A patent filed by both Nintendo and The Pokemon Company has recently surfaced, and the details hint at some potentially substantial changes that could be in the works for the Pokemon franchise. With the Switch 2 being Nintendo's worst-kept secret, gamers are looking to the future. However, with new hardware comes new possibilities. It's not simply about what Nintendo's next console might look like, but rather, it's about the experiences fans can have on them.

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As first spotted by Xfire, Nintendo and The Pokemon Company jointly filed for a patent that appears to be a potential successor or upgrade to Pokemon Home. The patent refers to what could be the next evolution of the subscription service that houses and transfers Pokemon, but with some fundamental changes that will make pocket monsters feel more alive. While the new service still serves the main purpose of Home, which is to store and transfer Pokemon from one game to another, the creatures within the patented technology can learn, evolve, and maintain traits from the various regions they have traveled to.

Nintendo and The Pokemon Company patent for Content Holding System

Theoretically, Pokemon would not only maintain their stats from game to game as they do now, but they would also store information about Gym Badges and various battles they've helped win in another region entirely. It's possible Pokemon could even change based on location. Regional variants could even be altered if moved. Needless to say, this would be an absolute game-changer for the Pokemon franchise.

The patent paints a picture of a world where Pokemon grow with their respective trainers. Players could take their favorite Pokemon from region to region, and that same creature would essentially remember the relationship that has been built along the way. Gamers are making the case for Pokemon to break certain traditions in Gen 10, but this patent hints at an ideological and fundamental change for the series.

In the more immediate future, however, the current generation of games is slated to receive its second wave of DLC on December 14. Fans still aren't entirely sure what to expect from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet' s Indigo Disk DLC, but the details that have been revealed point to new and returning pocket monsters, a new Legendary, and an entirely new area to explore.

pokemon-scarlet-and-violet-cover-art
Systems
Top Critic Avg: 71 /100 Critics Rec: 48%
Released
November 18, 2022
ESRB
E For Everyone Due To Mild Fantasy Violence
Developer(s)
Game Freak
Publisher(s)
Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
Engine
Proprietary Engine
Multiplayer
Local Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play
no

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
PHYSICAL

Pokemon Scarlet & Pokemon Violet are the main entries in the series for Generation IX. They introduced over 100 new Pokemon and brought players to the Paldea region.

Franchise
Pokemon
Platform(s)
Switch
How Long To Beat
32 Hours
Metascore
72
Genre(s)
RPG