Pokemon GOhas had quite an interesting lifespan, from initially starting out as an April fool’s joke by Google Maps and The Pokemon Company in 2014, to being released in the summer of 2016 as a worldwide phenomenon, to having itsbest year yet in 2020 despite COVID-19.Not only didPokemon GOrevolutionize AR mobile gaming, but also thePokemonfranchise itself.
AlthoughPokemon GOeventually managed to seep its way intoSwordandShieldwith things likePokemon Homeintegration, the game also inspired the 2018 titlesPokemon Let’s Go, Pikachu!andLet’s Go, Eevee!These were yet another set of remakes of the 1st generationPokemongames, but implementedPokemon GO-like mechanics. And although other things fromPokemon GOlike raid battles also made their way intoSwordandShield, it seems fans have just discovered another easter egg fromPokemon GOin the 8th generation games.
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DespitePokemon SwordandShieldreleasing well over a year ago, it looks likefans are discovering new thingsabout the games on the regular. Over on Reddit, user HumanManBoy posted a photo of a statue found in the in-game city Circhester, home to the Rock-type Gym Leader Gordie or Ice-type Gym Leader Melony, depending on the game’s version. While many players seem to have passed this up throughout their playthroughs, upon a closer look, the statue bears a striking resemblance toPokemon GO’s iconic PokeStops.
The discovery of this easter egg sparked a heavy amount of speculation over on Reddit, with fans even arguing whether or not this is a nod toPokemon GOat all. The most popular theory seems to be that since Circhester is reportedly one of the first cities Game Freak createdin the Galar regionforPokemon SwordandShield,development would’ve likely taken place around the height ofPokemon GO’s popularity. Thus, it seems likely that Game Freak could have been inspired to include a nod to the mobile game during its development ofSwordandShield.
In the comments of the Reddit post,Pokemonfans reacted with shock as to how they didn’t notice the easter egg when first playing through the Nintendo Switch games. The post also sparked sarcastic speculation as to whetherpeople in thePokemonuniversecan playPokemon GO, or rather, “animal go,” as user Elaine_I_Think put it.
It seems that a variety of hidden features and the recently released Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra DLC Expansions forPokemon SwordandShieldhave been keeping fans busy without the release of a mainlinePokemoninstallment in 2020. But with theupcoming release ofNew Pokemon Snapandthe franchise’s 25th anniversary this year, it is likely that fans still have a lot to look forward to.
Pokemon SwordandShieldare currently available for the Nintendo Switch.
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