Diving deeper into Area Zero
[Everyone welcome Cody Perez to Destructoid, who recently started writing for us in a freelancecapacity! Cody has written for a host of sites, including IGN, Digital Trends, and GameRevolution. Currently they’re playingCall of Duty, FFXIV,andFortnite, among other games – Chris Carter]
Pokemon Scarlet & Violetmight have only come out a few months ago, but some players are already eagerly looking ahead to the future. The possibility ofPokemon Scarlet & VioletDLC is exciting, but the question remains: will it happen or not?
IsPokemon Scarlet & VioletDLC happening?
To be clear, The Pokemon Company hasn’t yet confirmed if DLC is happening for the Generation 9 games on Nintendo Switch. Even still, there are many hints within the games themselves that seem to point to this possibly being the case.
For instance, as Dot Esportsnotes, the third legendary Pokemon isn’t even available in the games.However, there is a book that references the third legendary Pokemonand even shows a glimpse of what its design might look like.
This, along with the inaccessible parts of the Paldea region add to this. This includes parts of Area Zero that you can’t visit, including a closed-off elevator that could lead to deeper parts. Plus, there is an entire grayed-out region that matches the look of Area Zero in the northeastern part.
All of these seem to point toward later DLC areas or, at the very least, possibly cut content. Given thatSword & Shieldintroduced DLC content to the series for the first time with theIsle of ArmorandCrown Tundra, it seems possible that this trend could continue.
Rumored release date
As for when players will get their hands on the rumoredPokemon Scarlet & VioletDLC content, this is even further unknown. For reference,Sword & Shieldreleased in November 2019, beforereleasing its first DLC pack in June 2020.
This was followed up by a second DLC expansion in October 2020. Since the Gen 9 games came out in November 2022, it seems possible that players could see its DLC plans follow a similar formula of one expansion in the summer and another in the fall.
This would be helpful given that it is possible that there won’t be a new mainlinePokemonrelease in 2023. That said, this only works if the Generation 9 DLC follows the same pattern of releasing two packs. It is entirely possible that there could be less or more expansions.
With that said, here is what the game and rumors have hinted at what the DLC could include.
Further Area Zero expeditions
For starters, it is possible thatScarlet & VioletDLC could take players back to the mysterious Area Zero from the main game. There are still parts of the Paldean crater that haven’t been explored yet. For instance, there is an inaccessible elevator near the entrance.
It is possible that the elevator could take players further down below into Area Zero. Or that players could head back towards the Time Machine in the center of Area Zero. There, it is likely that players could see new Paradox Pokemon in the DLC content. Like theteasedParadox forms of Suicune and Virizion.
Revisiting Kalos
The other main theory about the rumoredPokemon Scarlet & VioletDLC is that players could revisit the Generation 6 region, Kalos. This could tie into the northeastern area of the map that is sectioned-off and seems to be inaccessible for now.
The real-world inspiration of Paldea, Spain, connects to France, the inspiration behind the Kalos region, in this area. There is a chance that a second DLC pack could see players visit this location and see part of the bordering parts of Paldea and Kalos.
What seems unlikely about this scenario is the ability to visit the entirety of Kalos a la the two regions in the Generation 2 games. Instead, it is more likely that it will solely be that one connecting area in the corner of theopen-world map.
That said, this area alone could introduce a part of Kalos that hasn’t been visited before or even shed some light on the story events of those games.
Meeting the third legendary Pokemon
Another possibility for the Gen 9 DLC is meeting the third legendary Pokemon. It is in the notes for theScarletandVioletBook in the school library. Since players can see art of its design, it seems like it is inevitable that this Pokemon will appear at some point.
DLC would be the best chance to integrate the third legendary and allow players to catch it. This would also be a great time to explore the origins of the Time Machine in the base game’s story. This could even show how it came about in the first place.
And perhaps this part of the DLC could shed some light on the real villain behind everything in the process.
Related:Do EXP Candies Increase EVs in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet? – AnsweredonPrima Games
