WARNING: This post deals with unsubstantiated rumors which are not confirmed and are likely to be false. It is for discussion purposes and not to be disseminated as news.

It’s been awhile since we’ve had a proper rumor post, but with Generation VIII’s release drawing ever closer it seems like a good time to examine one and see how everyone feels about it. A poster going by PokémonFan on 4chan has posted information about what are supposedly the next titles in the Pokémon franchise. As always, treat rumors as false until we get official confirmation.

UPDATE: We’re still not recommending you trust this person, but they were able to identify part of what was featured in the Hoenn video before it was released.

“The video will rant a lot about how hot Hoenn is, and the particular thing that caught my attention is that they mention visiting Mirage Kingdom in Hoenn!”

From the high-flying PokéRinger tournament to dazzling Pokémon Contests, Hoenn is a haven for Pokémon competitions! 🏆



Coolness, Beauty, Cleverness, Cuteness, or Toughness—which Contest category would you enter your Pokémon in, Trainers? https://t.co/sHsH1sbSxU#PokemonDay pic.twitter.com/PlrOnLYPtf — Pokémon (@Pokemon) February 22, 2019

Mirage Island happens to be where the Togepi Paradise (shown in the video) is.

They claim that the next games will be called Pokémon KINGDOM: Red and Pokémon KINGDOM: Green and the names aren’t the only throwback to the first Pokémon games. Throughout the thread they have used original beta artwork to illustrate the merging of original ideas with a vast, semi-open world to explore. A virtual world whose size will awe fans.

“This is a big new change. You still have a team of 6 Pokémon to battle, but you have direct access to every Pokémon that you own in the new “box system”. Pokémon are very useful in this game, you can do many things with them. This is a key part of exploring. Regarding the comments about Kanto, it is part of the map, but its so much bigger. It takes a while to explore the whole mountain tunnel, it feels like a real mountain“

The poster also claims that the rate of experience and how your Pokémon level has also been adjusted–where you are in the adventure and how long you’ve played will factor into how fast they grow. It may seem slower than before, but apparently makes sense for the new game.

They also hinted that Eevee may be getting a Dragon-type evolution as well. You can read the full post (which may be removed, as most rumor posts are) here.

Let us know in the comments if you’d like to see a more open, expansive Pokémon world to explore versus the linear experience we’ve had before! While I certainly don’t put stock in rumors, I’d love to Pokémon interacting with each other in the wild and be fully immersed in a way that previous titles haven’t been capable of. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!