The release of Pokemon Legends: Arceus is creeping closer with each new day, and it seems that anticipation is starting to reach new heights for what could be one of the most ambitious Pokemon games ever made. Nintendo has been steadily pulling back the curtain on Pokemon Legends: Arceus over the past month, showing some of the new Hisuian variants that fans can look forward to encountering in the game's pseudo open world. Regional variants are nothing new for Pokemon at this point, but recent rumors show how Legends: Arceus could be getting even more experimental than some previously thought.
In a recent posting from Centro Leaks on Twitter, someone who has leaked accurate information in the past, Pokemon Legends: Arceus could have Hisuian evolutions for its three starters. While this is something that has been speculated on at length by some fans, this more recent rumor actually details the typing of each of the final starter evolutions. All three evolutions, if true, would thoroughly change up how each Pokemon operates. But one in particular could be indicative of a new trend that fans could expect to see in future Pokemon games.
Samurott's Rumored Final Evolution
One of the more compelling aspects of Pokemon Legends: Arceus since its reveal is that, instead of introducing brand-new starters, players will instead choose from popular starters that have featured in previous Pokemon titles. Players will choose between Oshawott, Cyndaquil, and Rowlet, and rumors suggest that they'll all be given a new dual-typing for their final evolutions. While this is significant for both Samurott and Typhlosion, as they both usually have one typing, Samurott's Water/Dark typing is especially interesting because it's one that many fans should already be familiar with.
Pokemon's Obsession With Dual-Type Starters
Now, dual-type starters aren't necessarily new to Pokemon, but over the years it's become clear that the franchise favors certain pairings over others. This is most apparent in Pokemon's Fire-type starters, where three out of the eight starters have received a Fire/Fighting typing for their final evolutions. This was largely spurred on by the popularity of Blaziken after the release of Gen 3, but when Gen 5 gave players their third Fire/Fighting starter in a row, many fans started to request some variety. Pokemon has since calmed down with Fire/Fighting types, but Samurott's rumored typing could signal a replacement of sorts.
Water-type starters are no stranger to dual-type final evolutions, but Samurott's supposed typing is significant because it mimics the same typing of one of the most popular starters from the past ten years, Greninja. Introduced in Gen 6, Greninja is a Water/Dark type that has been featured heavily in other Pokemon media, even appearing as a fighter in Super Smash Bros. on the Wii U only a year after the release of Gen 6. If Samurott does end up being a Water/Dark type after Greninja's popularity, it would basically follow the same exact pattern as the rise of Fire/Fighting type starters.
Whether or not Pokemon is latching on to Water/Dark types will depend on if Samurott does turn out to have that typing in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, and fans will probably have to wait until Gen 9 to see if it's to the same extent as Fire/Fighting types. These rumors sure make it seem possible, but until Nintendo is ready to reveal more official information on Legends: Arceus, fans will just have to wait and see how the Hisui region might be putting a twist on some of Pokemon's most beloved starters.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is scheduled to release on January 28, 2022 on the Nintendo Switch.
