Nintendo announced "Pokémon" is coming to the Nintendo Switch this 2019. Unlike the "Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!" and "Pokémon: Let's Go," this upcoming game is considered to be a "core" entry in the Pokémon game franchise.
In June 2017, a new Pokémon game for Nintendo has been announced, although it does not provide the specific name, the release date, as well as the official logo.
According to Tsunekazu Ishihara, president of The Pokémon Company, Game Freak has started developing a core RPG Pokémon on Nintendo Switch, and it may not be released for more than a year. Game Freak made all main Pokémon RPGs, while spinoff games were developed by other studios.
The financial report of Nintendo issued in October 2018 classifies the new Pokémon game as "Pokémon RPG for Nintendo Switch," which will be released in late 2019. Hence, the new game for Switch might likely be released on holidays of next year, according to the Business Insider.
Neither Game Freak nor The Pokémon Company commented whether the new game on Switch would be a brand-new entry or entries in the series. It's not yet clear if it signals the start of generation eight or it would likely be the remake or upper version of a previous game.
Meanwhile, when asked if it's possible allowing Pokémon to move between Let's Go and the upcoming core RPG, Pokémon director Junichi Masuda said the development of Game Freak has been working to make that thing possible.
"We're definitely always thinking of that kind of forward-moving functionality, especially since we've introduced [Pokémon transfer service] Pokémon Bank," Masuda said.
Pokémon games have been very popular, like the "Pokémon Go" launched on Android and Apple which was considered to be the most popular Pokémon game by far. Nintendo is reportedly aware regarding the importance of Pokémon Go to the overall fan base, so the upcoming game for Switch might be exploring ways to connect the main games to Pokémon Go.
But, Pokémon Go was not developed by Game Freak - best known as the primary developer of the major Pokémon series. The game was developed by Niantic Labs, an American software development company based in San Francisco. Some of the investors of the company include Nintendo, Google, as well as The Pokémon Company.
There's not much detail about the new Pokémon game on Switch, and the only thing that's definite is it will be released in "late 2019." And aside from this new core RPG game, Nintendo also announced new "Animal Crossing" game, new "Yoshi" game," and possibly a new "Metroid Prime" game this coming 2019 as well.
