Rumors have been ramping up over the return of Pokemon Black and White's Unova region, with many believing that the region will soon be explored in a standalone title. The mention of Unova was brought forth by Ms. Briar of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Teal Mask DLC, indicating that the Blueberry Academy setting of the upcoming Indigo Disk DLC will take place in the region. While the Indigo Disk DLC looks to be contained within the Academy's confines, its relevance along with the pattern set up by prior Pokemon releases could hint at other, more substantial Unova appearances in the future.

Because Gen 5 is next on the list for the remake treatment, many have been speculating that Black and White remakes will be the next course of action for The Pokemon Company's release schedule. Because of the unique situation regarding Black and White having received direct sequels, however, this poses an interesting challenge. Making one-to-one remakes of Black and White could be a successful endeavor, though this would inevitably leave out features and story advancements made in Black and White 2, posing the question of whether Black and White 3 games would be a smarter move.

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Unova Could Be Spotlighted in Pokemon Black and White Remakes, a Legends Game, or Black and White 3

Black and White 3 games would allow for more creative leeway while working from the region's referential treatment, though it can be argued that they wouldn't be entirely necessary given how Black and White 2 ended their stories. An alternative could be to remake Black and White's plot while incorporating a few of the add-on features seen in their sequels, which might be the best track for newcomers who weren't able to experience the originals. Still, given how some of the region's locations and characters develop in the two-year gap between Black and White and their sequels, some compromises would need to be made in terms of which direction to go in.

There has also been speculation of a new Legends game set in the Unova region, which would be another viable option to consider. Like Gen 4's treatment, this could be a concurrent release alongside Black and White remakes, which would leave plenty of room for the region to be spotlighted. Some working theories have considered that Scarlet and Violet's feature of the Blueberry Academy could be a hint towards this, though others have leaned towards the idea of Gen 2 being Legends' next contender, given Perrin's appearance in The Teal Mask's Kitakami, a land that many believe to be a part of the Johto region.

Depending on how the plot of Scarlet and Violet's Indigo Disk DLC transpires, there could even be the option of exploring a modern-day Unova following its events in the timeline. Such treatment would correspond with a Black and White 3 type of situation, which could have interesting plot implications if connected to Paldea and its Terastal Phenomenon. Because Black and White and their sequels hold up quite well in their visuals, it could be that the remake treatment focuses more on story or mechanical changes to reinvent the wheel, making this another viable choice.

Seeing more of the Indigo Disk DLC could clue players in to how Unova might be featured again in future titles. The versatility of the region and the themes of Black and White point toward a number of directions that can be taken; whether spotlighted in the distant past through a Legends title, a modern-day rendition in a Black and White 3, or through a more faithful one-to-one remake, there's certainly much to be considered for how Pokemon Gen 5 will make its official return.

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