Summary
- Teal Mask DLC in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet may be hinting at the long-rumored Gen 5 remakes of Pokémon Black and White.
- There is a connection to the Unova region that sets the stage for future exploration and interaction with the entire region.
- While speculation surrounds the Gen 5 remakes, Nintendo's history of remaking previous generations suggests that Unova should be the next region on the list.
Indigo Disk DLC for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, expected to arrive in Winter 2023.
There are several new and returning Pokémon in Teal Mask, including the Legendary trio known as the Loyal Three, as well as competitive powerhouses like Vikavolt and Chandelure. The land of Kitakami is far away from Scarlet and Violet’s Paldea, but its exact location among other regions is unknown. Nevertheless, there has been a subtle mention of the Unova region during the main campaign in the Teal Mask DLC, which may actually be a hint of the highly anticipated Gen 5 remakes of Pokémon Black and White. It is, by no means, an actual confirmation, but a detail that may be worth keeping an eye on.
Pokémon Teal Mask Brings Important Info On Gen 5’s Unova Region
After obtaining the Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC pack, Professor Jacq will call the player, informing them of the opportunity to go on a field trip. This is the main plot of the Teal Mask DLC. Upon arriving at Naranja or Uva Academy, depending on the player’s version, they will meet Ms. Briar, a character who will accompany them on the adventure. Then, Professor Jacq arrives and mentions that Ms. Briar is from Blueberry Academy. Jacq then says something vital: the Pokémon school is located in the Unova region. This seems like a trivial piece of information, but it may actually be a hint at Gen 5 remakes.
How Pokémon’s Teal Mask DLC Teases Gen 5 Remakes
The mere existence of Blueberry Academy in the Unova region may be a way of setting up the entire area as something explorable in the near future. Aside from the fact that there are several leaks about Pokémon’s Gen 5 remakes, this is actually a very common way of teacoming games and their content. In the Gen 4 remakes, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, for instance, there was a new book referencing a creature that would later be revealed as Hisuian Qwilfish. It seemed trivial at the time as well, but it ultimately set the stage for the following game, Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
When the Indigo Disk DLC comes out for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, players will already know that the Blueberry Academy that they are visiting is set in the Unova region, thanks to the information revealed in the Teal Mask DLC. Although isolated from the main continent, this underwater location will be, theoretically, an explorable area of Unova. It is uncertain if the Indigo Disk expansion will elaborate on the Unova region even further, but it would be a fantastic way of starting inexpensive merchandising for an Pokémon product. By setting Indigo Disk’s Blueberry Academy in Unova, Nintendo generates hype for further interaction with the entire region itself.
The Indigo Disk DLC does not have a release date so far, but its revelation could come accompanied by the announcement of the rumored remakes of the Gen 5 games, Pokémon Black and White. This would make a great connecting point between the new Gen 9 games for Nintendo Switch and the Gen 9 remakes. New players who went through Scarlet and Violet’s DLCs would be enticed to explore Unova, while veterans would want to see a revamped version of the region. Although the Teal Mask expansion sets up the stage for a connection to Gen 5, it is not confirmed. Speculation should be taken with a grain of salt.
Pokémon Gen 5 Remakes Have Long Been Awaited & Rumored
Although a great part of the Teal Mask DLC’s connection to the Gen 5 remakes lies in speculation and rumors, there has been a constant influx of information regarding the updated version of the Unova-based games for quite a while now. Nintendo is actively remaking titles in the Pokémon series. Gen 2’s Johto was remade with Soul Silver and Heart Gold for Nintendo DS in 2010, followed by Gen 3 remakes Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire for 3DS in 2014. The series then saw a minor interruption in the remake flow with another Gen 1 remake called Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! for Nintendo Switch in 2018.
The very first remake in the franchise was Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, which recreated the Kanto experience for Nintendo Game Boy Advance. These titles were released in 2004 and are a part of Gen 3, along with Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire.
The most recent remakes in the series were the aforementioned Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, which recreated the Gen 4 region of Sinnoh in 2021. This was then followed by Pokémon: Legends Arceus in 2022, which was an alternative approach to the formula of the core series and wrapped up Gen 8 in the Hisui region, the ancient version of Sinnoh. The next logical step in the remake timeline is to recreate the Gen 5 games, Pokémon Black and White. It is uncertain exactly how Nintendo will deal with the fact that there is Black and White and Black and White 2.
Nevertheless, the Unova region should be the next one featured on the remake list. The aforementioned leaks about Gen 5’s Black and White remakes also cite the temporal theme in Opelucid City, which sees it have two distinct versions, one in the past and the other in the future. This could make a direct connection to the past and future themes of Paldea. There is a lot of speculation regarding the next remakes in the franchise, but even without the direct connections, everything seems to hint at Gen 5 remakes, starting with the small nod to the Unova region featured in the Teal Mask DLC for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
