It’s about to be a massive week for Pokémon fans, as a double helping of the cuddly creatures is on the way.
The Pokémon Company has announced that a new Pokémon Presents is scheduled for February 27 at 6 am PT, which just so happens to be Pokémon Day. It’s fair to assume this might be a big show, considering the series is on the cusp of celebrating its 30th anniversary. And because we already have a game announcement tied to it.
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, remakes of the first two games in the series, will hit Switch Online right after the presentation on February 27 — running $19.99 each as digital-only titles.
Originally released in 2004 on the Game Boy Advance, these were the first “enhanced” remakes for the Pokémon franchise, something we’d see many times again afterward. Outside of a visual overhaul, the remakes added a contextual tutorial feature, allowing players to look up info at any point in the game by simply pressing the select button. Here’s a quick description of the games via a press release.
“Enjoy the classic soundtrack and turn-based gameplay, and meet-up familiar faces like Brock, Misty, Professor Oak and Giovanni! These classic Game Boy Advance RPGs feature all of the updates introduced during the Game Boy Advance era, including abilities, natures, weather conditions, held items and the ability to select your player character’s gender. Nintendo Switch players can also now link up with friends via local co-op2 without the need to use a Game Link Cable like you did in 2004!”
FireRed and LeafGreen getting announced before the show certainly begs the question of what else is going to get announced, however. Over the last few months, there have been multiple leaks of information on Generation 10 of the series, and r/Pokeleaks has been packed to the brim with information.
Presumably, with the series’ anniversary, it’s not unreasonable to think that might be the centerpiece of this upcoming Presents. We’re also waiting for more info on the battle-focused Pokémon Champions. But it’s always possible we could also see a bit TV show or movie announcement, and plenty of new merchandise.
