Why do Gen II, VII, and IX not have Fossil Pokemon? Reddit weighs in

Fossil Pokemon are a category of monsters revived from items players can find around most regions in the franchise. However, their addition to the titles seems to be sporadic, with Game Freak skipping a few generations. Many players have also picked up on this strange pattern with Fossil Pokemon, and that has triggered a deluge of theories and explanations for why this might be.

Fans on the Pokemon subreddit have concocted some interesting reasons as to why Game Freak skips certain generations when it comes to adding new fossils to the game.

I seriously wonder what the Fossil Pokemon for Gens. 2, 7, and 9 would look like. byu/Ok-Leave3121 inpokemon

What began as a meme turned into an interesting conversation among Reddit users as they speculated why Generations 2, 7, and 9 received no new Fossil Pokemon. Since Johto, Alola, and Paldea are all map-oriented regions in terms of their exploration and plot, the environment has more of a direct impact on how the player plays the game. Hence, some players expected these secret fossil creatures to make an appearance.

However, the natural environment might be the reason why these areas in particular never received Fossil Pokemon. As the franchise matures, it grows more similar to the real world in which we live, with every map in the main series being based on a real-life location. Given this design philosophy, it is conceivable that developers followed the same logic when considering the destiny of Fossil Pokemon.

Comment byu/Ok-Leave3121 from discussion inpokemon

Since the Alola region is based on Hawaii, it would make sense for there not to be any Fossil Pokemon native to that region. The inspiration for the region is derived from a group of islands formed due to volcanic activity. Consequently, marine life has not been around long enough for it to fossilize there. This has likely translated into the game's region with players not receiving any fossils there.

Many fans also expressed their appreciation for the design of Generation 8's Fossil Pokemon (Image via Reddit)

The fossils from the eighth generation were also based on the early stages of paleontology, which originated from the United Kingdom. In this era of study, scientists would often mix different fossilized remains, blending bones from different species. It was a trial and error method primarily due to the nascency of the academic field's methods and the lack of credible data. This is why the Fossil Pokemon for Sword and Shield were produced by developers fusing two unique fossil items, making distinct combinations for different results.

Comment byu/Ok-Leave3121 from discussion inpokemon

It is quite evident that the franchise pays close attention to the details around when it is appropriate to release Fossil Pokemon into the game. If it does not fit the environment of the region, developers will not add them.

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Why do certain regions not have Fossil Pokemon?

Many regions have justifiable reasons for not having Fossil Pokemon (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The second generation may have chosen to skip Fossil Pokemon as it was not established as a franchise staple since it was originally supposed to be the final game in the series. The seventh generation skipped the addition of these monsters due to the Alola region likely not being around long enough to harbor fossilized life.

As for the ninth generation, these creatures were likely skipped since reviving ancient creatures would be a bit redundant. This is because the ninth generation introduced Paradox Pokemon, creatures from the distant future and ancient past.