When Pokemon Legends: Arceus was first announced, long-time fans of the Pokemon series immediately jumped to the conclusion that the upcoming game would be the "new normal" for Pokemon as a whole. Fans assumed that the mainline games would be taking a step back from the traditional gym challenge and formulaic approach that Pokemon has been known for, and instead be moving to a more open-world style approach starting with Pokemon Legends: Arceus. From the marketing material shown so far, the game would be changing the Pokemon series down to its very foundation which could breathe a big breath of fresh air into the franchise.