This new official Pokemon Legends: Arceus art has fans excited

Feb 17, 2022

Reading time: 3 min

It took a leak, the game’s release, and then a few extra weeks on top of that, but it’s finally happened. Game Freak and Nintendo have officially revealed the new starter evolutions. This comes in the form of official Pokemon Legends: Arceus art for Hisuian Samurott, Typhlosion, and Decidueye.

A significant update has shipped for the official Pokemon Legends: Arceus website. This includes a sizable batch of new official artwork for a handful of Pokemon and some of the new characters added to the game.

The highlight is the new art for Hisuian Samurott, Typhlosion, and Decidueye. The new Pokemon were roundly panned by fans at the game’s launch, which at least partly stemmed from the unmoving models that were initially leaked. Odds are that the reception would have been warmer if this new art was shown first. Here is the official art for the trio of new starter evolutions:

Why Nintendo waited so long to post the official artwork is uncertain. Many Pokemon Legends: Arceus players have already beaten the game. The leaked models for Hisuian Samurott, Typhlosion, and Decidueye were proliferated across the internet so thoroughly that was even the most passively interested fans likely saw them.

It’s better late than never to some degree, but it’s also baffling that Nintendo would sit on these for so long.

Cogita, Ingo, and other Pokemon Legends: Arceus NPCs get official art

It wasn’t just Hisuian Samurott, Typhlosion, and Decidueye that got new official art on the Pokemon Legends: Arceus page. A slew of NPCs also got the same treatment. Previously unrevealed wardens of the Pearl and Diamond Clans were also given official artwork.

Melli, Palina, and Sabi all received official art, alongside others:

Also included in this were two of the more enigmatic NPCs. Ingo and Cogita, two characters that are very significant but have uncertain origins, now have official profiles. Unfortunately, no other new details were given on them.

There are still many more NPCs and new Pokemon that haven’t gotten this official art treatment quite yet. It’s unclear when or if it will come, but having official art for these characters is long overdue. The full catalog can be found on the game’s official story page.