The new region has yet to be officially named, and there is some room for debate.
To the surprise of many of us, the recent Pokémon Presents program has left us with the announcement of the ninth generation episodes: Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (Scarlet and Purple in Spanish) that will arrive exclusively at switch by the end of the year. Beyond the excitement of seeing the map and the initial companions, attentive fans have noticed a really curious detail: during the trailer, you can see the map of Spain on a poster, implying that it will be set in the Iberian country.
For those less familiar with the subject, Game Freak traditionally chooses a real world country —be it Japan, France, Great Britain or the United States, to name a few past examples— from which cultures and traditions are built. And even the creatures, too. If the fan theory is correct, and looking at the colors of the titles there is very little doubt about it, then the question that remains is what kind of references we would like to see: Flemish? Mediterranean food? We will see.
One of the first clues that the trailer leaves us has to do with the recreation of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, one of the most recognized monuments in the city of Barcelona. In another scene of the video, while the protagonist climbs the stairs of a house, you can see the painting of a flamingo. There is also a setting reminiscent of a cross between the Plaza Mayor in Madrid and the Plaza del Comercio in Lisbon, and even influences from the nearby islands.
The last straw is in the name of the starter pokemon, which are the only ones announced from the new Pokédex: the plant one is called Sprigatito, the fire one, Fuecoco; and the water one, Quaxly. That last one is not so obvious, but if you allow me a personal bet, I think it is based on the onomatopoeia of the duck in Spanish.
We encourage you to watch the trailer pausing every second in search of other clues, winks, references or evidence. We also invite you to learn about other announcements presented in this latest Pokémon Direct, such as the free update of Pokémon Legends: Arceus that is now available.
More about: Pokémon Scarlet / Purple, Game Freak and Pokémon.