Both Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and Pokemon Legends: Arceus are on the horizon, but The Pokemon Company has yet to announce its plans for Pokemon's 9th generation. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will be more like traditional Pokemon games, but because they are remakes of the original Diamond and Pearl, they're not quite next-gen. Similarly, Pokemon Legends: Arceus seems to exist on its own and doesn't have an alternate version like most Pokemon games do. As of now, the next generation is still a mystery.
Generation 8, Pokemon Sword and Shield, was wildly successful. While some fans didn't think it was a big enough leap for Game Freak and The Pokemon Company, it did introduce a lot of great features. Generation 8 was also the first to include full DLCs, "Isle of Armor" and "Crown Tundra," both of which added a ton of content and Pokemon. Generation 9 will hopefully add new features that Pokemon fans have been asking for, but there's a few Pokemon Sword and Shield features that should definitely carry over as well.
Raid Battles
Max Raid Battles in Pokemon Sword and Shield will probably always be unique because it's made very clear that Dynamaxing and Gigantamaxing is something specific to the culture of the Galar region. However, that doesn't mean that raid battles can't return in some other form, and it would definitely be a missed opportunity to not include one of the most popular Gen 8 features in Gen 9.
Players spend most of their time in Pokemon games battling other trainers, whether they be NPCs or actual players. Max Raid Battles are exciting because they allow trainers to battle as allies instead of opponents against one, very special Pokemon. Allowing players to work together is a very special feature and it comes with some great rewards that can help level up Pokemon and edit move sets. For players who don't have a Nintendo Online Subscription, Raid Battles can be played with NPCs.
Raid Battles are featured in Pokemon GO as well, but they look a little different. Instead of Dynamax Pokemon hiding in dens, a boss Pokemon takes over a gym. Sometimes, those boss Pokemon have Mega Evolutions. Hopefully, there are Raid Battles in Generation 9, even if they look a little more like the Pokemon GO variation.Sword and Shield place a huge emphasis on Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokemon, but because that's meant to be a Galar-specific feature, Generation 9 could include Mega Evolutions similar to Pokemon GO. Gigantamaxing almost counts as a mega-evolution, but it's not quite the same and it'll probably be reworked for Generation 9.
Pokejobs
Pokejobs are a smaller feature of Pokemon Sword and Shield, and for some, they may not affect the game all that much. But for players who like the idea of training their Pokemon during the times they aren't actually playing, Pokejobs are incredibly useful. Leveling up Pokemon can take a lot of time, and Pokejobs are a great way to reduce the hours required. In addition to earning experience points for successfully completing jobs, Pokejobs include seminars players can utilize to increase the stats of their Pokemon overnight.
In addition to making it easier to level up, Pokejobs provide an opportunity to do something with the dozens of Pokemon that never leave the player's boxes. Every player has their favorite go-to team, and most Pokemon sadly don't get to do very much. By sending them out on Pokejobs, they actually get out of the boxes every now and then. It benefits the player as well because if they ever do decide to come and use a Pokemon they've never battled with, they'll have more experience points to start out with.
Every Pokejob also gives the player a small reward depending on the Pokemon's performance, so it doesn't hurt to send a few Pokemon out before closing the game. Pokejobs are a very simple feature that isn't mandatory for Generation 9, but that should definitely be included because of how much easier it can make leveling up Pokemon.
Easy Access to Pokemon Boxes
The ability to easily access Pokemon in boxes is probably the smallest, but most important new feature that Sword and Shield implemented. Before Generation 8, players would have to go to specific locations to switch out their team. It's not efficient and makes experimenting with different moves and types that much more challenging.
In Pokemon Sword and Shield, Pokemon can be accessed from anywhere at a moment's notice. It completely changes how the game can be played and there's no need to commit to specific Pokemon or a specific team. If a Pokemon doesn't work out or doesn't merge with the existing team, it's easy to switch it out and give another one a try. Pokemon can even be swapped from boxes the moment before walking in to challenge the gym leaders.
Allowing for easy and efficient access to all the Pokemon at the player's disposal makes gameplay feel much more dynamic and customizable, and like Pokejobs, players who don't enjoy the feature aren't constrained to it. Players who prefer the traditional method can always visit a Pokemon Center to access their Pokemon. It's a huge step forward, so hopefully, Generation 9 doesn't take a step backward by removing this feature.
Pokemon Camp
Camp is one of the most adorable features in Pokemon Sword and Shield. While it's not essential, it's incredibly fun and gives more personality to individual Pokemon. Pokemon Camp allows players to play fetch with their team, talk with them to understand how they're feeling, and watch them interact with each other. Even though Pokemon love battling just as much as their trainer does, everyone needs a break sometimes, and it's refreshing to just spend time with them.
Other generations have had variations on Pokemon Camp where trainers can spend time taking care of their Pokemon and improving their relationships with them, but Pokemon Camp is a great variation to bring into Generation 9 because of how seamlessly it fits into open-world gameplay. Of course, there's no guarantee that Generation 9 will be open-world, but Pokemon Legends: Arceus is definitely heading in that direction, so it's possible.
Generation 9 is still a mystery, but there are a lot of great features from Sword and Shield that should carry over. In addition to the features mentioned here, Sword and Shield added a ton of new features for training competitive online teams that have raised the standard dramatically. Game Freak has gotten one step closer to the open-world, open-region Pokemon game fans dream of with every new installment, and Generation 9 should continue to build on it.
Pokemon Sword and Shield are now available for the Nintendo Switch.