Next Pokemon Presents Event May Be Disappointing for Switch 2

Summary

• Don't expect any news about Pokémon games for the Switch 2 during the next Pokémon Presents on February 27th.
• Leaks suggest an imminent Switch 2 reveal, but Pokémon games will reportedly remain on the original Switch for now.
• The upcoming Pokémon Presents will likely focus on Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

Pokémon fans anticipating announcements of Switch 2 Pokémon titles might be disappointed by the upcoming Pokémon Presents scheduled for Thursday, February 27th. Pokémon has been a mainstay on Nintendo hardware since its Game Boy debut in the 90s, but fans may need to wait longer than expected for the franchise's arrival on the Switch 2.

As of this writing, Nintendo hasn't officially unveiled the Switch 2. While the company has confirmed the next-generation console's existence, backward compatibility with the original Switch, Nintendo account carryover, and a reveal within this fiscal year, details beyond this are based on leaks. These leaks paint a picture of a more powerful, larger version of the original Switch.

New Pokémon games will undoubtedly launch on the Switch 2 eventually. However, fans hoping for news on this front during the February 27th Pokémon Presents should temper their expectations. Jeff Grubb reports that the Pokémon Presents will showcase Pokémon games developed for the original Switch, not the Switch 2—though these titles will be playable on the new console thanks to backward compatibility.

Pokémon Presents: No Expected Switch 2 Game News

The next Pokémon Presents will undoubtedly feature updates on ongoing live-service titles like Pokémon GO and Pokémon Trading Card Game Live. Fans also anticipate news on Pokémon Legends: Z-A, slated for release on the original Switch this year. So far, Pokémon Legends: Z-A has only been shown in a brief teaser trailer revealing a Lumiose City setting, returning Pokémon, and the return of Mega Evolutions. However, rumors suggest another main series Pokémon game may also be coming this year.

There are hints of a new main series Pokémon game releasing this year, separate from Pokémon Legends: Z-A and the Generation 10 games. Speculation points towards Pokémon Black and White remakes or another Let's Go title, purportedly for the original Switch, not the Switch 2 (assuming the leaked information is accurate). If so, the first major Pokémon games exclusive to the Switch 2 would likely be the eventual Generation 10 titles.

The Pokémon franchise has a history of prioritizing older hardware with larger install bases. Recall that Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 were released for the original DS instead of the 3DS. History may repeat itself. However, none of this is officially confirmed, so fans should tune into the Pokémon Presents on February 27th for definitive answers.