What to expect from next week’s Pokémon Presents

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This morning, over social media, The Pokémon Company unveiled a new Pokémon Presents event set for February 27th. If you’re a fan of the series, this date may already be familiar to you – it’s known as Pokémon Day because it marks the anniversary of the release of the original games. For several years now, The Pokémon Company has used this day to share updates about the different Pokémon games and other related media with fans. One of the main questions on everyone’s mind is whether Pokémon Legends: Z-A, which has already been announced, will be the only reveal during this presentation.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A New Trailer & Release Date

Last year, on February 27th, 2024, during the Pokémon Presents event, there was an announcement for the game titled “Legends: Z-A”. Since then, fans have been waiting for updates on this mainline Pokémon game. This new game is a sequel to the first in the “Legends” series, Pokémon Legends: Arceus. As shown in the reveal trailer, the setting for “Legends: Z-A” will be Lumiose City, which is recognized from the Kalos region in Pokémon X & Y, also known as the 6th generation of Pokémon games. It’s expected that “Legends: Z-A” will launch sometime in 2025, so it would be unusual if there were no updates about it during next week’s presentation.

The legends game titled “Z-A” has a mysterious air around it as there’s still much to discover about it. Although the reveal trailer was visually appealing, we haven’t seen any actual gameplay yet. As mentioned in a post from Nintendo of America, this game will be confined entirely within Lumiose City, which is quite distinct from the previous title “Legends: Arceus,” where players explored diverse open zones across Hisui. Consequently, it seems that “Legends: Z-A” might offer a unique gaming experience rather than being a sequel with similarities to its predecessor set in a new location.

The recent unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2 has sparked speculation about where upcoming game “Legends Z-A” will be released. Fortunately, it’s been confirmed that “Legends Z-A” is designed for the original Nintendo Switch, as reported by VideoGamesChronicle during an investor meeting this month. This means fans won’t need to purchase the new console coming out later this year to enjoy the latest “Pokémon” game. With backwards compatibility confirmed, it’s likely that “Legends Z-A” will also be playable on the Switch 2 when it becomes available. We might learn more about its release date during next week’s presentation. The exact release date could potentially offer clues about the launch of the new console as well. If “Z-A” is a game for the first Nintendo Switch, it would make sense for it to come out before the second one. However, this isn’t definitive; it could just as easily be a cross-generation title or something similar.

Just as with every Pokémon Presents event, a variety of Pokémon games will undergo minor enhancements. This encompasses recent titles like the Pokémon TCG Pocket, Pokémon GO, Pokémon Unite, and more. Additionally, there’s a possibility that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet may receive additional content, such as tera raid battles.

Generation 10 Pokémon Games

1. Regarding those upcoming announcements, it’s uncertain whether they will be unveiled during the forthcoming presentation or not.

2. Since 2015, a significant Pokémon game was released every year until 2024, but only two rounds of DLC for Scarlet and Violet were delivered in 2023. This could mark a shift in Pokémon’s release pattern, although one year is too short to confirm this definitively.

3. Scarlet and Violet had strong sales, but faced substantial criticism for their performance. It’s plausible that the backlash was severe enough to prompt the company to prioritize quality over quantity in future releases.

4. Additionally, Palworld, launched in early 2024, is embroiled in a patent infringement lawsuit brought by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo. This might be the first time in a while that Pokémon is feeling genuine competition.

5. Given these circumstances, it’s plausible that Pokémon is eager to make sure the launch of their next game is as successful as possible.

For the upcoming presentation, one possibility is unveiling the next phase in the Pokémon gaming saga. The eighth installments, Scarlet and Violet, marked the ninth generation of Pokémon games, making the next release a significant step forward. With 2026 marking the 30th anniversary of the video game series, it seems fitting that they would aim to launch the tenth generation around this milestone. If this is indeed the plan, we may catch our first glimpse of the new games during the upcoming presentation. Titles for these games remain a mystery for now, but the anticipation is certainly building.

Typically, Pokemon presents separately from Nintendo’s Direct events. However, with the upcoming new console launching later this year, it would be quite beneficial to display a new Pokemon game. Therefore, if Pokemon were ever to appear during a Nintendo Direct instead of their own event, this could very well be the year. Particularly for the game following “Z-A” which is presumed to be designed for the Switch 2.

Generation 5 Remakes

For the upcoming showcase next week, another potential option could be the next iteration of the remake series. Historically, these Pokémon remakes have been released in the order they originally came out, often appearing between new titles. The most recent remakes were Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, which were remakes of the original Diamond and Pearl games. However, there was a significant shift with these remakes – for the first time, a different team, rather than Gamefreak, developed them. Additionally, they introduced a new artistic style that differed from the current generation’s aesthetic. Unfortunately, this new style didn’t resonate favorably with all fans.

Moving forward, it’s possible that the upcoming remakes will feature Pokémon Black and White, which are part of the 5th generation of Pokémon games, initially launched in 2010. These potential remakes might serve as a sneak peek, but given the anniversary and the anticipated release of Legends: Z-A this year, it seems too soon for this. It’s plausible that the Black and White remakes could be postponed to concentrate on the more recent games. However, if the same developer behind Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl takes charge, Game Freak might prioritize the new releases, which could mean a return of the less favorably received art style. At this point, we can only speculate as we wait for further updates next week.

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2025-02-20 23:32