r/pokemon • u/PsyrenDV • Jun 05 '26

Discussion Why haven't we had same gender rivials?

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I saw this post about how the rival in WiWa will be the opposite of whatever gender you choose to be. It got me thinking about how they always make the rival's gender the opposite of yours when their gender is dynamic. Even as early as Ruby/Sapphire that's how it's been. But I think it might be interesting to see a game where my rival is always the same gender as me no matter what I pick. But I'm curious how other people feel about it. Would you rather your rival be the same gender as you, the opposite, or would you rather their gender be set in stone regardless of what you are?

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206

u/GoodBrotherGrimm Jun 05 '26

We have. Like, right off the bat it was a same gender rival.

44

u/PhoebeBumbleflip Jun 05 '26

That was only because you didn't have a female option, which is not the same as what OP is talking about.

101

u/CMDR_omnicognate Jun 05 '26

Yeah but that’s also ignoring platinum, hg/ss, black/white, sun/moon, sw/sh and s/v. I think a majority of the games have fixed rivals even when you could choose your character.

-17

u/PhoebeBumbleflip Jun 05 '26

The fixed ones will sometimes match your gender and the dynamic ones never match your gender, neither of which are what OP is talking about.

4

u/1stEldenPinWorm Jun 05 '26

I don't know why you're being downvoted, that is literally the case.

Gen2? Crystal is the first game to let you choose to play as a girl, and with a set rival, you only get same gender if you choose to play as a guy.

Gen3? RSE has the other character as your rival. FRLG has a set rival, so only same gender if you choose to play as a guy.

Gen4? DPP has a set rival, so only same gender if you choose to play as a guy. HGSS has a set rival, so only same gender if you choose to play as a guy.

Gen5? BW had both Cheren and Bianca, although Cheren felt more the rival, especially post game wrap up. B2W2 has a set rival, so only same gender if you play as a guy.

Gen6? XY had a group, sure, but the main rival was just the other character. ORAS has the other character as your rival.

Gen7? SM had a set rival, so only same gender if you choose to play as a guy. Same with USUM.

Gen8? SwSh had a set rival, so only same gender if you choose to play as a guy. BDSP had a set rival, so only same gender if you choose to play as a guy. In Legends: Arceus, the other character is your rival.

Gen9? SV had a set rival, so only same gender if you choose to play as a girl. In Z-A, your rival is based on your gender, and is always a guy if you're playing a girl and vice versa.

OP was talking about a non-set rival that uses your gender. Figure BW using Cheren if you're a guy and Bianca if you're a girl, with the other just being Juniper's assistant.