When Will The Pokemon Company Introduce a New Typing?

The Pokemon Company has a solid thing going right now. Well, it’s been going on for a while, actually, but it has been a while since a new typing has been introduced to the popular monster-taming series. The latest one, Fairy type, was introduced back in Generation VI (Pokemon X & Y) to balance out the Dragon and Dark types. Since 2013, things have remained fairly stable in terms of Rates: each Pokemon can have 1 or 2 types; they can have up to 4 moves that also have types; and each typing is well-balanced and offers a lot.

Unfortunately there are still a couple typings that are painfully behind the others, and introducing a new typing could benefit those that struggle in the Pokemon universe. It is no question that Bug is one of the weakest typings overall, and it struggles to even be relevant, despite having some strong Pokemon within its fences. Ice, similarly, struggles to be a relevant typing due to the amount of weaknesses.

For competitive play, it is a far better option to equip a strong Bug or Ice-type move onto another Pokemon of a different typing, and it is primarily because of this that a new typing being introduced into the series could possibly elevate the weaker ones and balance things out a bit.

I know, I know. Introducing a new typing to the Pokemon series would just complicate things more. There are currently 18 different typings, but in the game’s inception, there were 15. Steel and Dark were introduced in Gold & Silver back in 1999, and as said previously, Fairy was introduced in X & Y in 2013.

Steel and Dark types changed the meta tremendously, so much so that Steel is still to this day considered one of the best typings thanks to its 10 resistances and immunity to Poison. Dark type, similarly, boasted some mega-strength until Fairy was brought in to combat the overpowered Dark and Dragon types.

We are now in 2022, and Pokemon games are churning out left, right, and center. Just on the Switch alone, we have Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee, Pokemon Sword & Shield, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, and the upcoming Generation 9 that is Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. That it not even counting spin-off titles like Pokken Tournament DX, Pokemon Unite, New Pokemon Snap, Pokemon Quest, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX, Pokemon Cafe ReMix, and the wonderful Pokemon Legends Arceus.

Needless to say, the Switch is a Pokemon machine.

With that said, as we approach Generation 9, my son and I have been wondering how a new typing could be introduced and how it might do one or two things: elevate Bug and/or bring down Steel. Of course the complication would be balancing a new typing with all 18 types, and that does not even consider future Eeveelutions (Of which we have not even covered all the current typings).

Well, enough with the details, what is a proposed type that could both fit into the Pokemon universe and deliver on one or both of those balancing goals? One that I have jokingly tossed into the discussion with my kids is a Candy or Sweets type. Although it does not pose a threat to Steel, it would be a fun typing that mixes things up, and Bug would obviously be one of the only typings that would be super effective, as bugs do love their sweets.

There are already tons of discussions about desires for new typings, with suggestions like Wind/Air, Time, Sound, Light, Plasma, and Cosmic among others at the top of the list, and although these are all great ideas that will definitely add to the Pokemon meta, I cannot help but think about Bug types. Something like a Fossil or Ancient type could potentially elevate some of the Bug types that are already fossils, but I think a new typing that Bug is super effective against while Steel is weak to would be most ideal.

Not a whole lot of information has come forward about Pokemon Scarlet & Violet yet, but it would be interesting if Generation 9 is the one that introduces us to the 19th typing. With a potential of 100 new Pokemon being added to the ever-expanding Pokedex, we could be seeing 1000 distinct species of Pokemon sooner than we think. With that many, and sticking with the current 18 typings, a balanced Pokemon world would see roughly 55 Pokemon per typing, but there are a couple problems: dual typing and Water. Water types account for 146 Pokemon, over 16% of the current total, making it the most dominant.

With that said, Scarlet & Violet could introduce us to a new typing that helps with the balance, bringing down the dominant ones like Water and Normal, elevating a weaker type like Bug, and destroying an over-powered type like Steel.

We will not know what Generation 9 has to offer until The Pokemon Company gives us more information, but I think this may be the most important upgrade to the current system. A fresh kick to the pants, and something that really mixes everything up in a good way. Who knows? Maybe The Pokemon Company will see this article and take my Candy type into consideration. I mean, it would be sweet, huh?

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Thank you for stopping by Nintendo Link for all of your feature articles and fun questions. What do you think about a new typing for Pokemon? Do you think it is necessary? Irrelevant? Do you have suggestions for a new typing? Let us know in the comments below! Happy gaming, everyone.