Over the years, the Pokemon franchise has established a release schedule where each generation is released about three years after one another. In 2022, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet marked the ninth generation, while 2019 saw the release of Pokemon Sword and Shield. Many fans have assumed that the 10th Pokemon generation will be released in the fall of 2025, but it seems that might not be the case. The Pokemon leaker Khu on Twitter has hinted that the 10th generation might not come out until 2026, which happens to be the 30th anniversary of the franchise.ย
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Learning from Scarlet and Violet‘s Mistakes
As with any rumor, readers should take this with a grain of salt. However, it would not be unfeasible. In fact, on the latest episode of ComicBook’s Pokemon podcast A Wild Podcast Has Appeared, that exact possibility was addressed. It’s also worth pointing out that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet‘s performance has been a topic of heated discussion since launch. The game’s bugs and technical issues led to a lot of frustration from the community, leading to questions about whether new Pokemon games are being rushed to market. Andy Robinson of Video Games Chronicle said earlier this year that The Pokemon Company “has taken the response to S/V seriously and is acting on it for future production.”ย
Between the anniversary, concerns over quality, and a new Nintendo console slated to release in 2025, it would make sense to see The Pokemon Company wait until 2026 to release the franchise’s next big game.ย
Pokemon Legends: Z-A
If the next Pokemon generation doesn’t come out until 2026, series fans will still have something big to look forward to in 2025. Pokemon Legends: Z-A was announced on Pokemon Day this year, and will be available on Nintendo Switch. Pokemon Legends: Arceus was released in January 2022, and some fans might assume that the next game will end up releasing around that same time. However, Khu also said that the game “will not be out too early next year.” It’s hard to say for sure what that means, or when we can expect it. Khu also says that the starter Pokemon for Legends: Z-A will be revealed sometime this year.ย
If Khu’s claims are correct, it’s possible Pokemon Legends: Z-A might even release after Nintendo’s new system is already on shelves. We don’t know that for sure, but it’s worth noting that Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon came out on 3DS in November 2017, about 8 months after Switch was on the market. Basically, there is a precedent for The Pokemon Company waiting to support a new Nintendo system until it’s been on the market a little bit longer.ย
Would you be happy to see Pokemon Gen 10 released in 2026? Do you think the game will be saved for the franchise’s 30th anniversary? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter atย @Marcdachampย or on Instagram atย @Dachampgaming!
[H/T: Nintendo Life]
