https://gamerant.com/pokemon-scarlet-violet-dlc-clue-remake-legends-game-briar-unova/The future of Pokemon is still unknown, but the Teal Mask DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet drops a hint about the next game's setting.
The first wave of DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has released and with it comes a variety of new content for players to experience, including a new story, new characters, and crop of new and returning critters to catch. While The Teal Mask DLC is sure to extend the life of
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, many fans are already turning their attention towards the next mainline entry in the series as rumors and leaks have started to pop up around the future of the series. To add fuel to the speculation, The Teal Mask confirms an important detail that hints at where this next entry could take place.There are a lot of directions the next mainline Pokemon game could take, with some of the most common theories suggesting players will return to the Unova Region for Pokemon Black and White remakes, a
Pokemon Legends Unova game, or even Pokemon Black 3 and White 3. There's also the chance that the series leaps right into Gen 10 after Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. However, the confirmation of Blueberry Academy's location revealed in The Teal Mask supports the idea that players will be headed back to Unova in the next title.
The Teal Mask Hints at the Next Game Taking Players to UnovaThe Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will be taking players to two different locales across each wave, with The Teal Mask already allowing players to explore the land of Kitakami, and
The Indigo Disk taking players to Blueberry Academy. Prior to the release of The Teal Mask, the location of Blueberry Academy was up for debate as it appeared to be situated in the middle of the ocean with no discernable landmarks shown in trailers. Now that The Teal Mask has been released, the DLC reveals early on that Blueberry Academy is located in the Unova Region, supporting the current popular fan theories about the next game's setting.
The Teal Mask starts by introducing the player to Briar, a teacher at Blueberry Academy and the representative of the school that will be leading the joint trip to Kitakami that Blueberry and Naranja/Uva Academy will be conducting. During her introduction, she notes that she is from Naranja/Uva Academy's sister school Blueberry Academy located in the Unova Region. Although players won't be traveling to Blueberry Academy until The Indigo Disk, the fact that Briar mentions its location in the Unova Region sets the stage for events in the next wave of DLC to potentially connect to a future mainline title.
A game set in Unova was already a popular theory before the release of The Teal Mask due to Gen 4 already receiving remakes in the form of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, putting Gen 5 next on the block to get remakes. Added to this speculation was a leak from reputable
Pokemon leaker Riddler Khu that suggested a particular character from The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC would play an important role in the next title and that a game set in Unova was definitely on the table. The combination of these elements put Unova in the fan base's crosshairs as the likeliest location for the next game to be set in.
Additionally, some of the new characters and mons revealed in trailers for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC have been linked with the Unova Region to further add credibility to the theory of the next mainline game heading there.
Duraludon's new evolution Archaludon is designed to look like a large steel bridge, a type of landmark that famously can be found throughout Unova, and the new trainer Drayton, who uses an Archaludon, looks like and shares a similar name to the Unovan Gym Leader Drayden, suggesting they could be related. The pieces are starting to come together thanks to The Teal Mask and the picture of a new game set in Unova is becoming clear.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available for Nintendo Switch. The Teal Mask DLC is also available now.