Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s recently announced The Indigo Disk DLC is set to take place at the Blueberry Academy, a school situated in the middle of a large body of water - possibly the ocean. Its isolated setting andreturning Pokemon rosterseem to bring up more questions than answers about how exploration might work throughout the expansion.
The list of previous-gen Pokemon set to appear inThe Indigo Disk DLC forScarlet and Violetincludes quite an array of types. From Alcremie to Espurr, its Pokemon appearances don’t seem to fit under one sole habitat that mainly involves water. Whereas The Teal Mask’s roster ties well within an almost tropical-like setting, including Pokemon like Shiftry, Yanma, and Vikavolt among its more Japanese inspirations like Ninetales. As such, The Indigo Disk seems to be more of a mixed bag.
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The Indigo Disk’s Blueberry Academy
With the open world of Paldea paying special attention to the respective habitats of its Pokemon, it would be surprising ifPokemon ScarletandViolet’s The Indigo Disk DLC didn’t follow suit. With that said, it’s hard to imagine a Steel-type like Metagross or the Electric-type Zebstrika fitting in very well with a setting surrounded entirely by water. This brings up larger questions about how exploration might work for the DLC - either the Academy is even vaster than it appears, or the DLC will see players traversing outside its walls.
The trailer for The Indigo Disk DLC highlights a few areas of its school, showcasing a classroom of desks lit by clouds just beyond its windows, suggesting that the academy building is as tall as it is deep. Along with scribbled post-it notes and study boards, the trailer seems to be focused solely on the environment of Blueberry Academy itself. If the school is in fact just likeScarlet and Violet’s Naranja or Uva Academy, where its environment is set only for classroom lectures, dormitories, and battle arenas, then it’s curious to think just how players will encounter wild Pokemon throughout the expansion.
There’s a chance that the Academy might have its own wild areas/habitats mimicked throughout its building, helping to better study the elements and habitats of different Pokemon types within the school’s confines. After all, the environment does give off a bit of a futuristic feel, considering it’s a sprawling building suspended in the middle of the water. Another more likely example is that the DLC could involve the player traveling to and fromPokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Paldea region, encountering these older-gen Pokemon tucked away in its environment by way of field-trip assignments.
With one shot of the DLC’s trailer showcasing a classroom board that hones in on the study of climate and topography, including pictures of what could be the Asado Desert and Glaseado Mountain from the Paldea region, there’s a chance that one of the Academy’s focuses could be on the study of extreme weather. This might involve a different look at Paldea through a change in climate, much like howPokemon Legends: Arceusused weatherin its semi-open world for players seeking Landorus, Thundurus, and Tornadus.
Seeing Paldea in a different light through thunderstorms and heavy snow might be a possible avenue for the DLC, which could further explain Pokemon like Zebstrika and Dewgong making a reappearance. One important thing to note about The Indigo Disk’s roster is that its variety could also be indicative of the partner Pokemon of the students at the Academy. The DLC’s promotional image showed a cast of challengers in the school’s battle arena, with one trainer donning a frying pan in one hand and a Pokeball in the other, a characterization that would fit in quite well with a Pokemon like Alcremie.
Another trainer, whose stoic expression and hairstyle reminiscent of metal screws could be tied to thePsychic/Steel-type Metagross, the pseudo-Legendary making its return for the DLC. This could point towards a feature where the DLC’s roster becomes available only after defeating certain students. With a number of routes the DLC could take, it’ll be interesting to see the approach that Indigo Disk lands on.
Pokemon ScarletandVioletare available now for the Nintendo Switch.
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