Pokemon’s Rumored Non-Legends Mainline Game For 2025 Could Be History Repeating Itself

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Summary

  • Multiple projects are underway for the Pokemon franchise, including new games and VGC support for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
  • Renowned leaker Riddler Khu hints at new mainline Pokemon games for 2025, possibly tied to the Nintendo Switch 2 launch.
  • There is a chance of new Pokemon Let’s Go Johto games as potential launch titles for Switch 2, bridging the gap between Gen 9 and Legends: Z-A.

There are numerous ongoing endeavors for the entire Pokémon brand, encompassing several live-service mobile games, substantial updates coming for the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG), and increased support for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet ahead of the 2025 World Championships. Additionally, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is anticipated to be launched this year, with a second trailer for the game highly probable to surface online between now and Pokémon Day on February 27. Furthermore, whispers about a new mainline Pokémon game slated for release this year have surfaced following a social media post by respected leaker Riddler Khu.

Despite experiencing some unreliability in the recent years of 2023 and 2024, Riddler Khu has a solid history of accurately leaking and predicting Pokemon games or related details. Last year experienced a hacker attack on Game Freak, resulting in the TeraLeak – a massive data leak consisting of approximately 1TB of documents from all Pokemon games, including some unreleased files and information about Gen 10. More recently, Khu shared on Twitter that there is one more mainline project scheduled for release in 2025, which was not mentioned in the TeraLeak. Two primary theories have emerged regarding this mystery project, with one suggesting a possible repeat of history as the Nintendo Switch 2 supposedly launches this year.

Pokemon Leaks Hint at a Surprise Reveal of New Let’s Go Games in 2025

Initially, Khu mentioned that the game in question is primarily designed for the Nintendo Switch 2 launch. However, there’s talk and what seems like confirmation from leaks that Pokemon Legends: Z-A might appear on both the original Switch and the upcoming Switch 2. The image Khu shared with the leak resembles a black and white dolphin, reminiscent of the Pokemon Black and White remakes, which has been a popular speculation for the series but never officially confirmed.

It’s possible that this image could be linked to the Pokemon Let’s Go series, often known by its codename Project Beluga. This is because beluga whales and dolphins are both part of the same cetacean family. Given that the Pokemon franchise hasn’t revisited the Johto region for a while, it would make sense for new Pokemon Let’s Go games set in Johto to fill this gap. Notably, Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu! and Eevee! were the first new Pokemon games launched on the Nintendo Switch back in 2018.

Why Pokemon Let’s Go Johto Games Could Be Switch 2 Launch Titles

In essence, if a new Nintendo Switch 2 ever comes out, it’s possible that the “Pokemon Let’s Go” Johto games could be the initial Pokemon games on this platform, mirroring what their predecessors did many years ago. This is purely speculative, but given the internal delay of “Pokemon Legends: Z-A” after the TeraLeak incident, these hypothetical titles might become the first new Pokemon games of the year and potential launch titles for the Nintendo Switch 2. However, it’s important to note that there’s no official confirmation about the release of “Pokemon Let’s Go” games other than Khu’s leak. Given the current state of the Pokemon franchise, it seems feasible that these games might be released.

Why New Pokemon Let’s Go Games Are Likely To Be Set in Johto

While it hasn’t been confirmed, there’s a strong possibility that the new Pokémon Let’s Go games in 2025 might focus on the Johto region. This is mainly because the initial series took place in Kanto, and Johto has been the least explored of all regions so far. However, it’s also plausible that we might see remakes of Pokémon Black and White or a new Gen 5 game as there hasn’t been a follow-up to this trend since Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. If the games do take place in Johto, it would delight many fans, serve as launch titles for Switch 2, and help connect Generation 9 with Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

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2025-01-10 01:33