Will we get a new Pokémon game in 2025? Nintendo has released the final part of DLC for Scarlet and Violet, which means that the era of Gen 9 is over and the wait for a new game is officially on. Yes, the sun is finally setting on Paldea. In eager anticipation for Gen 10, we’re looking ahead to answer all your burning questions about the next Pokémon game including when we think it’ll release and much more.
If you’re itching to catch ’em all while you wait for the next big announcement, be sure to check out our full Pokédex, then head on over to our list of all Pokémon games in order or browse through our picks for the best Pokémon games for even more Poké-fun,
New Pokémon game release date estimate
Nintendo announced Pokémon Legends: Z-A for the Nintendo Switch as a sequel to 2022’s Pokémon Arceus. You can expect this brand-new Pokémon game to appear sometime in 2025, after it was revealed during the most recent Pokémon Presents stream. This newest installment in the Legends series is set to expand on the massive success of Arceus, taking us back to the Kalos region as we head to Lumiose City.
Unfortunately, we don’t have an exact Pokémon Legends: Z-A release date just yet. However, a Pokémon Go leak regarding the next Go Tour event suggests that the Pokémon Presents 2025 showcase is set to go live on February 27, 2025, so we’re hoping to hear more then.
Of course, the Pokémon Legends: Z-A release date might not be the only thing to look forward to when it comes to the February 2025 Pokémon Presents. Last year, we only had one Pokémon Presents compared to the three or four we’ve had in previous years, so hopefully, there’s been plenty of time for Nintendo to collect a nice list of announcements. Plus, the previous Pokémon Presents back in February 2024 gave us the official reveals for both Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket and Pokémon Legends: Z-A, so with a year since the initial announcement, we’re hoping we’ll finally get an update.
Additionally, with the long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 confirmed to finally make its debut sometime in 2025, we think it’s likely that Pokémon Legends: Z-A will release alongside (or shortly after) the new console. Like Breath of the Wild was for the Switch in 2017, it would make sense that Nintendo would release a new title from one of its three big IPs to serve as a flagship game for the next-gen console.
One of the major complaints about the buggy Scarlet and Violet, upon its release, was that the game felt ‘unfinished’ as if development had been too rushed to bring the game up to par visually and narratively, with an open-world system that felt empty. Nintendo won’t want to face the same criticisms again, meaning that the development cycle for the next Pokémon game will almost certainly take its time. So, with that in mind, mid to late 2025 seems like a reasonable estimate for the release of the new Pokémon game.
Of course, this is all talking about a new, mainline game in the series. It’s feasible that Nintendo could publish a spin-off game in the run-up to Gen 10. This could either be more mobile fun like Pokémon Unite, or a new entry in the Let’s Go and Mystery Dungeon series, as well as the long-awaited remakes of Gold and Silver, X and Y, and Black and White. To be honest, though, we expect that the total focus will be on making Gen 10 the next big chapter, with the exception of simultaneous work on remakes.
When is Pokémon Day 2025?
Pokémon Day 2025 will take place on February 27. On this day, we usually see special events across all active Pokémon mobile games, as well as plenty of news and announcements for the coming year via streams and social media. Of course, we can’t guarantee there will be an announcement for a new Pokémon game during the festivities, but we sure hope so.
New Pokémon gameplay predictions
In all likelihood, Game Freak will double down on the 3D open-world gameplay format which means you can expect Gen 10 to continue in the same vein as Scarlet and Violet. This is backed up by the announcement of Pokémon Legends: Z-A marking itself as a clear continuation of the Legends series, following on from Arceus. So, for better or worse, the days of 2D fun are over as Pokémon attempts to evolve itself to suit the modern gaming landscape.
However, nearly all Pokémon games have a gameplay gimmick (X and Y had Mega Evolutions, Scarlet and Violet had Terastallization, etc.) and it remains to be seen what new elements the developer will bring to Gen 10. That being said, from our perspective and experience it makes sense that Gen 10 should look back into Pokémon’s history for this rather than try and make another gimmick. Why not expand Mega Evolution and bring it to a wider pool of Pokémon, or overhaul Gigantamax, rather than trying to continually make something new? For Gen 10, which marks a major milestone in the franchise’s history, this more retrospective approach would make sense as a celebration of Pokémon’s legacy over many decades.
Aside from that, there are plenty of elements that we can reliably expect from the next game. There’ll be new Pokémon designs to enjoy as the Pokedex expands, new characters, and three new starter Pokémon to obsess over too. Some things never change, and never need to.
That’s all the info we’ve got on the next Pokémon game. While you’re here, be sure to snap up some freebies with our Pokémon Go codes. Or, if you’re searching for something else to play while you wait, check out our guides to the best mobile games and the best Switch games.