As revolutionary as Paradox Pokemon were for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet in adding to the Pokemon mythos, the gimmick felt partially one-sided, as the future forms introduced in Pokemon Violet seemed too similar to one another and lacked creativity. Though Game Freak's latest ninth generation pushed the envelope with new ideas for the series, the Paradox Pokemon exclusive to Pokemon Violet seemed to be less developed than those included in Pokemon Scarlet, leaving fans uncertain why the disparity exists at all. While ancient Paradox Pokemon took several prehistoric and fossilized influences, future forms seemed to all lean on the same cyber aesthetic.
The uncanny similarities between all the current future Paradox Pokemon are hard for players not to notice. Not only do they all share the naming convention of "Iron", but they all look and feel as if they were robots and not actual Pokemon. As a result, while the future forms might differ in terms of typing and small design details from their originals, they don't have the same contrast that ancient Paradox Pokemon do. If rumors regarding future DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are true, then Game Freak will have an opportunity to reshape future Paradox Pokemon for the better.
Future Paradox Pokemon Were Limited By Design
The opportunity to "discover" a new phenomenon of Pokemon that were completely alien to the traditional Pokedex is one way of engaging players both new and old. So given how Paradox Pokemon were presented in both Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, it's clear that the new Gen 9 gimmick was a likely throwback to the Ultra Beasts of Pokemon Sun and Moon. This seems best reflected in Paradox Pokemons' codenames, which don't directly link them to their original Pokemon and instead treat them as the anomalies they are. But while Pokemon Scarlet has a range of creative names, Pokemon Violet is stuck with its Paradox Pokemon all being "Iron."
However, this undervalues the future Paradox Pokemon twofold. Firstly, "Iron" implies a Steel typing, much like many Pokemon moves from Iron Tail to Iron Defense, but only the future Donphan "Iron Treads" actually has Steel as one of its dual types. The rest are therefore misrepresented as non-Steel types, indicating that "Iron" isn't to reflect their types, but their designs like those seen in Tyranitar's "Iron Thorns" or Volcarona's "Iron Moth." Secondly, several "Iron" Paradox Pokemon are mechanical carbon copy designs of their originals, demonstrating a lack of ingenuity in creating futuristic visuals.
The Future of Future Paradox Pokemon
Though it seems inevitable among players that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will receive DLC in the near future there's no guarantee that Paradox Pokemon could be expanded much further from where they currently are. Current leaks seem to strongly indicate that Paradox forms of Suicune and Virizion could be introduced in the DLC, but other leaks also indicate that a third legendary Pokemon will be connected to Gen 9's Terastalization. But while there is hope that future Paradox Pokemon could have another chance to impress players, any new additions or changes would need to avoid the same pitfalls of design.
For instance, thanks to the fans, a number of inspired Paradox forms have cropped up following the release of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. In contrast to the official future forms, these fan-made creations take the designs beyond just turning a Pokemon into a cyborg, with examples ranging from Torkoal being turned into "Iron Fission" as a nuclear reactor to Inteleon channeling Iron Man vibes as "Iron Stealth." Though certain conventions carried through like "Iron" or the cyber style, it's clear the concept has untapped potential Game Freak has yet to touch.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for Nintendo Switch.