The core Pokémon RPG title that is in development for Nintendo Switch made headlines today, when, in Nintendo’s latest three months earnings release, they listed the project for the first time with a “late 2019” release window.
That won’t come as a particular surprise to most, as, not only was it the time period that was given when Pokémon Let’s GO, Pikachu! and Pokémon Let’s GO, Eevee! were first reveal, but it continues the predictable pattern around when the series has launched over the past several years.
Some quick research online soon shows that Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, as with Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 before them, were released in October, while Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon along with Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon were released in November.
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company know that the brand regularly resonates more broadly than their core audience, which is something that was made even more evident when Pokémon GO became such a global phenomenon.
More importantly than that at this point in time, it will remain a key part of the continued success that surrounds Nintendo Switch – which is why Pokémon Let’s GO, Pikachu! and Pokémon Let’s GO, Eevee! have been scheduled for a November launch, to drive the portable home console’s momentum into the holidays and beyond.
That logic hasn’t prevented corners of the pocket monster community from falsely stating that the core Pokémon RPG has been delayed, pointing to a tweet from The Pokémon Company International that had stated that the core Pokémon RPG “in development for the second half of 2019.”
Their argument is that with the release now “late 2019,” it is enough of an indication that the project has been pushed back and suffered a delay. But that lacks any credibility, especially since we’ve known that it would be coming in late 2019 since The Pokémon Company last talked about the upcoming games in March.
In short, worry not and feel comforted by the fact that the games are still in development and on track for when they were always intended to release. In the meantime, you can look forward to Pokémon Let’s GO, Pikachu! and Pokémon Let’s GO, Eevee! to tide you over until we get our first chance to see the Gen VIII games in action.
