Where are Pokémon Scarlet and Violet set?

Pokémon fans might incorrectly guess or predict a lot of things, but they were spot on when coming together to sleuth out the real-world inspiration for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. 

Right from when the games were first teased at Pokémon Day on Feb. 27, eagle-eyed fans were picking out details in the background while the masses compared locations shown in that initial trailer to places around the world. Even without additional details, fans came to the conclusion that Gen IX was based on a mix of Spain and Portugal. 

Using real-world locations as a base for entire regions and individual spots in games is nothing new for Game Freak, as every Pokémon game has not only been created that way but used those actual locations as inspiration for what new Pokémon they can create from the surrounding culture. 

Are Pokémon Scarlet and Violet based on Spain and Portugal?

Outside of the typical Pokémon-isms, fans quickly dissected that bits of the in-game map, architecture of the buildings in the city, and even pieces of paper on the wall during the live-action segment of the trailer all point to a combination of Spain and Portugal as the basis for the new region. 

Paldea is the name of Scarlet and Violet’s region, and that in itself seems to mean some combination of friend, education, and learning depending on how you dissect it in Spanish. This is fitting not only because of Pokémon’s core concept of befriending others, but also with how the entire game is structured around a literal Pokémon Academy. 

Certain designs and names for Pokémon also play into the game’s very clear inspiration from the Iberian Peninsula—which houses Spain, Portugal, and Andorra. Some notable species include Koraidon, Wiglett, Bombirdier, and the inclusion of Pokémon such as Tauros and Gogoat. 

Related: Where to catch Koraidon and Miraidon in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

As more players familiar with the architecture and famous landmarks play the games, documentation on which locations within Scarlet and Violet pull from specific spots across the Iberian Peninsula will be shared.

You can expect even more conclusions to be drawn between Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and its real-world counterparts soon enough.