The upcoming Pokémon Scarlet and Violet RPGs could end up having version-exclusive Champions according to a new leak, and the new Generation 9 feature would be a gamechanger for the Nintendo series. Despite Game Freak releasing a Pokémon Scarlet and Violet gameplay trailer in June, there is still a lot unknown about the anticipated Gen 9 games. In July, a rumor about the new region having version-exclusive Champions exploded on social media, after a major leak claimed to have revealed many details about the upcoming Pokémon RPGs.

In the second June Pokémon Scarlet and Violet trailer, Game Freak gave players their first look at several Gen 9 features, such as a co-op mode that allows up to 4 players to explore the map together, as well as version-exclusive Pokémon Professors. In Pokémon Scarlet, players will get to meet Professor Sada, who studies the ancient past, while Pokémon Violet users will be introduced to Professor Turo, who focuses more on the future. The new Pokémon Professors may not be the only version-exclusive feature Gen 9 has, though, according to a new leak.

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On July 11th a now-deleted Twitter account reportedly leaked Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's Gym Leaders in a series of screenshots. Before deactivating their account, the mysterious user also claimed that Gen 9's Champion was both Male and Female, and tied to a mechanic. This information sparked speculation among fans that the new region would also have version-exclusive Champions just like the Professors. While only time will tell whether the leak is true, here is a breakdown of the pros and cons of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet having multiple Pokémon League Champions.

A Version Exclusive Champion Could Greatly Improve Pokémon Scarlet & Violet

Pokemon Scarlet And Violet Pros And Cons Of A Version Exclusive Champion Professors Sada And Turo

The idea of multiple region champions isn't too extreme of a concept, considering most classic Pokémon games featured an Elite Four leading up to the final championship battle. Going back to the Gen 1 Pokémon Red and Blue RPGs, the Game Freak series has also always leaned into version-exclusive features, such as trade evolutions and regional exclusive spawns. However, despite those differences, many fans over the years have come to believe that most Pokémon games are too similar to justify having two versions. This became even more apparent with the release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus in 2022, which outright eliminated the multi-version format and was all the better for it.

So when the version-exclusive Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Professors were first announced, players were excited, as it seemed that Gen 9 was finally moving in the direction of each version having substantial differences between them. The rumored version-exclusive Champion feature would take the iconic Pokémon League Champion mechanic to the next level, and would make each player's game feel like a unique experience. Even though cutscenes would likely stay the same, Game Freak could do a lot with the actual personality of each Champion to make both versions of the game really stand out from the other.

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Pokémon Scarlet and Violet already seems to be doing this, with each Professor being set up to be drastically different. While it's hard to say how big those differences will actually be, early marketing hints at each Trainer having a drastically different worldview, with Sada diving into the past, and Turo being more future-focused. A version-exclusive Champion could give many Pokémon fans that extra push they needed to play both versions of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet when Gen 9 releases this November.

Why Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Having A Version Exclusive Champion Could Be Bad

Pokemon Scarlet And Violet Pros And Cons Of A Version Exclusive Champion Sinnoh Cynthia

Despite making her debut over a decade ago, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl's Sinnoh Champion Cynthia is still one of the series' most beloved characters. The Gen 4 heroine not only has an epic Pokémon team, but her fierce personality makes her one of the franchise's coolest Champions. Because the Sinnoh region's story is more singularly focused, Game Freak was able to craft an incredible character with a unique backstory. Even in 2022, the 2010 RPGs are praised as having the franchise's best writing.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet could struggle to achieve that level of character if it has two champions that need to be written for. Instead of having a single unique character, players could end up with two flat Gen 9 protagonists that lack depth due to being split between two versions. This was actually a problem that Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire's Hoenn Region faced in 2003, as the Gen 3 games had two version-exclusive villain groups with Team Aqua and Team Magma. Instead of one epic villain like Sinnoh's Team Galactic and Cyrus, Hoenn's main antagonists motives felt flimsy and interchangeable. So while two Champions in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet could pay off massively, it could also be a misfire if the writing doesn't end up being focused enough.

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With Pokémon Scarlet and Violet set to launch on November 18th, players will find out soon whether the version-exclusive Champion rumor turns out to be fake or not. Regardless, the concept sounds incredibly ambitious and not too far removed from the region's dual Pokémon Professors. Gen 9 is also promising to include the series' first completely seamless open-world map, which features a story that can be completed in any order.

Outside of the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starters and the game's Legendaries Koraidon and Miraidon, there is still a lot fans don't know about about the Gen 9 RPGs. Even though the game is only months away from release, players still don't even know the name of the new region, or what Gen 9's main gameplay mechanic will look like. Compared to the launch of Sword and Shield's Galar region in 2019, Game Freak is being very tight-lipped about the Pokémon franchise's new generation. If rumors end up being true, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet could end featuring many firsts for the series, such as version-exclusive Champions.

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