Eevee has long stood as one of the biggest icons of the Pokémon brand alongside Pikachu and Charizard. With a total of nine evolutions, this small creature boasts the largest evolution family in the entire series, yet many types remain unexplored by Game Freak.
For over a decade, fans have eagerly awaited a new Eevee evolution. However, since Sylveon debuted in Pokémon X & Y in 2013, Game Freak has not added any new Eevee forms. A recent leak may shed some light on why.
A Flying-Type Eevee Evolution Was Developed but Canceled
According to documents leaked in late 2024, well-known leaker Centro Leaks revealed that Game Freak once designed a Flying-type Eevee evolution for the seventh generation, Pokémon Sun & Moon. However, the project was eventually put on hold.
The reason was that the design closely resembled fan art created earlier. This forced Game Freak to consider intellectual property issues and the potential need to compensate the original artist if they used the design.
The leak suggests that the cost of resolving these issues was deemed too high unless the Flying-type Eevee became the centerpiece of a major project or brought significant commercial value.
Eevee’s Popularity Became an Unexpected Obstacle
Ironically, Eevee’s fame has made things more complicated for Game Freak.
Over the years, fans worldwide have created countless designs for new Eevee evolutions covering missing types like Flying, Dragon, Poison, Bug, Steel, and Ghost. This increases the risk that any new official design might unintentionally resemble fan creations.
If the information from Teraleak is accurate, every time Game Freak tries to develop a new Eevee evolution, they face potential disputes over design ideas. This could explain why the company has played it safe by not expanding Eevee’s evolution family further.
The Flying-Type Eevee Could Still Make a Comeback
Still, fans have reason to stay hopeful. Game Freak is known for holding onto unused ideas and revisiting them in future projects. Many Pokémon cut from earlier generations have appeared years later in entirely new forms.
This means the Flying-type Eevee could be revived if Game Freak creates a sufficiently distinct design or resolves the copyright concerns.
Could Pokémon Winds and Waves Be the Perfect Opportunity?
The community is currently focused on Pokémon Winds and Waves, a rumored title expected to release in 2027.
This could be the ideal chance for Game Freak to introduce a brand-new Eevee evolution after more than a decade of waiting. With 18 existing Pokémon types (19 if including the Stellar type from Scarlet & Violet), Eevee still has plenty of room to grow its evolution tree.
Among the options, Flying type is considered the most fitting since it is one of the original Pokémon types and a fan-favorite evolution form long anticipated.
Of course, all of this remains rumor and leaked information without official confirmation from Game Freak or The Pokémon Company. However, if true, these details could explain why Eevee’s evolution line has stayed unchanged for over a decade despite the character’s enduring popularity as the franchise’s unofficial second mascot.