Since ’95, we’ve had Blue, Red, Yellow, Gold, Silver, Crystal, Ruby, Sapphire and many other permutations of the Pokémon brand, but in 2019, Nintendo and developer Game Freak will change things up with the newly-unveiled Sword and Shield.
It features three all-new Gen 8 starter Pokémon – namely Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble – and scores of hidden secrets just waiting to be uncovered. Trainers won’t be able to explore the nooks and crannies of Galar until late 2019, but Nintendo has already debuted a bird’s-eye view of the region, which bears a striking resemblance to Great Britain and its rich geography.
You know how Westeros looks a little bit like mainland UK, when in reality George R.R. Martin sought inspiration from an upside-down Ireland when creating Game of Thrones? The eighth-gen Pokémon region, with its “idyllic countryside and contemporary cities” is much closer to Great Britain.
Take a look:
It’s not a one-to-one adaptation, of course, but let’s not forget that the Pokémon series has a habit of using real-world locations as starting points. Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh are all based on regions in Japan, while Unova is essentially the Pokéified version of the United States and New York City. Other parallels include Kalos (France) and Alola (Hawaii), so it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Pokémon Sword and Shield, with its Steampunk callbacks and numerous nods to Knights of the Round Tables, is loosely inspired by the sweeping landscapes of Great Britain.
Whatever the case, Pokémon Sword and Shield makes a beeline for Nintendo Switch later this year, and it seems the Internet is already head over heels for Game Freak’s latest announcement.