Generation
- If you were looking for the TCG expansion released to commemorate the 20th Anniversary, see Generations (TCG).
- If you were looking for the animated miniseries, see Pokémon Generations.
A generation (Japanese: 世代 generation) is a grouping of the Pokémon games that separates them based on the Pokémon they include. In each generation, a new region and set of Pokémon that did not exist in the previous generation are introduced. A generation may introduce remakes of games from a previous generation. There are currently nine generations.
Terminology
The word "generation" has been sometimes mentioned officially without a specific generation number. Certain promotional materials, such as a 2007 trailer for Pokémon Diamond and Pearl and an official announcement for Pokémon Black and White, advertised the games as a "new generation of Pokémon"; moreover, Pokémon Sun and Moon were referred to as the "newest generation" in press releases. Some other examples:
- "Pokémon X and Pokémon Y presents a new generation of Pokémon and introduces players to an exciting new adventure in a breathtaking 3D world."[1]
- "These fascinating Alola region characters and Pokémon will appear in the latest generation of Pokémon video games that will launch in North America on November 18."[2]
- "Catch up with a new generation in the Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield expansion!"[3]
- "Defeat powerful legacy Trainers from various generations."[4]
Generation numbers
Specific generation numbers have been occasionally mentioned in official sources and by Pokémon staff. For instance:
- Junichi Masuda once included "#Gen4" in a tweet.
- Junichi Masuda referred to Pokémon X and Y as the "sixth generation" on his blog.
- Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were referred to as the "9th Generation" on a GAME FREAK greeting card posted by Yusuke Kozaki.
Core series games
Within the core series games, generations are typically indicative of compatibility. Usually, Pokémon can freely be moved between games within a single generation, and can be sent forward to the next generation (but then can never return). Until Generation VII, games of the same generation could also link battle with each other, but cross-generation link battles have never been possible.
- The Generation I and II games can trade Pokémon via Time Capsule.
- The Generation I and II games were unable to interact with later generations until their Virtual Console releases; in those releases, they can send Pokémon (forward only) to Generation VII onwards.
- From Generation III to VII, Pokémon can be sent forward to the next generation via various different features (dual-slot mode, Pal Park, Poké Transfer, Poké Transporter, and Pokémon Bank), but can never return to the previous generation once sent.
- Within Generation VII, while it is possible for Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon to trade and battle with each other, those games cannot communicate with Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! at all.
- In Generation VIII and IX, Pokémon can be freely moved between games (regardless of generation) via Pokémon HOME.
- Pokémon from Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! can be stored in Pokémon HOME, but if they ever travel to a game other than a Let's Go game, they can never return to a Let's Go game.
- From Generation VIII onward, it is no longer standard for games of the same generation to be able to directly trade or battle each other. Instead, almost all communication between them must be done via Pokémon HOME.