Summary
UPDATE: 13-06-2025 04:01 BST - Centro Leaks, the same source that made these claims, hasadmitted that the information provided to them was fake, and Game Freak did not change plans for Pokemon Black & White 2 due to backlash over the first game’s Pokedex.
By now you’ve probably heard thatGame Freakhas becomethe latest target of a massive data breach. The breach, which is still providing new leaked intel,has already given birth to the Switch 2’s codename, as well as Gen 10 Pokémon details, alongwith anime plot points, among other elements.
On Sunday,a Game Freak statement was shared online, where the company acknowledged the data breach. Per that statement, the breach happened in August, and that it has taken the necessary steps to mitigate any future intrusions.
That said, as mentioned above, more and more information is still trickling out, and the latest batch of leaks paints a picture of what could have been, if it weren’t for fan backlash.
As first shared on Twitter by Centro Leaks, which has been responsible for much of the information dumps, Game Freak originally intended to have more brand-newPokémoninBlack and White 2. However, due to poor reception in the West when it came to older Pokémon, those plans were apparently scrapped.
The designs that were conceived were then used inPokémon X and Y. The Kalos region of X and Y and the creatures that inhabit it served as Pokémon’s sixth generation, though the impact of nostalgia was still prevalent as X and Y still had numerous original characters.
Information about the plans comes from a series of leaked conversations, where a staffer notes that “Pokémon is not a local game that is translated for the world. It’s a worldwide game now.” The conversation goes on, with another saying, “I’m afraid we will have to put old Pokémon in the sequels and skip the new ones.”
That’s because, despite having a large amount of work done, “We cannot have any region with bad reception. The brand requires all the regions to be liked by people.” The backlash also seemingly forced the scrapping of Gen V mega evolutions. Instead, those mega-evolutions were then placed on older Pokémon like Charizard.
Depending on which side of the fandom you fall on, this is either a fortunate or unfortunate development. While some most certainly love the presence of the original Pokémon, there is also no shortage of people who would’ve loved to see some new creatures and ideas instead. Either way, it’s interesting to see how much fan feedback influences things.
