Summary
Pokemonfans are always looking for hints at the next possible games in the series, and recent rumors have a strong possibility of holding some truth. With the 5th generation of thePokemongames next in line to receive remakes, a new set of trademarks has fans hoping that they will get to play them sooner rather than later.
It was recently reported that Nintendo, Creatures Inc., and Game Freak have filed a new set of trademarks. The terms ‘Black Bolt’, ‘White Flare’, and ‘Hot Air Arena’ have all been filed under Class 28 trademarks, which covers the protection of games, toys, and playthings. Though it’s unclear what Hot Air Arena might refer to, Black Bolt and White Flare are clearly reminiscent of generation 5’sBlackandWhitetitles. It should be noted, however, that these trademarks lack the word ‘Pokemon’. That, coupled with the Class 28 status, which usually points to thePokemon TCGrather than video games, might mean that remakes aren’t in the cards right now, but the TCG showing that era more appreciation may still be a positive sign.
Pokemon TCG vs Pokemon Games: Which is More Likely
Given the history ofPokemonrelated trademarks, it’s generally assumed that this batch will relate to the TCG. Trademarks are generally discovered somewhat close to the time when they will be officially used, and with the nextPokemongame already announced to bePokemon Legends: Z-A, it’s unlikely that a full scale remake is close to being announced. ThePokemon TCG, on the other hand, has several new releases per year, leading to speculation that one, or perhaps all three, of these names will be used for future expansion sets. Amid variousrumors of pastPokemon TCGmechanics returning, such as trainer-owned Pokemon and Dark Pokemon, revisiting creatures from a past region hardly seems out of the question.
How Likely are Black and White Remakes
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like this round of trademarks is pointing to gen 5 remakes, but there may be other clues leading fans in that direction. For starters, Game Freak has developed a trend of remaking older games for current consoles, and withBrilliant DiamondandShining Pearlbeing the most recent,BlackandWhiteare next in line for a similar treatment. Some fans were so impressed with the last remakes, in fact, that they believeILCA should remakePokemon’s Unova Gamesnext.
As for hints and clues, fans don’t need to look much further than the DLC forPokemon ScarletandViolet. Part 2 of the add-on campaign,The Indigo Disk, took place atBlueberry Academy, a sister school to the one players attend in the most recent games. While there, they get to explore the underwater school’s terrarium, which contains 4 separate biomes where different Pokemon can be found. A telling detail that many players might overlook though, is that many of these Pokemon come from the Unova region, which makes sense, as Blueberry Academy is technically located in that region. So, while fans were stuck at an underwater school, they have already revisited the home region of generation 5.
Taking the references a step further, the terrarium features certain locations reminiscent of locations found in the Unova region. This inspiration goes so far that some fans have pointed out aBlackandWhite 2Easter egg in theIndigo DiskDLC, pointing to an area that resembles the Nature Preserve from those games. So, while these particular trademarks might not directly point to names for a generation 5 remake, as some fans were hoping, they do strengthen the evidence that Game Freak has the Unova region and its Pokemon on its mind. The future of thePokemongames is far from set in stone, but it wouldn’t be surprising to find fans traveling back to Unova in the future.
Pokemon TCG
Pokemon TCG (Trading Card Game) is a collectible and strategy based card game based on Nintendo’s Pokemon franchise. Two players face off against one another, battling one Pokemon at a time and attempting to knock them out to claim one of six prize cards. The cards have also become highly collectible with some in particular selling for thousands of dollars.
