Summary
- Leaks about the DLC for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet suggest the possibility of future sequels to the mainline games.
- The leaks indicate that a character in The Indigo Disk will play a significant role in the next main series game, potentially serving as a key to the lore.
- While a direct sequel to Scarlet and Violet is intriguing, it is uncertain if there will be enough material left in the region of Paldea after the DLC to warrant a full sequel.
Although the DLC for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet has yet to release, some leaks may already be hinting at future Pokémon games - potentially including a direct sequel to the most recent mainline entries. As the series continues to grow, it's not uncommon to see information about future DLCs or even entire games leaked well in advance of any official announcements, driving speculation and hype for the future of the franchise. And while leaks can often be an unreliable source of information, and should be taken with a grain of salt, they can oftentimes provide a glimpse at games that are still far from release.
Initially announced in February 2023, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet follows the same general formula laid down by the DLC for the previous generation's Pokémon Sword and Shield. Like with the previous game, the Area Zero DLC is split into two parts, The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk, which will release in Fall 2023 and Winter 2023, respectively. And in accordance with some theories that the SV DLC will tie into future games, leaks regarding the DLC for Scarlet and Violet are now pointing to potential sequels for the most recent games.
Pokémon DLC Leaks Could Point to Scarlet 2 & Violet 2
According to CentroLeaks on Twitter, leaks indicate that a prominent character in The Indigo Disk DLC will have prominent relevance in the next mainline Pokémon games to release after The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero is complete. Exactly which character has yet to be specified, but the leak does point to the possibility of the next mainline Pokémon entry being a direct sequel - a concept that the core games haven't explored since the fifth generation, with Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 serving as direct sequels to Pokémon Black and White instead of the standard third, more complete version like Generation 4's Pokémon Platinum.
In the tweet, CentroLeaks claims that, according to another leaker, one of the characters featured in the promotional art for The Indigo Disk DLC "holds the key to the lore in the DLC and will have a big role in the next main series game." Notably, the image shown in the Tweet focuses on the various characters on the right side of the full art, who seem to serve as rivals in the DLC, including characters that have already been introduced in promotional material like Carmine, Kieran, and Lacey - although CentroLeaks also specifies that Lacey is not the important character in question.
Direct Scarlet & Violet Sequels Could Improve Paldea
While there's little else in of leaked information regarding either the DLC or the next mainline Pokémon games, the idea of a direct sequel to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is interesting. Outside of Gold and Silver, Black 2 and White 2, and the various remakes of previous generations, the core Pokémon games very rarely revisit past regions, especially in the context of advancing those regions' stories past where their original games ended. As Scarlet and Violet has proved to be both one of the most flawed Pokémon releases and one of the most well-received in of story and gameplay, Paldea may be the perfect region to expand on.
In spite of some of the game's flaws, many of Scarlet and Violet's characters, such as Nemona, Arven, and Penny, have proved to be popular and well-liked among the fanbase, especially compared to some characters from other recent generations like Sword and Shield's Hop. As such, returning to those characters and continuing their stories could make sense for a future game, much like how Black 2 and White 2 feature characters like N, Cheren, and Bianca in new contexts. Moreover, a return to Paldea could represent a chance to refine the region's open world gameplay.
Although the open world of Paldea is a natural fit for Pokémon, the actual process of exploring and finding Pokémon is hampered by many of Scarlet and Violet's deeper flaws. Performance in Scarlet and Violet remains relatively subpar even after being improved in post-launch patches - and those improvements also came at the cost of population density for both Pokémon and NPCs, leaving the world more empty than before. A direct sequel set in Paldea would provide the chance for Game Freak to better deliver on the promise of an open world Pokémon game, giving a better and more refined look at the region.
Pokémon DLC Leaks Don't Necessarily Confirm Direct Sequels
However, it should also be acknowledged that a DLC character from Scarlet and Violet featuring prominently in the next game isn't a surefire sign of a direct sequel. In practice, many characters in the series make reappearances in later games, such as Looker being introduced in Pokémon Platinum but going on to be featured in many later games. A character going on to feature in a later game could simply mean that they'll make another appearance in a different region. Moreover, Scarlet and Violet's DLC may not leave room for a direct sequel.
In older Pokémon generations, games like Emerald, Platinum, and Black 2 and White 2 served as more "complete" versions, rounding out the initial releases of their generations with new features and Pokémon. In more recent generations, this role has seemingly been taken by DLC releases, which feature new Legendary Pokémon and new areas; to then put out an entire sequel to Scarlet and Violet would be unprecedented for the series. Moreover, with the DLC for Scarlet and Violet seemingly promising to tie up many of loose plot threads left by the base game, there may not be enough left in Paldea for an entire sequel game to explore.
As with any leaks, unverified and unannounced information should be taken with a grain of salt - leaks can be faked, falsely reported, or things can simply change in the middle of developing a game. While a direct sequel to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is an interesting idea, and could make for a much more polished game, there may not be enough potential left in the region of Paldea after the game's DLC has run its course.
Source: CentroLeaks/Twitter
