Pokémon is a powerful font of childhood nostalgia for many. It’s the Pokémon 25th Anniversary in 2021 and the ‘Catch ‘Em All’ ethic of pocket monsters is going strong. ‘New Pokémon Snap!’ Kicks off the celebrations on 30th April, with a rumoured Pokémon direct on Pokémon Day (In Japan) on 27th February to lay out Nintendo and Game Freaks’ celebration plans.
Pokémon 25th Anniversary in Sinnoh?
The biggest news this year is the domain activation of Sinnoh outings Diamond and Pearl. Picked up by the eagle-eyed Centro Leaks, the sub-domain diamondpearl.pokemon.com was enabled then disabled. Let’s not forget it’s been 15 years since players first stepped into the Sinnoh region.
Alongside rumoured merchandise lines focusing on the Sinnoh mons, it’s looking more and more likely that the next mainline Pokémon game will be a Diamond and Pearl remake based on the Sword and Shield engine. Fans noticed a lot of Sinnoh-Based Pokémon are absent from Sword and Shield also.
Reputable Nintendo leaker Kelios slated Diamond and Pearl remakes for a November 2021 release, marking the first time a creditable leaker has gone on record to back the existence of the title. Whilst it’s nothing concrete/based on speculation for now, a release is looking promising.
Another Pokémon Masters?
A now-debunked rumour (thanks to Serebii.net’s webmaster Joe Merrick) is Pokémon Masters collection. The hoax shop listing shows Pokémon Red, Gold and Ruby a la ‘Super Mario All-Stars’. Although it’s a great idea, the box art grammatical and spelling errors were a dead giveaway. Let’s not forget that Pokémon already has a ‘Masters’ mobile game. Oh dear.
A big fan request would be more content for Pokémon Sword and Shield. The Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra expansions, whilst short, were praised by fans and ourselves. It’s a much better approach than re-releasing the same game 12 months later with minor improvements, but new content isn’t likely. Ninty have already released a ‘Complete’ Sword and Shield collection, which includes the base game and expansion pass.
What’s Coming For Pokémon in 2021?
So what’s been confirmed for Pokémon in 2021? As previously mentioned, New Pokémon Snap! is a dream come true for Pokémon fans. With Nintendo Switch’s huge performance jump over Nintendo 64s, New Snap! is going to be like chalk and cheese.
Firstly, Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle is due at some point before New Year’s Eve, which focuses on the latest Mythical Pokémon, Zarude. Some event giveaways have already taken place worldwide, but there’s sure to be more as the movie nears release.
Secondly, a slew of merch is due for a release like any other year. A couple of highlights include the Diecast replica Pokéballs by The Wand Company and the TCG: First Partners Pack. The latter focuses on past cards in the series and is set to celebrate the franchise.
Finally, Pokémon Unite. It’s still TBA, but it’s safe to say this will be releasing at some point in 2021. Unite was the surprise announcement for last years part two Pokémon Direct. Whilst we wanted Sinnoh or a new Let’s Go! Instalment, we got a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA). Whilst I’d love to see Pokémon get its foot into ESL events, fans are holding their breath on this one.
What would you like to see announced for Pokémons 25th Anniversary? We’d love to hear your thoughts and nostalgic moments below or on our socials.
