Pokemon Players Reflect on the Discontinued Character Customization in Gen 6

After more than ten years since its release, Pokemon enthusiasts are expressing disappointment over the absence of character customization in the Generation 6 games, X & Y.

Although trainers in Pokemon Crystal were given the option to select a male or female avatar, full character customization did not become available until Gen 6.

In the game Pokemon X & Y, players had a vast selection of cosmetic choices available to customize their avatars, such as skin tone, hair color, hairstyles, and numerous clothing options.

Despite the return of character customization in later generations, it remains inconsistent in terms of its overall quality and range, especially when compared to X & Y. As a result, trainers have begun to lament the absence of what was available in Gen 6.

Competitive VGC player ChuppaVGC initiated a conversation on X when they shared their thoughts: “Do you remember when Pokemon introduced player customization, only to remove it a year later in ORAS?”

In addition to the tweet, they also posted pictures of a personalized character in X & Y alongside Brendan from ORAS, where avatar customization had been completely removed.

remember when pokemon released player customization for the first time and then took it away 1 year later in ORAS pic.twitter.com/Vb8Uj9M1KP

— Chuppa (@ChuppaVGC) June 26, 2024

Despite expressing disappointment in the comments, many fans agreed that the same level of quality has not returned since.

“Do you recall when they reintroduced it in SM and it had FEWER choices compared to XY? And in each generation that followed, they offered us even fewer options until they completely eliminated the ability to customize your shirt and bottoms? What a step backwards… no, wait, what’s the antonym for progress?”remarked a trainer.

One fan also expressed their thoughts on the transitions in the series, stating, “The most jarring change was going from Sword & Shield to Scarlet & Violet. It went from a variety of British-style clothing to four distinct school uniforms in different colors.”

The absence of genuine character customization in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet sparked controversy among players.

Although fans had the ability to personalize their avatar’s physical features, the range of clothing options was limited to only a few standard uniforms.

Hopefully, with the return to Kalos in Pokemon Legends Z-A, trainers will once again be able to experience a strong avatar customization system in the region where it all started.