Pokémon Scarlet and Violet appear to hint at each game being set in a different time period

Fan theories are easy to come across when it comes to Pokémon lore and how certain elements tie into the story of each game, especially when it comes to new titles and the hype cycle surrounding each new reveal—regardless of how small those new details actually are. 

In the lead-up to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, which will be the first truly open-world Pokémon games, fans have been theorizing about what certain elements within the trailers and character designs could mean. And, even before the most recent trailer showcased some evidence, there were some people theorizing that SV will include some elements involving time period differences. 

Going from a simple clock moving quickly in odd patterns along with ancient architecture mixed with modern technology in the original trailer, an early fan theory pointed out that SV might focus on a story of the past combating the future in some way. This includes the newly revealed Legendary Pokémon Koraidon and Miraidon potentially being tied to eras of the new region, which we still don’t have a name for. 

We didn’t get a lot of information about Koraidon and Miraidon from this trailer, but both have very similar designs and it has been theorized that they could be versions of the same Pokémon that have adapted to different time periods. This is largely based on their appearance, with Koraidon being more natural and Miraidon having a futuristic, technological body.

Related: Are Pokémon Scarlet and Violet set in different time periods?

Though there isn’t anything supporting that other than their looks, similar concepts have been used int he past, such as Reshiram and Zekrom previously being one Pokémon in the lore for Black and White. 

Even if we don’t have confirmation about the Legendary Pokémon, an even more blatant example is present with the region’s two professors, Professor Sada and Professor Turo.

Both professors are “carrying out research into lore passed down in the region” and have designs that depict entirely different time periods, with Sada looking like a more modern cavewoman in a lab coat and Turo wearing a sleek futuristic bodysuit underneath his own white garment. The fact that they are also version exclusive to Scarlet and Violet respectively also may point to each game taking place at a different time, or at least putting the player in a role that more aligns with a represented group or period. 

We won’t actually know more about the story and what kind of time period dealings are actually involved until SV releases worldwide for Nintendo Switch on Nov. 18.