Game Freak has announced that it is developing its first open-world Pokémon game ever, Pokémon Legends: Arceus. The creator of the popular franchise revealed the news during today’s Pokémon Presents event, which confirmed that the game would be a prequel that takes players back to the Sinnoh region before the events of 2006’s Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl. Pokémon Legends: Arceus is slated for release on the Nintendo Switch in early 2022.
“Trainers will get the chance to explore the Sinnoh region in a new way—by traveling to the past in Pokémon Legends: Arceus,” The Pokémon Company wrote. “Set long before the events of Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl, this game will allow players to travel across Sinnoh to discover wild Pokémon and complete the region’s very first Pokédex.”
“And while Mount Coronet towering over the region makes it clear that you’re in Sinnoh, the Pokémon you encounter in this era may be different from the ones you remember catching in other games set in this same region. Pokémon Legends: Arceus is planned to launch on Nintendo Switch early next year.”
Critics claim that Pokémon Legends: Arceus looks extremely similar to Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but fans can check out the trailer to draw their own conclusions. The Pokémon Company has also revealed that faithful remakes of Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl will be coming to the Nintendo Switch later this year.