Pokemon Pokopia Adds More Evidence to the New Gen 10 Type Pile

Pokemon Pokopia has been a smashing success as the first Switch 2 exclusive title in the series, and it even became one of the best-rated Pokemon games ever in the process. Pokemon Pokopia‘s Metacritic score and reviews are a testament to the quality of the cozy Animal Crossing-like game, and it’s no surprise that fans like it so much when considering it has all the Pokemon staples with an entirely new formula. It’s also interesting to note that Pokemon Pokopia has secret teasers for Gen 10 games as well as massive lore implications, but one detail may have flown under the radar: more evidence that a new Pokemon type is coming.

While Pokemon Pokopia‘s habitats and Ditto’s abilities can rely on each Pokemon’s own types, the gameplay is nothing like the mainline series. Types do matter, but they are far from being one of the focal points of the entire experience. As such, it makes sense to introduce new Pokemon variants in Pokopia that look like existing critters, but with a fresh take, like Mosslax, Peakychu, or the new Stereo Rotom. Specifically, Stereo Rotom is an interesting case because it’s an Electric/Normal type, but it could be just a placeholder for a new type in Pokemon Winds and Waves.

Pokemon Pokopia Hides a Secret Teaser for Pokemon Winds and Waves

Game Freak’s newest Pokemon spin-off arrives with a hidden teaser that calls back to the debut trailer for the upcoming Pokemon Winds and Waves.

Pokemon Pokopia’s Stereo Rotom Basically Confirms Sound Type in Winds and Waves

Speculation about a new type in Pokemon games has been ongoing for years, and the most likely candidate is considered to be Sound. This is because of a few reasons:

There are dozens of sound-based moves in Pokemon games already, like Bug Buzz, Sing, or Boomburst
Sound-related abilities exist, such as Soundproof or Punk Rock, reducing damage from sound-based moves or increasing the damage they deal when used
Many Pokemon already fit the Sound-type concept perfectly, such as Meloetta, Exploud, and Chatot. It’s interesting to note that several of these are Normal-type

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With this in mind, it’s easy to see why Pokopia‘s new Rotom form, called DJ Rotom, would fit the bill. Not only does Stereo Rotom’s color not match its Normal-type, unlike the other Rotom appliances, which have matching colors and types, but it would also make perfect sense as a Boomburst user. Boomburst is one of the best sound-based moves in the series, and an Electric/Normal Rotom with STAB Boomburst could cause some real damage, especially if it got a matching ability, like Punk Rock.

Why Stereo Rotom is More Evidence of Sound Type in Gen 10 Games

More importantly, this raises the question of why, if not for posterity and future changes, add a Stereo Rotom form that’s Normal type but has a teal glow instead of gray to match its actual type combination. This would be a fantastic addition to Gen 10 games, and it would even fit because the games are called Pokemon Winds and Waves, with sound traveling through the air as sound waves. Though a bit cheesy, perhaps, Sound type in Pokemon would have everything to do with the wind and waves of Gen 10.

Considering the success of Peakychu in Pokemon Pokopia, as well as that of other forms, like Mosslax and Professor Tangrowth, it would only make sense for Gen 10 games to feature them at some point, even if not on launch. But if that happens, adding Stereo Rotom as a usable form would at the very least build the foundation for Sound-type in the future. If instead those foundations are already there, which seems plausible considering all the sound-related elements in the series, Stereo Rotom may be indirect confirmation that a new type in Pokemon Winds and Waves is not only possible, but almost guaranteed. After all, it has been over 10 years since the launch of Gen 6, when Fairy was first added as the 18th type in the series, and Sound would be a nice addition to further celebrate the 30 years of Pokemon with Gen 10.