Game Freak announces new "Pokémon Legends" game and mobile card game

On 27 February 1996, the first "Pokémon" games - "Red" and "Green" - were released in Japan. Since then, "Pokémon" fans have been celebrating "Pokémon Day" on this date. There are usually a few surprises and new announcements to celebrate the day. This year is no exception.

The Pokémon Company announces new games and updates for existing titles in a livestream. You can watch the entire presentation in the embedded video. I have summarised all the important information below.

"Pokémon Legends ZA": Back to the Kalos region

Before the presentation, there were rumours that developer studio Gamefreak might be working on a remake of "Pokémon Gold & Silver". There was also speculation about new editions of "Black & White".

With the announcement of "Pokémon Legends ZA", the studio surprised its fans and instead delivered a new "Legends" spin-off part set in the Kalos region. This is known from the 3DS games "Pokémon X & Y".

The first "Legends" game, "Arceus", was released two years ago for the Switch and impressed with an open game world and new gameplay ideas for catching and fighting. The game's setting was also refreshing - instead of a modern "Pokémon" world, a historical version of the Hisui region from "Diamond and Pearl" was waiting to be explored. The game world in "Legends ZA" also appears to be set in the past - although not as far back as in the first "Legends" instalment.

According to Game Freak, the adventure takes place primarily in the Paris-inspired city of Illumina City. This is still under construction and is set to become a place that "belongs to both humans and Pokémon". The teaser trailer does not reveal whether the game also offers open game worlds away from the metropolis. What is clear, however, is that the Mega Evolutions familiar from "X & Y" are back. This is revealed by a symbol that appears at the end of the trailer.

The announcement of the game's release seems mysterious. According to Game Freak, "Legends ZA" will not be released for "Switch systems" until 2025. The late release date and the strange wording regarding the hardware have fans speculating as to whether this is a title for the Switch 2. After all, according to insider reports, the launch of Nintendo's next-gen console has been postponed to the first quarter of 2025. A "Pokémon" game at launch would make sense. The speculation is further fuelled by the lack of real gameplay video footage in the trailer.

"Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket": New mobile card game coming soon

To bridge the gap until the next "Legends" title, a new edition of the "Pokémon" card game for smartphones will be released later this year.

In contrast to the already available "Pokémon Trading Card Game Live", the "Pocket" version focusses on shorter, faster battles that can be played in between. A great deal of effort has also been put into translating the physical cards into the digital world. In addition to the regular maps, there are also "immersive" versions that allow you to immerse yourself in the illustration behind the map. Looks pretty.

Updates for existing games

In addition to the two major new announcements, several updates for existing games were also announced

In "Pokémon Crimson & Purple", there are time-limited Tera Raids with powerful versions of Bisaflor, Turtok and Glurak to celebrate "Pokémon Day". In "Pokémon Go", new pocket monsters and outfits are waiting for you. These are based on the "Pokémon Horizons" anime

The sleep tracking app "Pokémon Sleep" receives a free update with the three legendary beasts Raikou, Suicune and Entei. In "Pokémon Masters EX" there are new trainers to battle. The puzzle game "Pokémon Café Remix" and the MOBA spin-off "Pokémon Unite" also have new, time-limited events waiting for you.