of many Pokémon fans online, and some players have already chosen which of these adorable partners will accompany them in this new Pokémon adventure. Trainers will have to choose between the Grass-type Sprigatito, the Fire-type Fuecoco, and the Water-type Quaxly as they begin their journey. Among other details included in the trailer, the Starter Pokémon of Scarlet and Violet may give players a major clue as to which real-world location the new Gen 9 Pokémon region will be based on.

New Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Region & Starters May Be Based On Spain

The new open-world region of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet appears to be based on Spain, and the games’ Starter Pokémon may be the biggest hint at a Spain-based region for these upcoming titles. Pokémon games have always based their regions on locations in the real world ever since the Kanto region of Gen I, which was based on the actual Kanto region of Japan. Since then, parts of America, France, and the United Kingdom have also been the inspiration for in-game regions, and the latest installment in the franchise seems to draw heavily from Spanish geography, architecture, and culture.

The names of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Starters – specifically Sprigatito and Fuecoco – seem to be derived from Spanish words as well, further suggesting a Spain-inspired region for Gen 9. ”Gatito” is the Spanish word for “little cat,” which is a fitting name for the adorable Grass Cat Starter, Sprigatito. The laid-back Fire Croc Pokémon, Fuecoco, also seems to get its name from the Spanish word for fire, “fuego,” which matches its Type. Currently, the three Starter Pokémon are the only new Pokémon that have been confirmed for Gen 9, but more new Pokémon and evolutionary forms will likely be revealed leading up to the release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet in late 2022.