Pokémon Go fans have been abuzz ever since Niantic announced the addition of over 70 Generation 8 (Gen 8) Pokémon to the game. However, many die-hard Trainers have noticed one thing missing from the list: the beloved Gen 8 starters. Since their debut back in 2019, these creatures have become icons of the Galar region, and many fans were hoping to see the starters appear in Pokémon Go. But why are the starters missing from Niantic’s announcement?
Gabby D., an avid Pokémon Go player, has some theories. “It’s likely that Niantic doesn’t want to flood the game with too many new creatures all at once. They most likely wanted to focus on adding other Gen 8 Pokémon first before introducing the starters. Plus, I think they probably didn’t want to have too many ‘mon from the same region all at once since it would take away from other regions already in the game.”
Meanwhile, Jake T. isn’t sure the omissions are intentional. “I think Niantic may have forgotten to add the Gen 8 starters. There are so many Pokémon to keep track of now, it’s easy to miss something. They might have decided to focus on other Pokémon first, but the omission of the Galar starters is probably an oversight.”
Other Trainers, like Jessica X., take a more practical stance. “I think Niantic left the starters out because they’re not particularly popular. Sure, people like them, but when compared to other beloved Pokémon, the starters don’t have the same level of following. It’s probably easier for Niantic to focus their efforts on Pokémon that are more popular and have a bigger fan base.”
No matter what people think, the missing mystery of the Gen 8 starters continues. Will Niantic ever add them to Pokémon Go? Only time will tell. Until then, Trainers can enjoy the newest additions and continue training to become the very best like no one ever was.
