Pokémon researchers examining archival footage from the development of Diamond and Pearl have uncovered early character designs that Game Freak created but never released. Through painstaking enhancement of low-resolution video, archivists identified sketches including an alternate color version of Gastrodon that was originally conceived during the Ruby and Sapphire era but abandoned for over two decades.

These forgotten concepts have taken on new significance following their apparent influence on content in the recent game Pokémon Pokopia, which references researchers seeking a yellow Shellos. With Pokémon Winds and Waves scheduled for 2027 and planned to include regional variants and expanded ocean environments, observers are speculating that Game Freak may finally bring these long-shelved creative ideas to fruition.