Pokémon and Nintendo Switch may come together in 2017 with a brand new game to augment the system’s first-party lineup. That much was tipped in an MCV report from August, but we have some secondary confirmations and new detail tidbits to share.
Pokémon Switch teases were aplenty today in a Twitter conversation between Unseen64 contributor Liam Robertson and Nintendo insider Emily Rogers. Both sources are known for having leaked correct details about the Nintendo Switch and other games in the past.
The thread begins with Rogers saying “there is a Pokémon game coming to Switch next year. MCV wasn’t lying when they reported it.” She then qualified that she’s not sure how early in 2017 it will arrive, “but there’s definitely a Pokémon game coming.” Possibly most interesting of all is the notion that “It’s not Pokkén.”
@ArcadeGirl64 Don't spoil it :P it's really cool
— Mr Nostrebor (@Doctor_Cupcakes) November 16, 2016
Sensing that Rogers was on the verge of spilling some pretty major beans, Robertson cut her off. “Don’t spoil, it’s really cool,” he said. She ultimately decided to leave the discussion up to other journalists even though “I think most people know what it is.” So, essentially what we’ve learned is that Pokémon for Switch is not tied to Pokkén Tournament, it’s a worthy product and it may be something that fans of the series can predict.
It’s that last tiny detail that’s the most revealing. The Pokémon series has split off into so many different directions between Pokémon Go, Pokémon Picross, Pokémon Snap and other spinoffs that any Switch entry shouldn’t be easily assumed. Taking the statement at face value, our best guess is that Pokémon Sun And Moon, or a third tier of it, may be ported to the new hardware. It’s the most front-facing franchise installment right now, and monster generations often come in trios. It might not be a coincidence that this rumor is surfacing just days before Pokémon Sun And Moon hit store shelves either. Any talk of a third pillar is pure speculation at the moment, however.
In addition to a new Switch Pokémon game, we’ve also learned a few new details about the console’s 3D Super Mario Bros. title and its revamped ports of Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon. As For The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, it’s looking increasingly likely that that game won’t be available when the Switch hits retail in March.
Pokémon Sun And Moon are available for 3DS on Nov. 18.
What do you want from a Pokémon game on Nintendo Switch? Will it release in 2017? Tell us in the comments section!
