Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Is Set in a Region Inspired by Spain

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will take players to the Pokemon world equivalent of Spain. Earlier today, The Pokemon Company revealed the brand new Pokemon Scarlet and Violet games, which will be released later this year and introduce players to a brand new region of the Pokemon world. The new games are the first in a new generation of Pokemon games, and will be a true "open world" game where the wilderness seamlessly blends into the towns of the new region. 

Each region of the Pokemon world is based off a different world area or country. The first four Pokemon games all explored different areas of Japan (the Kanto, Kansai, Kyushu, and Hokkaido regions specifically), while more recent Pokemon games were based off of non-Japanese countries. Pokemon Black and White was based off New York City and its surroundings, Pokemon X and Y were based on France, Pokemon Sun and Moon were based on Hawaii, and Pokemon Sword and Shield were based on the United Kingdom. Based on a map shown in the preview trailer, the new region seems to be based off of the Iberian Peninsula – the region where Spain and Portugal are located. 

There are several references to Spanish architecture and landmarks in the trailer, from the style of house that the player character lives in to the oversized lake that's roughly analogous to the Sanabria Lake in Spain. Other potential landmarks include a version of the Plaza de Espana in Seville (with a mosaic featuring the different Pokemon types replacing the real world mosaics depicting Spain's various regions), the Sagrada Familia (the four spires of the cathedral seemed to have inspired one of the large castles in the game), and the windmills of Castilla-La Mancha which were featured in the famous Don Quixote novel. 

Clearly, there's a ton we don't know about the new Pokemon games, but players can expect to get more information in the coming months. Based on past marketing schedules, we should monthly previews of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet leading up to the games' release in late 2022.