Players navigating through the mobile version of Pokémon Home are sure to notice a few new faces offering helpful explanations about all of the features of the new app. Some of them, like the new take on Professor Oak, have been met with mixed fan reception. One newcomer in particular, Poké Boy, is also making waves online, and is raising some interesting questions among fans. With his adorable round face and features, this Poké Ball-inspired mascot is drawing comparisons to another familiar Poké Ball-themed character.
Introduced in Pokémon Sword and Shield, the latest mainline entry in the Pokémon series, Ball Guy is an in-game mascot who will greet players making their way around Galar as participants in the Pokémon League Challenge, usually standing inside or near each town’s stadium-like gyms to offer players a selection of free Poké Balls just for approaching him. Late last year, Ball Guy gained something of a following online and became a bit of a meme among fans, and his popularity has even been embraced by Game Freak, as they have utilized him for various Poké Ball-filled gifts distributed through the Mystery Gift system over the past months.
Now, according to and perhaps because of a new report by Polygon, fans are speculating about the possible connection between Poké Boy and Ball Guy for a variety of reasons – not least of which is their similar appearance. Some fans have proposed humorous new theories that Poké Boy is the pre-evolution of Ball Guy, while others have considered a connection between one of the original Poké Ball characters in Pokémon, Voltorb. These theories are taking the internet by storm, as can be seen in the slew of tweets circulating on social media, some of which are embedded below:
This lighthearted speculation offers not only a reprieve from other issues plaguing the launch of Pokémon Home, but also serves, at the very least, as a refreshing new outlet for fans of the Pokémon universe to focus on, drawing attention away from some of the negativity which has surrounded the series more recently.
Whether or not the two are actually related is highly debatable, and it’s doubtful that Game Freak will ever officially comment on the topic, but it’s certainly hilarious to see fan speculation take characters to new heights in terms of popularity, and speaks to the undeniably memorable character designs found in the Pokémon games. Nintendo Switch owners who already have Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield can download Pokémon Home and check out the differences (and similarities) for themselves, and the game is also available now for iOS and Android device users.
Next: Pokémon: Why Shellder Looks So Different On Slowbro’s Tail
Source: Polygon, Twitter
