Game Theory: Pokemon GO's TRAGIC END!

MatPat returns from Japan after a two-week trip working on a secret project and having fun with Pokémon GO by hunting region-specific Farfetch'd in Shibuya.

• Pokémon GO caused Americans to walk an extra 144 billion steps in summer • Gen 2 Pokémon announced for December release • Two new Pokémon games recently released

Pokémon GO may hold the key to answering one of Pokémon's longest-standing mysteries through its game lore and mechanics.

The theory proposes that Pokémon GO is intentionally rudimentary because it is the first game chronologically in the Pokémon timeline, created by Japanese Twitter user Virtue.

Common Pokémon like Rattata, Pidgeot, and Weedle are catchable, plus extinct species like Omite, Omastar, Kabuto, and Kabutops that can only be obtained through fossil revival in main games.

The presence of extinct Pokémon alive in Pokémon GO suggests the game occurs before Generation 1, when these species hadn't yet become extinct.

• Legendary Pokémon are absent (Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mew, Mewtwo) • Ditto is missing from the roster despite being non-legendary

Ditto's absence points to the theory that this game predates the cloning experiment that created Mewtwo as a failed clone of Mew, and since Ditto is theoretically a failed clone as well, it hasn't been created yet.

• Both Ditto and Mew weigh 8.8 pounds (4 kg) • Both are genderless • Both naturally learn Transform at level zero

In Pokémon Yellow, Ditto can be caught in two places: the Pokémon Mansion where Mewtwo was cloned from Mew, and Cerulean Cave where Mewtwo lives.

Mewtwo is described as the only successful clone of Mew, implying multiple failed attempts—Ditto's transformation abilities and copycat nature suggest it could be one of these failed clones.

Ditto can copy any Pokémon and perform their moves, while Mew has the DNA of all Pokémon and can learn any move, establishing a thematic connection between the two.

Pokémon GO uses ball-throwing mechanics with no weakening battles required, mirroring Safari Zone mechanics where trainers could only throw balls without battling—representing an early, less formalized approach to Pokémon catching.

Leveling happens through candy rather than battles, similar to rare candy from main games. This suggests Pokémon GO is the origin point before formal battle-based training developed.

• No TMs or HMs for teaching new moves • Rudimentary gym structure with no badges • Incomplete batch of the original 150 Pokémon

The simple mechanics reflect a period when Pokémon training wasn't yet formalized, supporting the theory that GO predates the establishment of the modern trainer system seen in Generation 1.

Candies are created from transferred Pokémon, making them controversial items produced through what amounts to processing Pokémon biomatter.

A movement protesting the inhumane practice of converting Pokémon into candy led to the discontinuation and rarity of rare candy in later generations.

• Pokémon GO shows candy readily available as common items • By Generation 5 and 6, item descriptions emphasize how rare candies have become • No store sells rare candy—it must be found, indicating a societal ban

The progression from common to banned items across generations reflects a societal shift away from artificial Pokémon enhancement methods, establishing when ethics in Pokémon training evolved.

Professor Willow from Pokémon GO shares pose, white hair, coat style with a popped collar, and white hair with Blaine, a gym leader in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal.

Blaine specifically mentions that Willow is his middle name in Heart Gold and Soul Silver, saying 'Willow is flexible and not easily broken' during critical battle moments.

In the Pokémon universe, all characters with tree names are or become professors—suggesting Willow follows this naming convention pattern, strengthening the connection between Willow and the older Blaine.

Willow appears in his late 20s or early 30s in Pokémon GO, which would place him at Blaine's age by the time Gold/Silver events occur, making the timeline alignment plausible.

Lieutenant Surge references a mysterious Pokémon war in Generation 1 that has puzzled fans since the original games, with few concrete details about its nature or causes.

The war was fought between Team Mystic, Team Valor, and Team Instinct over philosophical disagreements about the proper role and use of Pokémon in society.

• War must occur within Lieutenant Surge's lifetime (within 40 years of Generation 1) • Must happen after modern Pokéballs were created in 1925 • Pokémon GO features modern balls and by Gen 1, these teams are completely absent from society

The war was likely triggered by the creation of Porygon or Mewtwo—artificial Pokémon that challenged ethics and use of Pokémon, causing societal conflict about whether artificial life should exist.

According to official Bulbapedia timeline, Porygon was created first through programming, followed years later by Mewtwo through cloning of Mew.

Pokémon GO contains Porygon but lacks both Ditto and Mewtwo, placing the game at the precise timeline moment after Porygon's creation but before Mewtwo's existence.

The artificial creation of life through programming and cloning would be controversial and upsetting to many, sparking conflict between factions with different views on Pokémon use.

Mystic and Instinct teams defeated Valor, resulting in a society dominated by professors studying wild Pokémon and battling relegated to formal League competitions by Generation 1.

MatPat acknowledges the theory may be overthinking a simple mobile app but argues it elegantly connects many pieces of a mystery that the franchise's creators may have forgotten.

• Explains why Pokémon GO is mechanically rudimentary • Clarifies the origin of Rare Candy and its eventual ban • Identifies Professor Willow as future gym leader Blaine • Provides context for the mysterious Pokémon war referenced by Lieutenant Surge

Audible audiobook recommendation featuring Pokémon GO guides, gaming history, and security-related content available for free trial at audible.com.

MatPat mentions results of a Super Amazing Incard tournament poll showing Foxy and Mangle as favorite Five Nights at Freddy's animatronics, and teases non-animal related content for next week.