A renowned Pokemon leaker confirms ahead of Pokemon Day that at least two classic games will return to the Switch. Pokemon is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, and even before leaks and rumors started floating online about possible reveals on Pokemon Day, The Pokemon Company itself stated that the event would be massive and last the whole year. This is no surprise considering that it has been over three years since the release of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and everything points to Gen 10, allegedly called Pokemon Wind and Wave, being revealed and released in 2026.
However, that will likely be the cherry on the cake for fans, rather than the only big release and announcement for the series. Alongside the Pokemon Super Bowl ad, the company showed a first look at Pokemon Day Out and Night Out, which is not the name of a new generation of games, but rather seems to be a series of in-person events planned for 2026. Pokemon Day 2026 is also very likely to include updates of existing games, like a Pokemon Legends: Z-A event for Mega Garchomp, the Kalos Tour for Pokemon GO, and so on. Now, yet another big announcement is all but confirmed, with the return of classic Game Boy-era games on the Switch.
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Pokemon FireRed, LeafGreen, and More Classics on Switch in 2026
The insider with a proven track record of leaks, called Riddler Khu, shared a post on Twitter, stating “They will return soon,” with a picture of Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen. These are Pokemon games on Game Boy Advance from the early 2000s, and they were meant to be the first remakes for Gen 1. Considering that Pokemon‘s 30th anniversary is celebrated on the day the original Pokemon Red and Green were released in Japan, it makes perfect sense to come full circle and re-release Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen on the Switch.
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This will most likely happen via the Nintendo Switch Online subscription, which typically brings back old games from various eras of Nintendo’s consoles, particularly the classics on Game Boy and Game Boy Advance. Pokemon fans have long been asking for the original Game Boy and GBA games to be released on NSO, and based on Riddler Khu’s post, it seems very likely that this will finally be the case in 2026. While Khu’s post includes these two games alone, it would be a missed opportunity for The Pokemon Company not to re-release several classics, even if not all at once. The list could include:
- Pokemon Red and Blue
- Pokemon Yellow
- Pokemon Gold and Silver
- Pokemon Crystal
- Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire
- Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen
- Pokemon Emerald
- Pokemon Diamond and Pearl
- Pokemon Platinum
- Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver
- Pokemon Black and White
- Pokemon Black 2 and White 2
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
The list is unlikely to include Gen 6 and beyond for now, especially with all Kalos Pokemon in Legends: Z-A. Pokemon Diamond and Pearl are also very unlikely to return, given the existence of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, whereas Gen 1, Gen 2, and Gen 3 games are the most likely to be included.
There is also a possibility that classic Pokemon games are released on Switch as standalone purchases, and/or that they are made into Switch 2 exclusives rather than available on both handheld consoles. The latter seems more unlikely, given the nature of the celebration, but the standalone purchase option is not too far-fetched, especially with a lower price point of around $10-15.
While Riddler Khu has been wrong in the past, it has never been the case for major announcements, and the return of classic Game Boy and GBA games to the Switch is one such occasion. Between this and the fact that fans have been very vocal about the return of Gen 1 Pokemon games, it’s more a matter of when than if. And, considering the occasion, Pokemon Day 2026, which falls on February 27, is the perfect time to announce this, which is perfectly in line with Khu’s “soon” prediction.
