Long-time Pokemon fans will know that Generation 3 began with Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire on the Game Boy Advance, but the names chosen for these games were not always set in stone according to new data found within the game’s files.
According to Twitter/X users Farore.gba and Wobbuu, there are files within the games which refer to the titles as Crimson and Indigo versions. The files mention the Japanese words “藍バージョン” and ““朱バージョン” which the duo claim roughly translate to indigo and crimson respectively. Speculation is that these were the original titles for the third generation games.
Me and @Wobbuu were looking at some RS files. We found "藍バージョン" and "朱バージョン". Translated as "Indigo Version" and "Crimson Version", they are apparently earlier names for Sapphire Version and Ruby Version. pic.twitter.com/0nxKRdCcBx
— farore.gba (@kmk_0821) July 14, 2024
The mention of the games were from script files that the users were digging through and which trigger and play out specific events in the game. It is unclear when Game Freak decided on the titles of Ruby and Sapphire or if the names Indigo and Crimson were ever serious considerations. Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire first released in Japan on November 21, 2002 and in North America on March 19, 2003.
