Pokémon fans are hoping for some big announcements next week
Nintendo has confirmed a dedicated Pokémon Presents for next week and fans are expecting some big announcements.
On February 27 1996, Pokémon Red & Green were released in Japan, kickstarting a beloved franchise of games that’s still going strong. February 27 is now known as Pokémon Day and every year, Nintendo holds a special Direct presentation to give fans an idea of what the next 12 months has in store for them.
Last year was a quiet year for Pokémon. There was no mainline game for the first time in more than a decade and Nintendo skipped the usual summer Pokémon Direct, so fans are expecting next week’s presentation to be a big one.
Set to take place 2pm GMT on February 27, fans can watch the presentation via the official Pokémon YouTube channel.
The Pokémon Company announced the Direct with a brief 50-second teaser trailer that doesn’t really give much away about what to expect. However, they’ve already confirmed Pokémon Legends: Z-A is due for release at some point this year, so fans are expecting more information about that.
“A new adventure awaits within Lumiose (the Parisian-inspired city of X & Y) where an urban redevelopment plan is under way to shape the city into a place that belongs to both people and Pokémon,” said the official description, with last year’s reveal trailer also hinting at the return of fan-favourite feature mega-evolutions, which haven’t been used since 2014’s Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
As well as the follow-up to 2022’s Legends: Arceus, there have been plenty of hints about a remake of Black & White following the success of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl in 2021, so that project could finally be confirmed. Next year will also be the 30th anniversary of Pokémon Red & Blue, with plenty of fans hoping the classic Game Boy games will be made available on modern consoles.
Nintendo fans will also be watching the Pokémon Direct and hoping for clues about the Switch 2. When Pokémon Legends: Z-A was first announced, it was confirmed for “Nintendo Switch systems” rather than the original Switch, which gave players their first proper heads-up that a new console was on the way.
Last December, The Pokémon Company confirmed a collaboration with Wallace And Gromit creators Aardman Animations with the “special project” coming in 2027.
In other news, the creators of Life Is Strange have shared the ‘90s-inspired soundtrack to the new game Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape One.
The post Pokémon fans are hoping for some big announcements next week appeared first on NME.
Ali Shutler
NME
