Summary
ThePokemonfranchise has always excelled when it comes to world-building, and with each generation, players learn more about the world that has been crafted. InPokemon Scarlet andViolet, players learn about the existence of academies and they join either Uva or Naranja. It is through these academies that trainers learn about battling and the widerPokemonworld.
The exploration of academies in thePokemonuniverse shouldn’t be limited toPokemon Scarlet and Violet. Future generations have the opportunity to expand on this concept and reveal even more academies that exist to teach trainers the skills they need to excel. In the same way that Uva and Naranja are essential components of Paldea, future games could reveal academies in other regions, or even shed light on academies that exist in regions that players have visited already.
Schools and Academies in the Pokemon Franchise
Pokemon ScarletandVioletput academies at the front and center, with gamers playing as enrolled students. However, this isn’t the first time schools and academies have been referenced in the franchise. Famously,Pokemon Rubyand Sapphirefeature the Pokemon Trainer’s School which players can’t enroll in, though they can enter and learn more about battling.
Similarly, inPokemon Sun and Moon, players encounter the Trainers' School in Alola. Players first visit it with Professor Kukui, Lillie, and Nebby after obtaining aRotom for their Pokedex. There are potentially more schools and academies throughout thePokemonuniverse as well, as players learn that Professor Clavell attended an unnamed academy with Cyrano who eventually founded Blueberry Academy in Unova.
It is throughBlueberry Academythat players discover that not all academies are the same. While Uva and Naranja are structured like traditional schools, Blueberry Academy lies underwater and is more focused on battling and advanced strategies. This suggests that there could be more schools and academies that focus on specific aspects of being a Pokemon Trainer.
The Importance of Schools and Academies in the Pokemon World
For most of the franchise, learning how to become a Pokemon Trainer is a hands-on process. Players learn the ropes by going on an adventure, battling trainers, catching Pokemon, and defeating gym leaders. The existence of schools and academies offers an alternative way for trainers to hone their skills, and they give an excuse for the games to explain the gameplay mechanics.
How Future Pokemon Games Could Explore the Concept of Schools and Academies
The franchise already has the chance to reveal more about the academy Professor Clavell attended, as well as how the academy shaped both him and Cyrano. This concept could be expanded by featuring more academies from different regions. These academies could be varied to give them all unique identities. For example, a school in Sinnoh could focus on the Pokemon world’s history, while it may be more suitable for a school in theHoenn regionto focus on Water-Type Pokemon given its island geography.
The academies could also be tied to gameplay. For example, players could visit different academies to gain unique skills, or the academies could be used as hubs where players can train and improve their abilities.Academies could host Pokemon tournamentsagainst each other, providing a way to link schools from different regions together. There’s a multitude of possibilities that open up new gameplay options to keep the franchise fresh.
Pokemonhas been around for decades, and it has managed to keep players hooked by always introducing new features. With every newPokemongeneration, there are new gamers who discover the franchise, and they need to learn the ins and outs of being a good trainer. With the existence of academies, the games have an easy way to teach players the basics while expanding on lore.
