Third Version?

Y'all think they might add a third game to gen 9?

Scarlet... Violet... Chartreuse?

It's certainly possible, though not guaranteed since Gens 5, 6, and 8 never got 3rd versions

Doubt it. They threw the third-version model away once Black and White came out. They acknowledged it with the DLC of SwSh; I don't have an exact quote but they addressed how they used to release a third game with some extra content, but nowadays they can just release that extra content later for the same games.

They're far more likely to release DLC for Scarlet and Violet, paid or otherwise.

I really hope not. One of the worst thing in the franchise were third versions, which worked at first, but now they're too outdated. Even competitively speaking, requiring you to buy a new game which is really similar to the older one isn't really a thing. Gen 8 integrated the third legendary in the plot and then added a DLC. I really prefer them to choose this path.

Doubtful. To be honest I'm expecting a narrative prequel if anything, because that's the only thing they haven't done yet. We've had third versions, sequels, DLC expansions, and alternate variations. A prequel is just about the only thing they haven't tried and, for all of Game Freak's flaws, since the fourth generation ended they at least haven't given themselves over to direct repetition when it comes to releasing content that should have been in the original games.

I suppose you could say Legends Arceus is a prequel to the Sinnoh games, but as far as I'm concerned until we get another game in that style it's a spinoff. No matter what Game Freak might try to claim. They think the Let's Go titles are main series titles too, which is rubbish. So...

I doubt it, and I hope not. I don't love DLC, but I prefer it to the third version, and I think it would be a weird and fairly disliked decision for them to go for the third version route again.

I don't think their will be a third version, I can see dlc added down the line.

I doubt that there will ever be 3rd versions for Pokémon games ever again. It just seems live they've been moving away from them since gen 5. If they end up doing something like that I think it'll be 2 versions or DLC.

I'm expecting DLC like they did with SwSh rather than a third version.
I don't really miss thirds versions either tbh.

Joins the train of downloadable content over third version guessers. May depend on how profitable it was in Generation 8, though. Never released any sales numbers for them.

Could envision a third version, depending on how different Scarlet and Violet are. Styled the games around Past and Future, seemingly. Why not have a Present version? Battles the combined forces of the villain team (and maybe "good" team). Suits the usual difficulty increase of third versions. Sounds like too much effort for Gamefreak, though.

I really, really hope not. I'd like for third versions not to be a thing anymore and for the initial versions to come out with all the good stuff third versions usually bring to begin with. That includes sequels too, honestly - USUM were so superior to SuMo for example, that there was almost no point buying the first two versions. Please let that be the case for SV! We don't need things like this again.

Yeah 3rd versions are a dead relic. The game now has as many generations without a 3rd version as it did with that style. Younger players have no idea where the "3rd game" jokes and memes even come from unless you explain how there used to be third versions of the games. It's been 14 years since they did a 3rd version game. We need to move past this question as a community. It's a relic and a neat trivia fact about the franchises history, not something we should seriously speculate about.

I highly doubt that Game Freak would release another third version for future Pokémon titles. As many other users already stated, the ability to create DLC for the Nintendo Switch games negates the purpose of creating a third title, considering that anything new they wish to add could be added as DLC. However, should Game Freak ever do a remake of Pokémon X and Y, I would still love for them to make a Pokémon Z version that we never got to play, either as a standalone game or DLC similar to what we got in Pokémon Sword and Shield with the Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra. We desperately need that Zygarde storyline and better one than the one they came up with for Pokémon Sun and Moon.

Doubt it. They can just do DLC nowadays to add extra content.

I'd rather they not unless it's a version that emphasizes on the present. Third versions are just a thing of the past.