New Pokemon Game May Finally Let You Play as Team Rocket

July 14, 2026, 9:00am

For decades, most Pokemon games have placed players in the role of a young Trainer chasing Gym Badges, filling out the Pokédex, and ultimately becoming Champion. Team Rocket, or another organization, has almost always been an obstacle standing in the way. Despite other teams with ill intent, Team Rocket remains the most recognizable villainous organization, and fans have always wanted to play as them since the Nugget Bridge and being offered a role in the group. But throughout the series, that opportunity has never been realized. That is until now, because The Pokemon Company has announced a new game .

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The Pokemon Company has announced a new board game titled Are You Perhaps with Team Rocket?, which gives players the opportunity to embrace the organization’s identity rather than battle it. Instead of stopping Team Rocket’s schemes, players may finally get the chance to step into the shoes of the infamous group, offering a fresh twist on one of gaming’s biggest franchises. While this is not a new video game, the reveal is still notable for Pokemon fans looking for something different. As someone who grew up watching Jessie, James, and Meowth hatch elaborate plans that almost never worked, I have always dreamed of playing as Team Rocket.

The Pokemon Company Set to Release New Game Are You Perhaps With Team Rocket?

The newly announced board game by Yoka Games, Are You Perhaps with Team Rocket? comes as a surprise because it is emphasizing the villains fans have grown up with and adds a new expansion to the franchise’s growing lineup of games. Although The Pokemon Company has only confirmed the title and release date of this upcoming tabletop experience, fans are excited, and this excitement will likely only grow when the company reveals more information, as it has promised in the announcement.

Despite Team Rocket being a fixture of the Pokemon franchise for decades, it comes as a shock and an unusual premise to make the organization the stars of a game, but a welcome one. Across video games, the anime, trading card game, and other media, the group has remained one of the series’ most recognizable antagonists, whether this is Jesse, James, Meowth, Giovanni, or even an unnamed goon. Yet official games have rarely allowed fans to actively roleplay as Team Rocket members.

That novelty could make Are You Perhaps with Team Rocket? especially appealing to collectors, tabletop players, and longtime fans. Board game adaptations have become increasingly popular, with other franchises like The Witcher and even Halo giving fans tabletop games based on their favorite series and characters. A Team Rocket-themed experience gives the developers room to experiment with deception, strategy, and player interaction in ways that differ from traditional Pokémon adventures.

The Pokemon Company has not revealed gameplay mechanics, player count, or whether iconic characters will appear. More information is expected ahead of the game’s November 2026 launch. Based on the title and premise, I could see it being a social deduction game where one player secretly belongs to Team Rocket and other players have to determine who this is. If it leans into the wacky schemes Jesse and James threw together, it could be a hilarious way to answer fan wishes.