First mainline console Pokemon game rumored to launch next year.
A new mainline Pokemon game, codenamed Pokemon Stars, is reportedly in development for Nintendo Switch, and will release for the console sometime next year.
According to Eurogamer, several sources have told the outlet that Game Freak is “well into development” on a third version of Pokemon Sun and Moon that will feature the same map, locales and art style of the aforementioned 3DS games, but with improved visuals.
Pokemon Stars is reportedly being built with “separate, higher-resolution assets,” one of which was first shown in the announcement teaser for Sun and Moon that released back in February. During the video’s brief look at the studio, several shots of concept art are shown, as well as a high-deffiniton model of Pikipek that will apparently be used in Pokemon Stars.
Eurogamer also reports that players will be able to trade their Pokemon from Sun and Moon to this new Switch version with the Pokemon Bank app. Additionally, Pokemon Stars may feature additional creatures to collect, though this couldn’t be confirmed by all of the outlet’s sources.
Pokemon Stars was reportedly planned for release in summer 2017, but has been pushed back to sometime later in the year. This new Switch version was said to be developed in parallel with Sun and Moon, and while Game Freak had to pause development on Stars to finish Sun and Moon, the team has resumed work on the upcoming console release.
Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon release today for Nintendo 3DS. For our thoughts on the pair of new creature collecting games, check out IGN’s Pokemon Sun and Moon review.
Alex Osborn is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter and subscribe to his video content on YouTube.