February 27 is Pokémon Day and, as is always the case, we’ll have an all-new Pokémon Presents showcase to look forward to on the day. Well, I say ‘look forward to,’ but admittedly, these events do tend to be quite hit-or-miss when it comes to having any exciting new announcements.
I feel like that could change this year, especially as there are a number of anticipated Pokémon releases on the horizon. Of course, we already know that Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen – the Game Boy Advance remakes of those original Kanto games – are coming to Switch and Switch 2 on the same day. But what else can we expect?
Developer Game Freak has been as busy as ever, having put out Pokémon Legends Z-A last year, as well as presently working on multiplatform title Beast of Reincarnation. That said, the time feels right for Pokémon’s tenth generation, especially as we’re almost four years removed from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
I’m also expecting the usual roundup of multimedia and mobile game announcements. But will there be any genuine surprises in store? You’d hope so, given the franchise is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026!
1. Gen 10, baby
Let’s get it out of the way right at the jump. I think there’s a decent chance that we get at least a teaser for the next mainline Pokémon titles. There have been rumors here and there about Pokémon’s tenth generation, but nothing concrete.
As ever, it’s probably a given that there will be two simultaneous releases, each offering some unique Pokémon and a flagship legendary. And I don’t think Game Freak will mess with the starter Pokémon formula of Water, Grass, or Fire.
What potentially excites me most about Gen 10, though, is the existence of the Nintendo Switch 2. I liked Sword and Shield, and Scarlet and Violet well enough, but the latter was notoriously bogged down by the original Switch hardware. At times, Scarlet and Violet genuinely felt like it should not have been released in the state it was.
Now, as we’ve seen from Pokémon Legends Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and the Switch 2 performance upgrades for Scarlet and Violet, I’m less concerned about the Gen 10 games than I otherwise would have been.
I am expecting them to release on the original Switch – the console’s user base is still massive, after all – but hopefully, Game Freak can take some lessons from its Gen 9 releases to avoid putting out a game with performance that’s, well, fundamentally broken.
2. We are the Champions
Pokémon Champions might be my most anticipated upcoming Pokémon release. Releasing for Switch consoles and mobile, Champions looks to be a true successor to Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Battle Revolution by boiling the focus down to multiplayer turn-based battles.
We know that Champions is expected to launch in 2026. In fact, its official website confirms that it will be the official ‘VGC software’ for this year’s Pokémon World Championships. As such, Champions is being positioned as the franchise’s official tournament game.
We also know that Pokémon will be earnable in-game, but can also be carried over from the Pokémon Home app. Mega Evolutions will also be making a return via the game’s Omni Ring item, which the website suggests could be host to ‘other special features’ post-release. Could the Omni Ring also allow for Gigantamaxing or Terastallizing? We’ll have to wait and see.
3. More classic re-releases?
At first I was surprised that Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen were announced as full Nintendo eShop releases, rather than being a part of Nintendo Switch Online’s Game Boy Advance library. But the more I sat on it, the more it started to make sense.
To be cynical, The Pokémon Company obviously knows that fans will be willing to pay for a separate release. Even if it’s as simple as the ROM by itself. Beyond that, Nintendo Switch Online’s streaming may limit features like multiplayer battles, or potential Pokémon Home functionality. In which case, a separate eShop release would be the way to go.
The Pokémon Company has traditionally been quite stingy when it comes to re-releasing classic mainline Pokémon titles. Some were made available on the 3DS eShop back in the day, but in the Switch era, re-releases have been relegated to spin-offs. At least, until the FireRed and LeafGreen announcement.
Asking for more is probably biting off more than I can chew, but there’s definitely an audience out there that would love access to the classics on modern hardware. The pendulum’s kind of swinging the other way now, with newer Pokémon fans being curious about these older games.
Pokémon Emerald would be a great start, though I’m personally hoping for the legendary HeartGold and SoulSilver to finally make the jump from the original DS to Switch. That is, assuming they can figure out how to get the dual screen setup working on the console.
4. The wild card
I know, Pokémon Presents showcases are often light on genuine, leftfield surprises. Yet I’m always holding out hope for a port, or the return of, one of the wildest Pokemon spin-offs to ever release.
As a huge fan of fighting games, Pokken Tournament hit like a ton of bricks when it first launched back on the Wii U, which was followed by a Switch port a few years later. Developed by Bandai Namco, it pretty successfully translated Tekken-esque 3D fighting gameplay to the world of Pokemon. Some even borrowed moves wholecloth from iconic Tekken characters like Heihachi and Kazuya. Pikachu is a Mishima, would you believe.
I’ll be real, it’s not even going on the bingo card, it’s so unlikely. But nothing would make my day more this Friday than the return of Pokken Tournament. Be that another re-release, or even better, a brand-new entry.
Will you be watching Pokémon Presents on February 27 and what would your most wild predictions be? Be sure to sound off in the comments below!
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