If you’ve ever played a Pokemon game, you’re likely familiar with the difficult choice at the beginning – choosing one of the three starter Pokemon to join you on your journey. Fans have been doing this for decades, but something major changed in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.
Both players — and some official materials — previously called these special Pokemon ‘starter Pokemon’ and it became the shorthand for creatures like Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. While they can’t be caught in the wild, you can choose one of the three to join you on your adventure.
However, from the first trailer forPokemon Scarlet & Violet The Indigo Disk DLC, officialPokemon materialshave shifted to using the name ‘First partner Pokemon’, and veteran fans are not pleased with the change in the slightest.
Discussing the change, one Pokemon player posted on Reddit, saying, “Pokemon fumbled the ball soo hard.” Then, the image attached is a meme comparing how Pokemon accepted the fan term “Shiny” Pokemon, but won’t for starter Pokemon.
It’s been a jarring adjustment for many, especially as one comment pointed out, “I could’ve sworn the term starter Pokemon has been used by Nintendo in the past.”
To which another comment replied, “Professor Rowan refers to them as ‘starter Pokemon’ when talking to Dawn in the Diamond and Pearl anime.”
Going further down the rabbit hole, one comment backs up the argument, and explains that, “The instruction booklet for Colosseum refers to Espeon and Umbreon as ‘starting Pokemon’.”
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Other fans also commented on their refusal to adopt the term, with one saying, “Still gonna call them starters.” With the term already widely adopted within the community, it seems many share this sentiment, while another comment argues, “First partner Pokemon is too vague.”
The argument over this naming convention will likely rage on, but at least Pokemon fans can look forward to seeing the return of some favorite starters (or first partner Pokemon) with thePokemon Legends Z-A release windowslowly getting closer.
Nathan Ellingsworth was a Senior Writer on Dexerto’s UK team, specializing in Pokemon coverage – including Pokemon Go, Pokemon Sword & Shield, Pokemon Sleep, and the Trading Card Game. On top of that, Nathan is an expert in mobile gaming and Nintendo franchises. They have bylines at The Gamer, Nintendo Life, Pocket Tactics.
