I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Pokemon GO has officially premiered a new species of Pokemon, and odds are you have already unknowingly encountered it.
Over the weekend, the Internet exploded with news of a silver, Ditto-like creature that wore a gold hex nut like a top hat (that also served as its eye) and had an electrical wire for a tail. Some in-game files referred to it as Pokemon #891 (so far there are only 807) while others referred to it as a Kecleon, and everyone knows Kecleon doesn’t look like a Ditto trying to blend in at a hardware store. The Internet couldn’t decide between the name Nutto and Dittonut — or if it was the game’s equivalent of a MissingNo— but now it’s got an official name: Meltan.
Turns out Meltan was that “brand new Pokemon” that was supposed to debut in Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee. And the official Let’s Go site was updated with a pseudo-Pokedex entry for the little (it’s only 8 inches tall, which coincidentally is Kirby’s height) new mythic:
If you’ve caught a Ditto in #PokemonGO recently…you might want to take a closer look! 😱 We can now confirm reports of wild Ditto transforming into the new Hex Nut Pokémon, Meltan! https://t.co/dU8Zj1uX4m pic.twitter.com/i6IrNxiIlA
— Pokémon (@Pokemon) September 25, 2018
Most of Meltan’s body is made from liquid metal, and its shape is very fluid. It can use its liquid arms and legs to corrode metal and absorb it into its own body.
Meltan generate electricity using the metal it absorbs from outside sources. It uses this electricity as an energy source and also as an attack that can be fired from its eye.
Clearly a curious Pokemon, Meltan is very expressive and shows an interest in all kinds of things.
Speaking of curious, despite the site clearly mentioning it can use electrical attacks, Meltan is a pure Steel-type, although it will probably be able to learn moves like Charge Beam and Zap Cannon.
More importantly, the site states Meltan can still be encountered and caught, although they might be more Ditto in disguise. Still, as far as publicity stunts go, this was super-effective.
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