Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC pack is bringing in both new and returning Pokémon to the franchise. The two new expansions to the popular Nintendo Switch games were announced during the February 2023 Pokémon Presents livestream celebrating Pokémon Day. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will first receive The Teal Mask in Fall 2023 and later, in Winter 2023, The Indigo Disk DLC should be released. The first expansion is set to send Trainers on a school trip to the mountainous land known as Kitakami, while the second DLC sends them to the underwater Blueberry Academy as exchange students.
Both Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLCs for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will introduce new regions, characters, and Pokémon, and some of the new creatures have already been revealed by Nintendo. Along with that, many returning Pokémon from previous Generations have also been confirmed for the games, though there are plenty more expected beyond those revealed. In fact, this is what happened with Pokémon Sword and Shield’s DLCs, so it’s unsurprising that this is the case in Gen 9 too.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: The Teal Mask’s Returning Pokémon
The Teal Mask, the first Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC to release in the Hidden Treasure of Area Zero pack will see a few fan-favorite creatures from past Generations returning in Fall 2023. As revealed by the Pokémon Day livestream, the first wave of Pokémon confirmed to make an appearance in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are Gen 1’s Ninetails, Gen 2’s Yanma, Gen 3’s Shiftry and Milotic, Gen 4’s Chingling, and Gen 6’s Vikavolt.
While it has yet to be confirmed, it is safe to assume that not only these Pokémon, but their respective evolutionary lines will also be added to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet through the Teal Mask DLC in the Hidden Treasure of Area Zero pack. As such, Vulpix, Yanmega, Seedot, Nuzleaf, Feebas, Chimecho, Grubbin, and Charjabug are expected to arrive to the Gen 9 games as well. Bringing back classic Pokémon like Ninetails, for example, was a move used by developer Game Freak in Pokémon Sword and Shield’s DLC too.
This is the first wave of returning Pokémon in the Teal Mask DLC for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Hidden Treasure of Area Zero expansion pack. The official Pokémon website reveals that the two expansions combinded will bring “over 230 familiar Pokémon” to Scarlet and Violet, though it’s unclear how many will be in The Teal Mask. Interestingly, if Pokémon Scarlet and Violet follow Pokémon Sword and Shield’s footsteps, the DLC will have its own Pokédex. This would mean it would include both creatures already known from Gen 9’s Paldea, returning creatures, and never-before-seen additions.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: The Indigo Disk’s Returning Pokémon
The Indigo Disk, the second expansion in the Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC pack for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, has also seen six returning Pokémon confirmed during the Pokémon Presents livestream. The first wave of returns includes Gen 1’s Dewgong, Gen 3’s Metagross, Gen 5’s Whimsicott and Zebstrika, Gen 6’s Espurr, and Gen 8’s Alcreamie. As is the case with the first DLC, The Indigo Disk will also likely feature the other Pokémon in the evolutionary lines. This means Seel, Beldum, Metang, Cottonee, Blitzle, the two forms of Meowstic, and Milcery are expected to be added through the second Scarlet and Violet DLC.
It is still unknown how many returning Pokémon exactly will arrive to Scarlet and Violet through Hidden Treasure of Area Zero’s The Indigo Disk DLC. These six presented Pokémon are simply a demonstration of a wider list of returning classic Pokémon. Soon, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Pokémon HOME compatibility will also be patched into the Gen 9 games, meaning the returning Pokémon featured in the DLCs are probably not on the leaked list of the ones that will be transferable through the storage service. They will, however, be transferable once the DLCs arrive.
Every New Gen 9 Pokémon In Scarlet & Violet’s DLCs
Beyond the returning Pokémon to Scarlet and Violet through The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLCs, the Gen 9 games will also receive never-before-seen creatures in the franchise. A few of them, in fact, have already been introduced in the Pokémon Presents livestream. Three Pokémon that will arrive through The Teal Mask DLC have been presented. Monkidori, Okidogi, and Fezandipiti are featured in the expansion’s key art. Although they do look like a Legendary Trio in Pokémon, and it is safe to assume that is exactly what they are, this information has not yet been confirmed, so it should be taken with some caution.
The Legendary Pokémon featured in Hidden Treasure of Area Zero’s The Teal Mask DLC for Scarlet and Violet is Ogerpon. Little is actually known about this creature from the Pokémon Day footage, aside from the fact that it is bipedal and hides behind a mask. In the DLC’s key art, it is shown among the three previously mentioned Pokémon, which means it could be the trio’s leader or fourth complement of sorts – similar to how Ho-Oh has a relationship with the three Legendary Beasts in Johto. Due to the green leaves growing from its feet, it is safe to assume it is at least half Grass-type.
As featured in previous Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC leaks, the main Legendary Pokémon for Hidden Treasure of Area Zero’s The Indigo Disk DLC is a turtle-disk Pokémon. Known as Terapagos, it will likely be a Water-type Pokémon based on its inspiration and the expansion’s underwater theme. Nonetheless, Terapagos has the symbol of each Pokémon type on its shell. Because of this, either it will be able to change one of its type, similar to Arceus’ mechanic, or have a flexible Tera type system. Because of the expansion pack’s theme, it will also probably have a connection to Area Zero.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLCs will, along with bringing back classic creatures, introduce new ones, likely taking the current 1,008 National Pokédex count to a higher number. There will probably not be as many new creatures as there regularly are in new titles, such as all the 107 new Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet. Nevertheless, there should be just enough to satisfy the fans who want more and those who are more nostalgic.
Sources: The Official Pokémon YouTube channel, Pokémon