Pokemon Scarlet and Violet introduce 107 new creatures, found throughout the open-world Paldea region. Some have already become hits among fans, including the three adorable starter Pokemon. However, there are others that fans are much less enthused about. Although Game Freak probably won't be letting fans design its Pokemon any time soon, it would be a good idea to host official fan-designed Pokemon contests to show off the creative ideas that players have come up with over the years.
With its Paradox Pokemon and regional variants, many of the critters in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet aren't altogether new designs. Fan-designed Pokemon contests could be a breeding ground for new ideas, or even a place to find potential future collaborators similar to James Turner. Furthermore, it could drum up more interest in the franchise by making fans feel more involved in their favorite series.
Game Freak's Endless Wellspring of Pokemon Designs
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are noteworthy titles, as they push the Pokedex to over a thousand entries. Within the roster, there are scores of impressive creatures that have become fan-favorite monsters, including daunting dragons like Charizard, Garchomp, and Salamence. Players that prefer the cuter critters have fallen in love with the likes of Pikachu, Morpeko, Squirtle, and Jigglypuff. Despite all these interesting creations, Game Freak has also released a fair share of Pokemon that have made players scratch their heads.
Some of the worst offenders are Pokemon that look identical to real-world animals, for instance Tauros as a regular bull, Skwovet as a squirrel, and Sandshrew as a pangolin. Then there are Pokemon who could be described as living appliances or objects - from Trubbish the trash bag to Klefki the keychain. All these Pokemon have amassed their fair share of fans, though it would still be interesting for Game Freak to let its loyal fans take center stage.
Fans Believe Some Fakemon Are Better Than Real Pokemon
Over the years, some players haven't been satisfied with Game Freak's designs, and they have decided to craft their own Pokemon; colloquially known as Fakemon. More dedicated creators will sometimes even give these Fakemon new stats and Pokedex descriptions, or design entire games around them. Some of the creations feature entire evolutionary lines, while others will give existing Pokemon new evolutions. Among the most interesting designs that have been shared include regional variants of creatures.
It is unlikely that these Fakemon, regardless of how well-designed they may be, would ever make it into the official series. To date, one of the only Pokemon not designed by Game Freak is Lugia, a Pokemon with a tragic backstory. Nevertheless, a fan-designed Pokemon contest would do a lot to shine a light on how passionate the fanbase is, and what beautiful creations they have worked on. One prize could be for the winning Pokemon to be featured on a custom promo in the Pokemon TCG, which has previously held contests for fan designs to appear on cards.
There have been plenty of Pokemon clones that tried to throw the franchise of its pedestal, but thus far none have managed to come close. There is something special about Pokemon designs, and it would be a treat to fans if The Pokemon Company acknowledged the plethora of art that fans have created for the series they love so dearly.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now on Nintendo Switch.