Supposed leaks and rumors concerning Pokémon Sword and Shield continue to circulate the internet at a dizzying pace. Ever since Game Freak lifted the lid on its latest pair of games last month month, Pokéfans have begun pursuing every potential lead imaginable in the hopes of digging up potential details ahead of any official announcement, some of which have yielded interesting results, to say the least.
Last week, a rumor surfaced suggesting that Game Freak could be planning to introduce a brand new evolutionary feature (think Mega evolutions and Z-Moves) for Generation 8 tentatively labelled armored Pokémon. We’ve heard little since then, though a recent trademark filed by Game Freak and Nintendo in their native Japan appears to have added weight to the existing whispers.
The trademark in question is for Armored Mewtwo and covers not just video games, but merchandising and events, to boot. Now, it’d be all too easy to get ahead of ourselves and classify the revelation as near-to 100% confirmation of armored ‘Mons for Pokémon Sword and Shield, but there are some potential alternatives to be discussed.
As has been previously announced, a remake of Pokémon: The First Movie is on the cards for a release this year. Mewtwo was the primary antagonist in that film and, coincidentally, is seen wearing a suit of external armour in the opening few minutes, so there’s every chance that the new trademark pertains to that, rather than the upcoming games. Likewise, the Trading Card Game is another possibility and especially so, given the stipulation of merchandise in the trademark.
Frustratingly, we won’t know exactly what the trademark pertains to until Nintendo and Game Freak speak more candidly about their future plans for the franchise, but in the meantime, that silence is being filled with all sorts of tantalizing tidbits, not least the leak of a brand new Pokémon.
