With "Pokémon Winds and Waves" just around the corner, some fans are looking back at Pokémon ideas that never made it into the final games.
A recent Reddit discussion has startled fans about forgotten pre-evolutions and scrapped evolutions. For longtime players, these early design concepts are more than abandoned ideas. They are pieces of Pokémon history that could still be given a second chance.
Fans Still Want a Kantonian Farfetch'd Evolution
One of the biggest suggestions involves Kantonian Farfetch'd.
The original Farfetch'd has never received an evolution. Its Galarian counterpart, however, eventually evolved into Sirfetch'd in "Pokémon Sword and Shield." That difference has bothered some fans for years.
Several players believe an evolution for the original Farfetch'd would have been a better way to bring attention back to the classic Pokémon. Instead of introducing an evolution only for its regional counterpart, Game Freak could have expanded the original's evolution line.
Regional Forms Remain a Divisive Topic
The discussion also touched on the way regional forms have changed older Pokémon.
According to the discussion thread, regional variants have become a regular part of the series. They give familiar Pokémon new designs, typings, abilities, and sometimes entirely new evolutionary paths.
However, not everyone likes how this system has been handled.
Farfetch'd is one example. Qwilfish and Basculin were also mentioned in the discussion. Their regional versions gained new evolutions, while their original forms were left without similar upgrades.
For some players, this feels like an incomplete solution. They would rather see the original Pokémon receive something new instead of watching a regional variant take its place.
Unused Pokémon Designs Could Get a Second Chance
Another suggestion is to bring back unused concepts as regional forms.
One example mentioned by fans is an early Wartortle design. The concept could potentially be reimagined as an alternate regional form connected to the Blastoise line.
It would also give Game Freak a way to acknowledge older Pokémon history without simply adding the unused design to the main Pokédex.
Other scrapped concepts continue to attract attention, too. Gorochu remains one of the most famous examples. The unused evolution was reportedly connected to Pikachu and has become a longtime favorite among fans interested in Pokémon's development history.
Kotora was also mentioned in the discussion. So was an unused cassowary-inspired Pokémon concept associated with Generation 6.
The variety of suggestions shows that fan interest is not limited to the earliest generations.
Not Every Scrapped Idea Needs to Return
There is also another side to the discussion. Some fans believe unused designs should remain unused.
Bringing back too many old concepts could make newer games feel crowded. It could also create questions about which designs belong in the modern Pokémon world.
For some players, scrapped concepts are interesting precisely because they remain part of the franchise's history.
Fan Games Are Already Bringing Ideas Back
Interestingly, fan-made Pokémon projects have already explored some of these concepts.
"Blazing Emerald," a Pokémon ROM hack, includes several unused ideas as possible encounters.
Among them is Mallar'ki, a Fighting/Flying evolution for Farfetch'd. The project also features a Hoennian Pinsir with Bug/Ground typing and the Pure Power ability.
These additions are not official Pokémon content. Still, they show how far fans are willing to go to explore ideas that Game Freak never developed.
Pokémon's Forgotten Designs Still Matter
Whether "Pokémon Winds and Waves" ever revisits an unused Pokémon remains uncertain. Still, it's interesting to imagine how these ideas exist mainly in fan discussions and fan-made projects. But the continued interest is telling.
After decades of Pokémon games, players still remember designs that never received an official debut. Some would like to see them return as evolutions. Others prefer regional forms or entirely new interpretations.
