When "Pokemon Sun and Moon" was launched last month on Nintendo 3DS, gamers were introduced to another way to "catch 'em all," this time through scanning QR codes. Unlike "Pokemon GO," gamers need not go out into the real world and walk around malls and parks to catch rare Pokemon. But one unused feature in the game has been getting attention lately, and that's the buddy system. But what exactly is the unused buddy system for?
According to Gamerant, the unused buddy system in "Pokemon Sun and Moon" was discovered by some gamers who went snooping into the games' files. There, they found animations for Pokemon to walk alongside players in the game. This caused gamers to wonder what is the unused buddy system for, given that it isn't currently being used in "Pokemon Sun and Moon." Does this mean that the game will launch on Nintendo Switch soon?
Nintendo Switch is set for a March 2017 launch, and it wouldn't be surprising if the company releases a version of "Pokemon Sun and Moon" for the hybrid video game console. According to Eurogamer, it's definitely odd to find a library full of animations for every Pokemon and not see the unused buddy system anywhere in "Pokemon Sun and Moon." This may imply that the game is in fact coming to Nintendo Switch when it launches three months from now.
Another theory regarding the unused buddy system for "Pokemon Sun and Moon" is that it may be code for the still in development "Pokemon Stars." "Pokemon Stars" is rumored to be released on Nintendo Switch as well.
As of now, there's no official word from Nintendo regarding what the unused buddy system in "Pokemon Sun and Moon" is really for. However, fans can see the animations on Twitter, where gamers have gone to share them. To keep up on the latest in "Pokemon Sun and Moon," check back here and comment below if you've found GIFs of the unused buddy system animations.
