Pokémon Stars: The 4 Facts We Know

With just over one more day until the big Nintendo Switch press conference (and don’t worry, we’ll be covering it!), fans are understandably excited. Pokémaniacs are particularly keen to hear about the rumored title that brings Pokémon Sun & Moon’s gameplay to the new console. While nothing has been outright confirmed, here is our mega list of rumors about Pokémon Stars (or Eclipse):

  • New Pokémon, Alolan Forms or Mega Evolutions: The game could add up to 20 (a number dropped by Laura Dale, gaming journalist) brand-new Pokémon or forms/evolutions to Alola. Whether or not these will be compatible with Pokémon Sun & Moon is currently unknown.
  • Improved Graphics: GameFreak didn’t skimp in Sun & Moon, but their successor will apparently utilize the Switch’s improved capabilities to breath HD life into Alola and its inhabitants.
  • Compatible with Sun & Moon: While the new Pokémon might not make it to your copies of Pokémon Sun or Moon, there will be ways to transfer existing Pokémon to Stars through an improved Pokémon Box app. Many are hoping that Pokémon caught in the console version will also be able to be transferred to the 3DS games as well.
  • Switch-Exclusive Features: Pokémon Stars will not only bring improved graphics to what we experienced in Sun & Moon, but will also introduce new features not found in the portable games. While not mentioned in the rumors, the animations found for walking Pokémon do hint that a companion system will be coming back to the overworld similar of that in Pokémon Yellow or HeartGold & SoulSilver.

This is mostly a compilation from various Twitter sources from gaming journalists, the initial leak, and also a Reddit AMA. The logo is an original creation of our wonderful moving and not official. If you missed it, don’t forget to check out for new Alolan Forms we’re hoping for!

Tell us in the comments about whether or not you expect Pokémon Stars to be revealed at the Nintendo Switch presentation!

FEATURED DISCUSSION: Worst Pokémon in Sun & Moon: Showdown!

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1,493 thoughts on “Pokémon Stars: The 4 Facts We Know”

  1. If we’re being real here, wouldn’t the best way for Nintendo to move Switch units be to do another round of Kanto remakes? Especially considering how defunct the ones we have now are. Do I think “Stars” or a Gen 4 remake would do well? Yes. But being able to retread Kanto in full HD… I think sales-wise that’d be unbeatable

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      • It’s just idiots who don’t realise that your race and gender don’t define you as a person, it’s your own personality

        TBF tho it’d be a sick name for a band

        Reply
          • All of them

            There’s nothing wrong with being white, it doesn’t define you as a person at all. You can have rich/entitled/downright evil black people, Hispanic people, East Asian people, Indian people, native Americans, like literally every planet in the world

          • I mean, the idea that some white people think they are discriminated against as a whole because they are white is stupid in its own right, but then again I feel like the only people who think this probably live in the deep south and hate non white people anyways.
            Not saying thats true, just what I expect to be true

          • But people do get discriminated against for being white? It’s much less common to the point of literally just being isolated instances, but it’s discrimination none the less

          • I’m not saying it doesnt happen, but its not a huge problem like other races have to deal with constantly. Honestly I feel like in the very minimal instances that it does occur, a lot of the people they are hating on white people have been discriminated against by white people their whole lives and fight back because they have had enough (in a very misguided way but still) but I imagine what the term was coined for, as I was trying to get out, is people like my father. A man who literally blames the world for his problems and when he sees other people finally getting decent treatment by others and the media feels the need to basically lash out because for once he is left out and its not all about him. People who feel that gays finally getting equal rights in some parts of the world is special treatment. People who have literally only experienced privileged their whole lives and when the world finally stops revolving around them and including others, they call it discrimination on them. Those are the people I feel this term was coined for, of course this happens with other groups of people to, but thats not the point, thats not the focus, obviously we should as a society strive for equal rights across the board but these people are the ones that are basically standing in the way of progress waving their hands and crying to go back to the good old days.

            This is my point and I hope I have eloquently worded it so that you understand my point. Its not meant to say that other issues don’t exist but that it itself can be an issue and does not take away from the fact that there are instances where white people are discriminated against and it is a totally valid claim.

            -With love and hopefully understanding, Fae.

          • I was reading your comments and I thought you were a typical SJW until I read this. I think I understand now. Trump supporters this applies to, and that person I see troll your site who think sun and moon r bad. Is that guy ok? I don’t post much anymore, just observe but sometimes he makes me laugh

        • [Toxic masculinity is a cultural perspective held by some men which emphasizes the importance of their obtaining dominance and control.]

          Its pretty much the reason that men act like dicks and have it ingrained in themselves and others that you have to act a certain way to be a man otherwise there is something wrong with you, it goes hand in hand with fragile masculinity. Like there are men out there that think that they cannot use a goddamn umbrella because in their world view that makes them less of a man.

          Reply
          • Toxic masculinity is very real, trust me.

            I feel like because of a lot of misguided SJWs people don’t actively take a lot of things seriously that are affecting us in a very real way and hurting us as a society. Its unfortunate that certain things are just brushed aside when they are so present in our everyday lives. :/

          • im not saying it’s not something that happens, im just saying they come up with names for every little thing anymore. I can that being an asshole, not “toxic masculinity”

        • Its like why a lot of men speak with their fists instead of having a reasonable conversation, because they think that is what it means to be a man,

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      • Ok so I just looked it up and its basically the belief that some white people have that makes them think that they are just as much victims of discrimination as people of colour based on their race. So yeah it can go.

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  2. OMG I just saw the best Water/Ice fakemon EVER!! I wished GF would draw some inspirations from the fan base, so many good designs.

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  3. YESSSSSSS YESSSSSSSSSS TYROUGE EVOLVED INTO HITMONTOP!!!!!!
    Thus making it my 6th and final member for this team
    Feraligatr
    Donphan
    Crobat
    Ursaring
    Piloswine
    Hitmontop

    Now I gotta go power grind everyone until….50 to clean several clocks of the elite four

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  4. OMGGG YESSSS

    Secresh
    Collective Pokemon
    Dark/Fairy

    These Pokemon are very quick footed and will take anything shiny, Their large ears allow them to hear humans from 30 miles away

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  5. Terrabull
    Ox Pokemon
    Fighting/Ground
    No Guard/Moxie

    These Pokemon guard their territories at all costs, no matter what. They spar with each other to raise their attack and defense

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  6. Manticub
    Groundwater Pokemon
    Poison/Ground
    Water Absorb/Poison Touch and HA Moxie
    3’05”
    64.6 lbs

    These Pokemon contaminate water at the source by injecting toxins from its tail inside of it, but are also able to absorb contaminants into its body to clean.

    They strive by devouring trash and soil and extruding it through its tail and into water

    Venevore
    Groundwater Pokemon
    Poison/Ground
    Water Absorb/Poison Touch, HA Moxie
    5’06”
    154.6 lbs

    These Pokemon contaminate water with poison so powerful that it can dissolve skin and bone in seconds.

    They absorb toxins and trash into its body through its tail to nourish itself.

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  7. Ok this is super dumb
    They make it so you have to go through a bunch of legwork to get to Victory Road and I figure since its a new area I could just fly back and deposit my HM Slave (spare me your taunts and jeers) but I get my Ursaring back only to find that I CAN’T fly back since it’s technically in Kanto…

    T_T…

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  8. So finally came up with my starter trio after ages of not having one

    A literal crab apple (Grass > Grass > Grass/Poison)

    A fiery goat (Fire > Fire > Fire/Fairy or Fire/Ghost, haven’t decided yet)

    An eye themed newt (Water > Water/Psychic > Water/Psychic)

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        • In his past, yes. Presently though, not so much. It’s becoming abundantly clear that He’s past his prime. The man’s 64 years old and the sad truth is that we can see that the less influence he has on the game, the better it tends to do, while the more influence he has over it, the worse it performs. I mean its saying something when the dev team of Color Splash has to come out and say that their sorry if people are disappointed in the game, but they were forced to make the game that Miyamoto wanted to make.

          honestly we all know that his time’s coming to an end. H’es been training up teams that can take over for when he’s gone, and honestly the new Brass for Nintendo seems to be doing a lot better for them then Miyamoto has done in the last few years.

          Reply
      • You really do have a doomsday vision for Nintendo don’t you?
        Everytime the Switch or the company is brought up in coversation, you always have your two cents on why they aren’t a good company or why the Switch is going to fail again.

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        • No, far from it. I’m a realist. I like looking at things factually and trying to figure out what could happen based on them. Do I have some strong opinions? Yeah I do, as does everyone here. Though again I did explain my logic on my statement being honest that Miyamoto’s generally should probably retire for the sake of the company given he really doesn’t seem to be helping out Nintendo. He’ll forever be a legend in gaming, but the simple truth is that he hasn’t been doing a lot of good in gaming in recent years. He’s focused more on innovation over making enjoyable games, and has made games worse for it.

          At the same time though, I could be just as critical of you saying that your a blind-eye idealist who see’s everything perfect and that Nintendo can’t do anything wrong ever.

          Look I don’t want to be rude, but I do feel you should be critical of most things if you see them as genuine problems. Did that previous article on this site complain about things in Sun and Moon make me roll my eyes? yeah, of course. But I’ll never say that the person was wrong for feeling they were a problem and would rather hear them out as to why they felt they were. Right now I see a lot of risks that Nintendo is taking with the switch, and I want to discuss them, hopefully seeing why other’s don’t see them as a problem. I want to see things from another angle and not leave it at “I’m right, your wrong so shut up.” because that doesn’t contribute anything.

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          • Your realism just always comes off as pessimism to me. I’ll admit, I am a blind-eye idealist, I’m not going to deny that, but all I’ve ever heard from you about the switch are negative things about why it’ll likely fail and how it’s subpar to other consoles. There’s a subtle difference between realism and the doomsday outlook I keep seeing. A realist view would recognize the problems, but also recognize that Nintendo has done numerous things right this time around, and that there’s a chance of a massive success as well as a second Wii u situation. I’m not trying to call you out for recognizing legitimate issues and concerns about the switch and Nintendo, but when that’s the only things I ever hear about these topics from you, it gives me the impression that you believe that they will fail, not that you’re recognizing both options.

          • I’m sorry if I’ve come across this way to you, and I want to admit I am excited for the switch. I’m just cautiously concerned with a lot of things since to me I’m approaching this as Nintendo needing to sell me the switch then being lined up at the door with my money ready. I want to see it succeed more then I’ve come across. Its just more of a case again of being concerned with its direction at times and wanting to be realistic with things. Like expressing concern with that one rumor that not only will the battery life be poor, but the battery can’t be easily replaced, but that could easily be solved by including a better battery in the switch at an increased cost to it.

            Also I suppose its hard to try to look at things from both sides when you are surrounded by those who are hyped. Once there you really don’t want to admit to chance of failure, and naturally you’ll want to ignore negativity. Really I can’t wait to see what we’ll see tomorrow, what ever it is, and while I’m fairly certain its not going to appeal to me, I really want to see Nintendo not blunder this up.

          • Honestly, I shouldn’t’ve said anything, it was never my place to say, so I should be the one apologizing. Don’t feel bad for the way I interpreted your opinions, that’s my own problem. The way I see it, you represent a majority of the market, the market that Nintendo needs to impress if they want the console to succeed. I, on the other hand, as a Nintendo super fan, am at dangerous levels of hype, which, if Nintendo screws up, could lead to a bunch of dissapointment, but hey, that’s just par for the course for me. I’m sort of the opposite, whatever happens tomorrow I’m sure that I’ll still try to buy the switch day one, but Nintendo is pretty much my only gaming medium.

  9. I feel so odd because I honestly don’t care about new games right now. I’m still satisfied with Sun and Moon. Even though it’s still a (rumored) reveal, not a release, it will kill a lot of enthusiasm for Sun and Moon.

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    • Tbh I feel like this is a weird thing people are only just now bringing up

      It’s been like this for most of the franchise’s lifespan, annual releases and all. By the time Stars comes out, SuMo will probably of already been around a year old and the hype would’ve organically died by then mostly

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      • Every time we’ve gotten a new generation, we’ve had two years before the next big games. Generation 6 is the ONLY exception to this. That’s not most of the franchise’s lifespan.

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        • Referring to all games in the franchise, not just new ones

          For example, Platinum (also better received than DPPt) was only the newest game for a year

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          • Platinum wasn’t the first in a generation either. With a new generation, they want to give us plenty of time with it and not rush the process of rolling out new games. The period between games decreases as a generation starts to lose its appeal. Generation VII is still far from losing its appeal.

          • I highlighted it wasn’t the first tho by comparing it to DP

            Also, they’re a business, yearly releases are better for money and most people who would’ve bought the game would’ve done so by now

            Also SuMo has a bad post game and investing in the Switch is a smart business move

        • I’d prefer something different tbh, I feel battle frontier is overhyped and frankly, tedious if they make more facilities seeing how most of the facilities are even more luck based than a game notorious for its PRNG

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      • Well all the games have to end somewhere. If the post-game had been more fleshed out you’d probably still be finished at this point in time, making a similar complaint. I felt there was plenty to do post-game, and I’m still enjoying it.

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        • I could easily clock 200 hours into DPPt, not so much in the latest games… The difference in post-game quality is definitely there.

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          • I guess our gameplay personalities affect our perception of a post-game too drastically too agree. I’ve got 257 hours on Moon alone, which is way more than any other game I’ve played. To me, the Battle Tree is the best thing that’s happened to the series, but I recognize that few people agree.

          • I think I just enjoyed the radar more than all other shiny methods. It was the perfect combination of both skill and luck. The underground was also a lot of fun to play with friends.
            But yeah, maybe it’s just my age. Back then I had days of almost nothing to do all day, now I have to be a responsible adult, ugh :P.

        • Probably not if there was something of substance to do. I don’t have complaints about Emerald, HGSS, Platinum, or BW2, because their post-games kept me entertained. Sun and Moon are lacking just like XY, which is a shame.

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  10. What causes the “This Battle Video can’t be played.” message in the Battle Video? I can’t watch any of my videos on Sun or Moon.

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  11. Well i beat the Elite Four with minimal effort (Rollout and Icy Wind are super OP)
    final team
    Feraligatr: 46
    Donphan: 41
    Crobat: 39
    Ursaring: 38
    Piloswine: 40
    Hitmontop: 38

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      • If you dislike Ziggy and think he is wrong, then how is this any different?

        Both of these 2 individuals bring in unwanted Political stuff into video games, which is not cool. (Anita and Ziggy)

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        • Because Ziggy is saying straight up racist bigoted BS in a place where that is totally out of place and Anita has her own show where she talks about feminism. I don’t agree with her on a lot of things but she has some decent points.

          Also why should politics be kept out of games? You can find them in books and movies so why not games? Gaming is an art form and it should be used to explore ideas, even controversial ones

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          • He is Bigoted but honestly everyone who bitches about

            Racism, Feminism, Politics, and everything in between is just… cringy so lets ignore this stuff and Play Pokemon!

          • Here’s my answer, personally.
            I play video games to relax and escape harsh reality, so why do I want one major source of stress and part of that harsh reality in my escape?

          • Well look at games like Papers Please that have a bleak world and harsh decisions. Call of Duty is constantly building their stories around wars in the Middle East… at least they used to.

            Making games more serious and the such doesn’t mean the fun games are going to go away. Mario isn’t going to have a game with Toad refugees or something. Zelda isn’t going to make a game where Zelda goes to a Planned Parenthood.

            Limiting games to not tackling real issues just holds them back and limits them from being as amazing as they could be. I’m goona quote Extra Credits here:

            “People often ask that age-old question when will again make you cry while others of us remember the games already did make us cry. Well whenever it happens, unless those are tears of joy, when a game makes you cry, it won’t be because you’re having fun. You’ll be engaged, sure, you’ll be engaged as hell but that won’t be because you’re having fun. And you know, even the things we think of as fun are better because they aren’t entirely about fun. Star Wars, The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings there all better for being able to tap into things that aren’t purely fun. Final Fantasy 10, System Shock, Planescape, even games like the Sims and Civilization are better for moments that aren’t simply about light-hearted pleasure. All fun all the time is a lot like all candy all the time no matter how good it tastes at first, by the 20th Snickers bar you’re just sick of it.

            A little savory makes the sweet even better so let’s stop focusing exclusively on fun and start examining what makes something engaging because that includes fun. Fun is one of the most engaging things out there but it’s not all there is and let’s talk about the way that games are actually engaging us with deep personal drama with terrifying sights with romantic sentiment or with an adrenaline high like diving out of a speeding plane. Nut let’s not confuse our terminology or limit the medium any longer just because we’re afraid of the challenge. There will always be games about having fun but if we’re going to truly get the most out of this medium or even if we want to just get the most fun out of it, we gotta get over this fear it’s time to move beyond fun and take this thing to the next level”

          • Long answer, phew.

            I’m not saying to limit what developers want to do, but personally I don’t want to have to think about the stresses of the real world when playing video games. But that’s what we have different types and genres of games, people can play whatever suits them best. Variety is what makes video games great.

          • I guess l should’ve worded my first answer better. What I meant was I want real world politics kept out of the video games I play, not all games. I don’t mind like fantasy politics and such, but I don’t want to play a game based on a refugee crisis or something. 😛

          • Please, politics should not be in video games, video games should be an escape from reality, not a PC politics-fest.

          • Why is it okay in movies then? Aren’t movies escapes too? What about drawings? Political cartoons exist and art is many people’s escape. Why limit games by saying “you can have this or that in a game because controversy”

            As I said below, so many games benefit because they explore difficult and more controversial topics. Games are art. You wouldn’t tell an artist not to draw about something political because you look at art to relax. You wouldn’t say a writer cant right about the political climate of today. Why with games?

          • But do the games Anita and Ziggy talk about have ANYTHING to do with Politics, no. Those books, movies, comics, are all MADE for politics, Pokemon isn’t. Neither is Lara Croft, and many other games.

          • Sure they aren’t made for politics, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn from them. Lara Croft, lets face it, is gaming’s sexy symbol. She is basically the sexy video game character that started alot of the objectification of women in games. And that’s a problem. That doesn’t mean she is a bad character or Tomb Raider is a horrible game, it just means one thing it does is a bit problematic. That whole situation can teach us that women are objectified to an unfair degree and it isn’t always an okay thing. (Note that men are just as objectified, just more in a huge tough guy with guns blazing and a 6 pack)

            And I’d argue that alot can be found from Pokemon in terms of real life issues. I mean Black and White is basically questioning the ethics of making these monsters fight. And I actually struggled with that idea playing through even though I was younger. The conclusion I and the game came to was actually a great message. That in the bigger picture, it isn’t Black and White. Sure people abuse animals but alot of them love them and care for them like they are just fluffy children.

            Wanting to keep politics out of gaming, even just examining it even if not really intended by the developers is just hurtful to the medium. What if no one was allowed to talk about how Bioshock explores Ayn Rand. Or the way Papers, Please deals with morals and how that applies to life.

            Nothing about it is being “PC”. It is about being an art. Art has meaning. We can learn from it. People look at art and feel different things and those differences could spawn a healthy discussion that ends in both sides feeling more fulfilled because of that art. If Anita calls out a game like GTA or something for having a Strip Club, could that not be an opportunity to question if places like that are okay? (Just saying I think they are okay) Let people analyze games. Let people look at Gone Home and see how homophobia can affect people. Look at Undertale and see how conflict doesn’t always have to be solved with violence. Politics should NOT be off limits. Nothing should be offlimits.

  12. As exciting as an announcement would be…would we really get one this soon after Sun and Moon?
    Correct me if I’m wrong, but haven’t the spaces between announcements and the previous titles been longer than this?

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    • Nice one fam
      I had my schedule changed just before senior year started (b/c I didn’t have Calc BC even though I literally spent all high school planning to take it), and it switched a lot of my schedule around. I talked to more than one teacher before class to inform them that my schedule switched. A lot of them were like “Well you just messed up all my seating charts. Thanks fam”

      Reply
    • I hate stuff happening with class changes, nothing’s really happened to me (my Psychology > Chem switch was smoothish) but so much of my friends have had to ensure so much bullshit :/

      Reply

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