More information about Pokémon Scarlet and Violet has been trickling out, and the return of one of the series' most immersive elements would be another exciting announcement. Pokémon has tested out a lot of ideas, some of which only lasted for one or two generations before going away. Being able to call characters was one of these ideas, and one that deserves a return to the series.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is already promising a lot of new ideas for the series. According to announcements, the games will be featuring three concurrent storylines that the players will be able to follow separately. Also, for the first time in series history, players will be able to battle the gyms in any order they like. This combined with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's Terastal gimmick, points toward a Pokémon game that will be radically different from past entries. Even so, the series can still move forward while adding back some elements from past titles.
Pokémon Gold and Silver introduced Pokégear, which included a phone. This let Professor Elm and other prominent players call the player at certain points in the story to let them know what to do next. However, the phone's more prominent use was to let certain NPC trainers call the player, either to chat or ask for a rematch. There are also a couple of other uses, such as Hiker Anthony telling the player when Dark Cave has a Dunsparce swarm. In general, unlike Pokémon Legends: Arceus' unnecessary Arc Phone, the Pokégear phone was a useful tool that gave the player a chance to face certain trainers again for more money and experience.
Scarlet & Violet Can Bring Back Pokémon Phones
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver improved on the original phones by removing the limit on numbers that the player could register, allowing them to register any valid trainers that they wanted in the phone. Gen 4's Vs. Seeker was in the spirit of the phone, and arguably better since it let the player rematch a lot more opponents. Although Black and White introduced the X-Transciever, it was only used as a plot device to move the story along, without the useful applications of the Pokégear phone. Even with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet being different from past games, one can still see the use for older mechanics. The phone's main use is rematching trainers, and a new version of it would need to keep that.
Bringing the phone back in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet can add further upgrades. A new version of the phone could improve even further on the original. In addition to rematches, it could announce swarms of rare Pokémon similar to the Dunsparce in Gen 2. It could also see use in letting the player know when new events or side activities become available, or even when an expansion or DLC pack comes out. With the knowledge that Scarlet and Violet's Pokémon can fight independently, the phone could be used to keep tabs on them and their status. In the time since Pokémon Gold and Silver were released, phones have also evolved, and a new version of Pokémon's phones could reflect that.
Although the Pokégear phone is not Pokémon Gold and Silver's most decorated addition to the series, it was still a rather useful one. The advantages that it did bring could be revived and expanded with a new iteration. Although Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are already innovating a lot, bringing back the phone would be another way to push the series forward.