23 weird rumours that plagued the Pokémon fandom – 5 of which are still unresolved

In a franchise packed with secrets, it’s no surprise that so many strange stories have sprung up over the decades. But which ones did you fall for?

From hidden Pokémon to fake sequels, haunted cartridges to datamined dreams, we’ve rounded up 23 of the weirdest, funniest, and most persistent Pokémon rumours that ever spread through the fandom – with several that still haven’t been fully resolved to this day.

1. MissingNo. — the Glitch Pokemon

MissingNo. is one of the earliest and most famous Pokémon glitches in the franchise’s history — which turned out to be very true.

Short for “Missing Number”, this anomaly appears in Red and Blue when players perform a specific sequence involving the Cinnabar Island coastline. Encountering MissingNo. could duplicate items and distort graphics, leading many to believe it was a hidden or scrapped Pokémon.

Though technically a glitch, its consistent presence made it feel intentional. MissingNo. became a beloved piece of gaming folklore and a cornerstone of Pokémon mythos.

With how potentially game-breaking causing this glitch can be, though, like corrupting your Hall of Fame entry or save file altogether, we wouldn’t want to test this again in 2025 just in case.

However, I can confirm the Cinnabar Island-MissingNo. glitch did work on my Pokémon Blue multiple times when I tried it back in the late 1990s.

Even now, after digging up my old cartridge, the dozens of extra Master Balls and unlimited Rare Candy (shown with a glitch-pixel next to its number) are still there in my old save file to this day.

2. Mew is hiding under the truck by the SS Anne

Perhaps the most infamous Pokémon rumour of all time. According to the playground whisper network, if you traded over a Pokémon that knew Surf before SS Anne leaves and used Strength on a suspicious truck nearby, you’d discover Mew.

The same result could apparently happen if you lost a battle on the SS Anne and got sent back to the dock. There was a truck there, lending just enough mystery to fuel this myth for years. Alas, there was never a hidden Mew under it – though you could get Mew via glitching or official events.

3. Pikablu is a secret evolution of Pikachu

Before Pokémon Gold and Silver were released, a mysterious blue mouse-like Pokémon began circulating online, in magazines, and in the short film Pikachu’s Vacation, which was shown before Pokémon: The First Movie.

Fans dubbed it "Pikablu" and speculated it was a Water-type evolution of Pikachu, or even an Electric-Water hybrid. It turned out to be Marill – an entirely separate Pokémon from Gen 2.

4. Catch Yoshi in Red/Blue

Some truly wild rumours claimed that Yoshi from Super Mario could be obtained in the original Game Boy games. The rumour, which turned out to indeed be a hoax, required a trade between a Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue save file — each with a completed Pokedex with 150 (minus Mew).

One player with Red would need to send over a Dratini, the receiving Blue player then evolve it to Dragonite, and trade it back. Finally, the Red player would have to return to the encounter spot for Mewtwo in Cerulean Cave, and use a Firestone — finally evolving Dragonite into Yoshi to be #999 in your Pokedex.

This may have been an elaborate April Fool’s Joke, but a well-thought-out one nonetheless.

5. Find Celebi in Ilex Forest

One of the longest-lived Gen‑2 rumours claimed that Celebi, the time‑travelling mythical Pokémon, could be summoned at the shrine in Ilex Forest — west of Pokémon Silver and Gold’s Azalea Town.

Fans traded bizarre instructions on bulletin boards: visit Azalea’s shrine, use “developer‑only” items like a Rainbow Wing and Silver Wing, and a Level 30 Celebi will appear.

The truth was that the shrine was originally a decorative touch with no intended function — until Game Freak heard about the persistent rumours and decided to officially tie Celebi into that location in Crystal via the GS Ball event.

In Japan, players used the Mobile System GB to receive a GS Ball, left it with Kurt, then placed it at the Ilex Forest shrine and battled a Level‑30 Celebi.

Western players, lacking the event, chased phantom methods until glitch devices or Virtual Console re‑releases opened the loophole. What’s remarkable is that Game Freak didn’t plan this shrine Celebi encounter.

There are even quotes from original staff saying they don’t remember why the shrine existed — but then leaned into the myth to make the rumours come true in later versions, though there was still never a way to legally get Celebi in any of the Gen-2 games outside of Japan.

6. Lavender Town Syndrome

Perhaps the most chilling entry among Pokémon rumours we’ve found so far: Lavender Town Syndrome.

Emerging in the early 2010s, this creepypasta baselessly accused the Lavender Town theme from Pokémon Red and Green (the original Pokémon games in Japan) of causing illness, insanity, and even suicides among Japanese children, thanks to hidden ultrasonic tones and binaural beats.

Over time, commenters bolstered it with fake scientific-sounding explanations, supposed spectrograms with the word “leave now” spelt by Unown shapes, and ties to the infamous Dennō Senshi Porygon seizure incident.

In reality, the Lavender music was unsettling but not dangerous. It uses atonal, shrill notes, sure, but nothing harmful. Investigations found no official record of any illness, and the stories were entirely fan‑made. Media analysts liken this creepypasta's appeal to “re‑enchanting childhood with shadows”, giving familiar territory a dark underbelly.

7. The PokéGods

A batch of ancient rumours centred on “PokéGods”, ultra-powerful Pokémon supposedly unlocked by absurd feats in the Gen-1 games: surf patterns around Cinnabar, beating the Elite Four 100+ times, or finishing Pokémon League challenges in under a set time.

Rumoured capturable bosses included merged Legendaries, godlike sprite remixes, or bizarre unseen species. Mew tied into this too; with Pokémon #151 having so little known about it at the time, Mew was essentially thought of as the first PokéGod, with the aforementioned SS Anne truck as the way of summoning it.

There was also the previously mentioned Pikablu, an evolution of Venusaur and Charizard, alternative evolutions for Eevee, misinterpreted real Pokémon like Donphan, and many more.

Still, no proof ever appeared in any game, nor were these ever acknowledged. Be that as it may, the lore passed through forums, magazines, and message boards with ritualised instructions that no modern emulator could follow.

8. Beat the Elite Four 100 times to Become a Gym Leader

A close cousin to the PokéGods myth: “Defeat the League a hundred times and something new happens.”

Each generation had variant versions, like beating Silver 200 times in Pokémon Crystal, or repeating the Elite Four in Emerald with max Pokédex triggers. The hope was to unlock Mega Legendaries, secret masters, or alternate regions — or most prolifically, become a gym leader.

In every case, across Gen I to Gen VIII, nothing happened, which was unsurprising since every instance of the rumour gave no details as to how being a gym leader would work.

Nonetheless, the tenacity of this rumour made it a staple of fanfiction and forum FAQs, and it is still discussed on Reddit threads to this day.

9. Catch Togepi in Red/Blue

The first generation of Pokémon games truly made for a plethora of different kinds of rumours. Leaked or rumoured sprites for upcoming Pocket Monsters caused some to believe that you could catch not-yet-revealed creatures in Red and Blue if you just followed the right steps.

One of our favourites is that Pokémon Red and Blue players could get Togepi by taking on the Elite Four and defeating them with just a Level 100 Exeggutor in their party.

While this feat could technically be possible, the prize of the adorable baby Pokémon was nothing but another hoax.

10. Red dies in Mt Silver - UNRESOLVED

Mt Silver, the cavernous endgame showdown in Pokémon Gold and Silver, spawned the legend that Red (the silent final boss) was actually a ghost or undead version of the original trainer who died on the mountain.

Fans on message boards like GameFAQs pointed to the grave-like location, haunting music, and Red’s lifeless sprite. Some theorists used quotes like “Your Pokémon… soul…” (misread in-game text) to support their case.

Despite fan art and fanfic explosion, Game Freak never confirmed or denied, and later media never validated it. So, the legend lingers with no resolution.

11. A secret cave behind Bill’s house

In many fan theories, surfing around Bill’s house above Cerulean City at a particular time (like midnight or after eight battles) would open a hidden cave with rare Pokémon or even Mew inside.

Some claimed that Bill knew secrets about MissingNo. or other anomalies. This rumour spread via chain‑mail style emails and early Pokémon chat rooms, but developer commentary and datamining confirm no such coded feature ever existed.

It’s another example of playground lore masquerading as discovery.

12. Pokemon Let's Go Johto - UNRESOLVED

A long-running rumour in the Pokémon community has teased a Let’s Go Johto remake, a second set of Pokémon Silver & Gold remakes following in the footsteps of Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee.

Fans speculated that Pokémon Let’s Go: Soul and Let’s Go: Silver could modernise the Johto region with simplified catching mechanics and HD visuals.

Hints like updated Johto sprites in Pokémon Go and subtle tweets from official accounts only added fuel. Despite repeated apparent “leaks”, no such titles have ever been confirmed by Game Freak.

13. "Pokémon Black" – the haunted version

Long before Gen V’s Black & White, a creepypasta circulated about a bootleg “Pokémon Black” cartridge with distorted music, deleted Pokédex entries, and a Ghost-type called simply “Ghost” that erased enemies and players.

This was tied into Lavender Town Syndrome, Silent Hill-style jump scares, and cursed save files. Videos showed fake title screens and glitch areas.

In truth, none of this existed in cartridges or ROMs; it was a fan-made horror story, later conflated with the actual Pokémon Black game but bearing no relation.

14. Pokémon Grey instead of Black & White 2

After Black & White, speculation about a third game letter (as had been tradition with Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald) led to rumours of Pokémon Grey.

Fans imagined it containing hidden Legendaries. But Game Freak never released Grey — instead, Black 2 & White 2 followed, breaking the trilogy tradition and being the first ever numbered sequels to Pokémon games.

Grey became shorthand for conspiracy theories, leaked box art rumours, and supposed promotional material that never existed.

15. Zygarde's secret form will unlock in “Pokémon Z”

Zygarde, a Pokémon with multiple forms in Sun & Moon, spawned a legend that Pokémon Z would finally reveal its 100 per cent form and full story arc. Fans pointed to dialogues in Kalos-era NPCs hinting at a third game, and rumoured trademarks.

But instead of “Z”, the storyline extended into Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon with new Zygarde forms. The original expectation was never fulfilled, and Zygarde’s true significance remains contestable in the fandom.

16. Mega Arceus exists

Arceus’s self-proclaimed status as the “Original One” spawned intense Mega Evolution rumours, especially with fan-made mockups showing it glowing, with changing plates or halos.

Forums insisted Arceus had a form hidden behind code or one that was only accessible after beating certain games. Despite multiple doctored images and petitions, Mega Arceus never appeared in any generation. Arceus stayed Arceus; though held high in lore, it never got a Mega makeover.

17. The Azure Flute will be distributed

Within Pokémon Diamond & Pearl, the Azure Flute was meant to summon Arceus when placed at Mt Coronet — a coded item left unused in retail versions. Supposedly, a special event unlocked it for some players, but others rebuked those claims as hacks.

Players altogether were left chasing rumours of hidden side quests or secret events tied to the Flute. Even with datamining revealing its existence, fans still debate why it remained unreleased internationally — and whether its omission was due to marketing, technical reasons, or Game Freak simply forgot about it.

18. A Pokémon MMO is secretly in the works – UNRESOLVED

Every few years, screenshots or mockups circulate on platforms like Reddit or 4chan of a “Pokémon Online/MMO”. Some show 3D avatars, chat bubbles, or even evo storms. These claims are always fan-made or indie mods, so nothing is ever official.

The rumours feed collective desire for a massively multiplayer Pokémon world, but aside from Pokémon Go and spin-offs, Game Freak has never announced a true MMO. Tales of phoney developer hiring, leaked email addresses, or pseudo-E3 screenshots have always fallen apart under scrutiny so far.

19. Pokémon Stars is coming to Switch

After Sun & Moon, leaks suggested a third version for Nintendo Switch — Pokémon Stars — would bundle Ultra assets and reintroduce features from the Gen VII games. Supposed box art, download data, and trademark applications went viral.

But Stars never dropped. Instead, Game Freak moved directly to Sword & Shield, then Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Stars remains a much‑cited “lost third version” rumour amongst fans who believed it was cancelled but real.

20. Delta Emerald is real

After Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire’s endgame featuring the Delta Episode storyline, speculation grew for Delta Emerald — a third version of the game, in the same manner as what Pokémon Emerald was to the original Ruby & Sapphire.

There were nods in the game’s files, concept references, and datamines, including Altaria‑Delta. But no official release happened. Files never appeared in future games, and Game Freak never acknowledged preparation for such a version.

21. Gorochu was Pikachu's lost evolution

This is one of the few rumours that turned out to be true. Gorochu, Pikachu’s supposed third evolution after Raichu, was designed with fangs, horns, and even a potential Fire‑Electric typing.

In interviews with creators Ken Sugimori and Atsuko Nishida, they confirmed the concept existed early in Gen I development but was scrapped due to cartridge space and balance concerns. By Gen II, the team prioritised adding Pichu rather than extending Pikachu’s evolution line in the other direction.

Fans adore Gorochu partly because it's proven, tangible cut content — but also remains unreleased, giving it legendary status, made more so thanks to the above epic fan art by Foxeaf.

How accurate the fan art is compared to Game Freak's original concept remains to be seen, so this is the closest we have to go off.

22. A region based on India is coming soon - UNRESOLVED

Rumours of an India‑based Pokémon region have circulated since Gen VIII, based on cultural fan art, mythological inspiration in character design (e.g. Yogkitree‑like motifs in certain Pokémon), or marketing speculation.

Though Pokémon Legends: Arceus introduced an Azewel-like Shrine Forest drawing from Himalayan vibes, there's no official confirmation from Game Freak or Nintendo about a full-fledged India-themed setting.

Still, this feels like a ‘never say never’ type of rumour.

23. The Space World 1997 demo has even more secrets - UNRESOLVED

Finally, the Space World 1997 Gold/Silver demo is real — and remains one of the few rumours still actively unravelling.

In 2018, the early demo leaked, revealing scrapped sprites, unused Pokémon, and hidden code. Even now, hobbyist dataminers claim to find new content: dozens of unused designs (including early gen-1/2 forms), rare sound files, and even alternate map layouts.

Because the code is still being studied, fans consider it an ongoing mystery — and it’s one of the few entries where fresh revelations may still come. Watch this space, PokéManiacs!

Read more on Pokémon:

• Best Pokémon gifts - the greatest merch
• Best shiny Pokémon - the coolest creatures
• Best Dragon-type Pokémon - who's your fave?
• All cat Pokémon - the felines to catch
• Pokémon natures guide - all you need to know
• Pokémon type chart - strengths and weaknesses explained
• Legendary Pokémon - the full list
• Pokémon Scarlet and Violet cheats - handy hacks
• Pokémon Emerald cheats - what you need to know
• Pokémon Fire Red cheats - all codes
• Pokémon Go friend codes - and how to find them
• Pokémon games in order - where to start

Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.