The Pokemon world is currently in shock after fans learned that the franchise has undergone its largest round of layoffs in its history, leaving 478 Pokemon unemployed.
Fears about the cuts have been coming for some time, following the news that not all Pokemon would be importable into Sword & Shield. The confirmation that Sword & Shield would only have a regional Pokédex and not a national one, meaning that Pokemon not included in the Galar Region could not be imported from another game, only solidified concerns.
In other words: hundreds of Pokemon, happily servicing Game Freak and millions of friends, fans and families around the world, have suddenly found themselves out of work. In total, 478 Pokemon were informed of their fates at the Game Freak offices in Tokyo, with some of the pocket monsters having featured in every regional Pokédex, thereby contributing to the franchise from as far back as February 27, 1996.
The affable Psyduck, pictured above, is one of three base Pokemon alongside Magnemite and Zubat who have been in every regional Pokedex. All three were informed by management some time ago that they were surplus to requirements for Sword & Shield‘s Galar region, although news of their dismissal only came to light recently.
The full list was compiled after users got their hands on a copy of Sword & Shield early, allowing fans to work their way backwards. A thread on ResetERA has compiled a list of all Pokemon, outlining which ones have retained a position in Sword & Shield and those who failed to make the cut:
Another coloured form that might be easier to parse was also posted on Twitter, using a red/green/blue schema to indicate which Pokemon would feature in Galar, and those left behind.
Well thanks to the leaks we now know the full Pokédex of #PokemonSwordShield.
• Red – Pokémon that are cut & won’t be transferrable from past games
• Green – Pokémon that are in & will be transferrable from past games
• Blue – Pokémon that got Galarian forms pic.twitter.com/IvkVCpeK8f
— Aero (@ActualAero) November 4, 2019
The most startling of the cuts includes Bulbasaur/Ivysaur/Venasaur and Squirtle/Wartortle/Blastoise, leaving Charmander as the only remaining first generation starter Pokemon in Sword & Shield. Other notable cuts include the Geodude line, Abra and their evolutions, Shinx/Luxio/Luxray, Greninja, Wigglytuff, Wobbuffet, Lugia, Cubone, and many, many more.
Fans have been horrified by the news, particularly given some of the pocket monsters that will continue to inhabit the British-inspired world of Galar, like Trubbish. How a literal bin has continued to be employed through the summer over some of the series’ most beloved icons has left people stunned.
I hope the editing cut Pokemon out of old official images thing catches on because it’s hilarious and it really stirs up the “shut up and consume content” crowd pic.twitter.com/EpztmxUlPH
— xGreenflame (@xGreenflame) November 5, 2019
Looked at the roster of which @Pokemon made the cut… majority of my old teams that I like to bring in to the postgame were gutted. ???????? pic.twitter.com/XYSkovuSPU
— BrettBriley (@BrileyBrett) November 5, 2019
Me @ the Pokémon franchise when I saw that they cut Bulbasaur and Dragonite from the Sword & Shield games but kept fucking Klink pic.twitter.com/wFkuRhMrxn
— Just A Big Yikes (@Jackie_Lee12) November 5, 2019
How did they keep Qwilfish? Out of all Pokémon to cut. They made solid choices like the Hypno line, the Tangrowth line, Sandslash, and the fossils…but why keep that sack of shit around if you’re not gonna give it a new evolution or form? Who has ever used a Qwilfish pic.twitter.com/7ggFkZfeAq
— Ben (TheSquire_) ???????????? (@_TheSquire_) November 5, 2019
The threads of pictures editing out Pokemon cut from S/S is pretty funny pic.twitter.com/ME0Fi6IcFG
— Tohda (@Tohda) November 5, 2019
I’m sorry for the venting, but seeing other people and Pokemon sad makes me sad..???? pic.twitter.com/Q4dc124oe8
— Psyduck Propaganda (@PsyduckGanda) November 5, 2019
You mean to tell me….that these guys over at @Pokemon Thanos snapped half the Pokédex, CUT BULBASAUR, CUT SQUIRTLE, upped the price to $60 and thought they was getting 60 dollars from me!? From me!? pic.twitter.com/Ii3ci9fRMO
— Michael S Walker Jr. (@MWalker3276) November 5, 2019
Ok so I dont wanna spoil people on the new Pokemon game but apparently they cut 500 fucking pokemon including MY SON, Psyduck, so they can fuck right off tbh.
— somethingcleveridk (@TheDromader) November 5, 2019
POKÉMON SWSH LEAKS
even my 12 year old brother agrees the gen 8 cuts are shit pic.twitter.com/YX0SWxnI60
— (Stupid, Emo, Gay) (@MisterSaturnine) November 5, 2019
Man, I knew the “necessary” cuts were coming, but this really drives home how bad it is. The chosen Pokémon don’t even make sense for a Britain-themed area. How does the Yorkshire Terrier get cut, but scorpions and monkeys don’t? >:/ pic.twitter.com/ke9DO5EUtE
— Ryan Joseph Boyce (@RJB_ESQ) November 5, 2019
Don’t forget:
Swanna=X
Psyduck=X
Stantler=X
Sawsbuck=X
Talonflame=XAll iconic British looking Pokémon. :/
— UEF (@BlobTakeshi) November 4, 2019
Really? @Pokemon you put DELIBIRD in the game but not
Ekans
Beedrill
Staryu
Or
PSYDUCK?Delibird is useless !!! pic.twitter.com/EvuGJ2AHHB
— Snark (@SnarkiestSnarks) November 5, 2019
An official account for Bulbasaur-themed propaganda said it best:
#LastTweet
Thanks for all the good times we shared for Bulbasaur, but I’m sorry everyone, I can’t go on anymore.
and For all the people that I annoyed or insulted, I’m sorry.
Keep loving and cherishing Bulbasaur line, even if they’re not in the games, they’re still in your heart! pic.twitter.com/4jeNvQaDGQ— [Sorry for Everything] (@BulbaGanda) November 5, 2019
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