Pokemon Studio's Next Game Could Be Skipping Switch 2

Pokemon developer Game Freak, known for its long-standing history of working with Nintendo, looks to be keeping its next title off the Nintendo Switch 2 for the time being. Fresh off of launching its newest title, Pokemon Legends Z-A, on the Nintendo Switch 2, Game Freak is returning this year with an entirely new game titled Beast of Reincarnation. First announced last year at the Xbox Games Showcase, this upcoming project received an in-depth look at the recent Xbox Developer Direct, and it already appears to be a major switch-up from the developer’s typical portfolio.

Where Game Freak has borne the brunt of criticism over the years for Pokemon’s performance issues and graphical shortcomings, Beast of Reincarnation features the scale and visual splendor of a modern AAA game, moving away from the cartoony nature of the developer’s typical efforts in and out of the Pokemon series. The title will center on a young woman named Emma the Sealer and her dog companion Koo, who traverses a post-apocalyptic Japan to free it from a corrupted creature. The gameplay also represents a massive departure from the studio’s portfolio, as it will be an action RPG with a combat system reminiscent of modern action titles like Black Myth: Wukong and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

Beast of Reincarnation and Expedition 33 Are Two Sides of the Same Combat Coin

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 innovated with its turn-based combat, and it looks like Beast of Reincarnation plans to do something similar.

Beast of Reincarnation Director Indicates No Switch 2 Version

In an interview with IGN, Beast of Reincarnation director Kota Furushima announced that Game Freak currently does not have any plans to release the title on the Nintendo Switch 2. When asked about the developer’s long-standing history with Nintendo and whether a Switch 2 release is on the horizon, Furushima merely responded, “There’s nothing to announce right now about other platforms that have not already been announced.” While this answer doesn’t entirely rule out a future Switch 2 release, Game Freak will focus on launching the game later this year on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

During Beast of Reincarnation‘s showcase at the Xbox Developer Direct, Game Freak emphasized the project’s massive scale and six-year development period. Furushima also noted that while the team working on the project is “quite large,” the number of internal Game Freak developers is relatively small. While the studio naturally handled much of the core creative direction and project management, the team outsourced development to what Furushima calls “a number of partner companies.” However, he stopped short of naming any of these partners.

Beast of Reincarnation’s lack of a Nintendo Switch 2 release at launch is a disappointment for longtime Game Freak fans, who are accustomed to seeing the developer’s entire lineup land on Nintendo platforms. While the Switch 2’s third-party support has been impressive so far, having a big AAA action game from one of Nintendo’s most consistent external developers would’ve been a great addition to the system’s library.

Furushima’s answer does not entirely rule out a Switch 2 release, however, instead claiming that there is nothing to announce at this given moment. Several third-party developers have not received Switch 2 development kits, and the fact that the project is being outsourced to several other teams may play a role in the game’s lack of an immediate Switch 2 release. Considering Game Freak’s history of success with Nintendo on the Pokemon series, a Switch 2 release is not entirely out of the question for Beast of Reincarnation, and it could stand out as an exciting action title on Nintendo’s platform.