Nintendo has now 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 Pokémon 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 want more Poké-fun, check out our guide to playing the Pokemon games in order, or see our picks for the best Pokémon games. Alternatively, check out our list of the best Nintendo Switch games you can play in 2024.
New Pokémon game release date estimate
It’s possible that Nintendo could release a new Pokémon game in late 2024 at the earliest but we don’t a confirmed release date just yet or any other concrete information about what’s to come. That being said, late 2024 is when the Nintendo Switch 2 is also expected to debut. 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. That being said, given that we’ve heard nothing about development on an upcoming Pokémon game a 2024 release date does seem to be a bit optimistic.
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, 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 Pokmeon 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 2024?
Pokémon Day 2024 falls on February 27 and we’re hoping to hear news on all of the upcoming projects waiting in the wings. We can’t guarantee there will be an announcement for a new Pokémon game, 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. 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’s plenty that’s safe to take for granted. 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 everything for now on the prospect of an upcoming Pokémon game. For more, check out more of our guides, including our lists of current Pokémon Go codes and Pokémon Unite codes. Or, you can see our picks for the best mobile games.