Not everyPokemon GOSeason has been built around an obvious theme, but the Season of Alola couldn’t be more different. Right now, fans are seeing a wealth of monsters fromPokemon SunandMoon’s home region appear in the game for the first time, offering fans a rare opportunity to catch a high number of new Pokemon. The Season of Alola is a compelling addition toPokemon GO, and not just because it adds so many basic and Legendary Pokemon to the game at once. It also opens the door for more season that are built around specific Pokemon regions.
After the Season of Alola is over, it wouldn’t be surprising if Niantic ran more Seasons based on other recent Pokemon regions, especiallyifPokemon GOis missing lots of Pokemonfrom those places. The Galar region is a particularly strong candidate for a Season, since it’s fresh in the minds of Pokemon fans and still has a lot to contribute toPokemon GO.Nevertheless,Pokemon GOfans shouldn’t count on the Galar region to take the spotlight after the Season of Alola. On the contrary, Niantic will probably hold onto the Galar region’s exclusive Pokemon for quite some time, rather than leaping into a spotlight onPokemon SwordandShield’s monsters.
RELATED:Pokemon GO Could Add Monsters From Pokemon Scarlet and Violet This Year
Why a Season of Galar is Unlikely For Now
The currentPokemon GOseason is strange because Niantic generally adds new Pokemon to the game at a very slow pace. At this point in the game’s life,Pokemon GOfeatures everyPokemongenerationin whole or in part, meaning there are precious few monsters left to add. New additions are a key form ofPokemon GOupdate, so Niantic has to use its remaining Pokemon wisely. After spending so many new Pokemon additions on the Season of Alola, Niantic probably doesn’t want to run another Season that’s all about adding a wealth of new Pokemon yet. Instead, it has good reason to sit on the Galarian Pokedex so that it can get more use out of the region.
UpcomingPokemonevents also make it seem unlikely that the Galar region will get much attention inPokemon GOduring the second half of 2022. Later this year, Game Freak will kick offPokemon’s ninth generation with the release ofPokemon ScarletandViolet. Pokemon GOwill almost certainly help advertisethe hotly anticipatedScarletandViolet,given its recent track record of providing publicity for newPokemongames. A Season of Galar would feel distracting during a time whenScarletandVioletneed publicity.Pokemon GOwill likely spend the rest of 2022 looking to the future, instead of focusing on Generation 8.
RELATED:How Pokemon GO Could Incorporate Solgaleo and Lunala
Galar Will Join Pokemon GO Eventually
It’s possible that the Galar region will get its ownPokemon GOSeason sometime in early 2023, afterScarletandViolethave come out. The Season of Alola started shortly afterthe release ofPokemon Legends: Arceus,so it would make sense of Galar got attention a little while afterScarletandViolet’s debut. Overall, though, the timing of a hypothetical Season of Galar is hard to predict. It all depends on how carefully Niantic wants to distribute new Pokemon additions once it has a ninth generation to work with.
Galar certainly deserves its own Season.Pokemon GOalready features a wealth of Galarian Pokemon forms,as well as Zacian and Zamazenta; these Pokemon feel a bit like outcasts without the other Pokemon from that region. Alolan Pokemon forms inPokemon GOare finally catching up with their Alolan peers, years afterPokemon SunandMoonreleased, so with most other regional Pokedexes mostly complete, hopefully Galar is next in line. It could take quite some time before Galar takes the stage, but eventually, the Generation 8 region will have its day in the sun.
Pokemon GOis available now for Android and iOS devices.
MORE:Pokemon GO’s Community Day Changes Miss the Point of Longer Hours
