Pokemon Scarlet and Violet recently revealed the latest pocket monster to be joining the Paldean region in the form of Wiglett. Unveiled during a fake webinar where a group of alleged Pokemon scientists looked for new species, Wiglett was at first assumed to be a regional form of Generation 1's Diglett. However, as the conversation around the Pokemon developed, it was made clear that despite some design similarities, the latest monster in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet was its own form.
Like Diglett, Wiglett also features a large, pink nose and beady eyes, with most of its body being hidden underground. However, as pointed out by the Pokemon scientists, Wiglett can elongate its body, has different coloring, and it lives near water, something that Ground-type Pokemon such as Diglett would normally avoid. While this is enough for Game Freak to entitle Wiglett as a whole new Pokemon, some fans still aren't convinced, as the minor variations on the Diglett design being dressed up as enough to make a new pocket monster raises a bunch of questions about the future of the Pokemon franchise.
The Purpose of Pokemon Like Wiglett
While it may seem somewhat existential to determine the purpose of any creature, in the realm of Pokemon design, Wiglett appears as a bit of an anomaly. In the franchise's past, plenty of Pokemon that share a similar design are referred to as Regional Variants, and they are meant to show that throughout the series' settings, creatures evolve differently. Diglett even has an Alolan variant from Generation 7, for example, and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has already shown off Paldean Wooper, explaining that it's not scrapping the idea of Regional Variants.
This then leaves Wiglett in a strange space, as it doesn't appear to be different enough to warrant its title as a new Pokemon, but isn't labeled a Regional Variant either. Even with its long body and fondness of beaches, it still appears more like an expected Paldean Diglett. This then suggests that Game Freak could be looking to make more strange cousins of Pokemon from older generations. Whether they will appear within Pokemon Scarlet and Violet or not, fans are likely going to be divided over this design choice.
What Wiglett Means for the Future of Pokemon
If the designs of future Pokemon games lean more towards the way of Wiglett, trading completely unique creatures for ones that borrow ideas from the franchise's past, some fans might not be best pleased. There is the argument to be made that the creation of Pokemon like Wiglett, which is really just a white, bendy Diglett, is a lazy design choice, utilizing the success of a previous creature to ensure fans will like the new one. For those who don't like the addition of Wiglett, there are going to be some concerns about whether this will become a more frequent feature of future Pokemon games, as it could lead to less interesting creature designs.
On the other hand, for those that fondly remember the days of Pokemon's first generations, Wiglett's addition to the roster is a positive thing. It shows not only that Game Freak is still paying attention to the Pokemon it has created in the past, but that it can still put interesting twists on the designs of its older creatures to keep them fresh. There have been plenty of similarly designed monsters in the past as well, so it's not like Wiglett's inclusion marks an entirely new direction. Pikachu has plenty of clones, for example, that borrow key elements from the electric mouse's design and are still labeled as completely new Pokemon.
While some fans may believe that Wiglett marks a poor direction for Pokemon design, there are plenty of gamers online excited to see the new version of Diglett. Even if more Pokemon in the future of the franchise turn out to be alterations of previous creatures, Game Freak is still delivering on plenty of entirely unique Pokemon for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
Pokemon ScarletandViolet will be released on November 18 for the Nintendo Switch.
