New Pokemon 30th Anniversary Release Officially Launching in December

A brand-new Pokemon release planned for December 2026 celebrates all 9 generations so far. For much of 2026, The Pokemon Company has celebrated the franchise’s 30th anniversary with new games, the Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen ports, events across titles like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet and Pokemon GO, spin-off releases, a dedicated 30th anniversary Pokemon TCG set, and more. Many fans are now looking ahead to the next chapter of Pokemon, Pokemon Winds and Waves, but that doesn’t mean the 2026 celebrations are over.

According to leaks, Pokemon Winds and Waves will launch in late 2027, presumably between September and November. As for this year, there have been rumors that Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire will launch as Switch ports in October 2026, but so far nothing has been officially announced. Still, the games will likely be added as Switch and Switch 2 games, like FireRed and LeafGreen, and they were even teased with a clip showing improved HD graphics on a modern emulator. Another good reason why these ports should be made is that a major new Pokemon release is just around the corner, and it celebrates their history.

Pokemon’s 30th Anniversary Release (December 2026)

Game Freak and The Pokemon Company as a whole have been preparing three huge art books dedicated to 30 years of Pokemon, all the mainline games, the critters, and the characters, and they’re coming on December 18, 2026. The books will be available on official partner Overlap’s website, launching at 5,500 yen each, which is roughly $35 for one and $105 for the full set. Each book will comprise 500 pages, give or take, for over 1,500 pages total for the entire bundle. The art books cover a history of the development of 30 years of Pokemon games, complete with images showing the process, all the various Pokemon, unpublished concept art pieces and 3D material, and even an exclusive interview with the developers at the end. The books cover everything from the earliest Pokemon games to modern ones, divided by time period.

• Volume 1 (1996-2009):
  • Pokemon Red and Green
  • Pokemon Red and Blue
  • Pokemon Yellow
  • Pokemon Gold and Silver
  • Pokemon Crystal
  • Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald
  • Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen
  • Pokemon Diamond and Pearl
  • Pokemon Platinum
  • Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver
• Volume 2 (2010-2017):
  • Pokemon Black and White
  • Pokemon Black 2 and White 2
  • Pokemon X and Y
  • Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
  • Pokemon Sun and Moon
  • Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
• Volume 3 (2018-2025):
  • Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu! and Let’s Go Eevee!
  • Pokemon Sword and Shield
  • Pokemon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass (Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra)
  • Pokemon Legends: Arceus
  • Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
  • Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero (The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk)
  • Pokemon Legends: Z-A
  • Pokemon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension

Since the first volume covers more generations, including all four Japan-based regions and their respective games, it would make even more sense to release the Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire ports alongside the art books. It’s also a good time to celebrate Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen‘s free Celebi and Pokemon Home update. The second book is focused on the DS and 3DS eras of the franchise, from the beloved fifth generation to USUM. Lastly, the third book covers the Switch era ahead of the Nintendo Switch 2 takeover with Pokopia in 2026 and Gen 10 next year.

While the Nintendo Switch era is technically over, the collection does include the last bit of content for it in the form of Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s Mega Dimension DLC, which came out in December 2025. For those interested in getting the books, it’s worth noting that they will be printed in full color at B5 size and will only be available in Japan. Third-party websites will be able to ship outside of Japan, though fans may have to pay more in import fees.

Even if official ports of Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire don’t launch this year, there are plenty of official games and events to play. And even then, some fans have taken matters into their own hands, now releasing Pokemon on PC as daily Wordle-like battles.