Game Freak is creating an open-world Pokémon entry set in the series’s Sinnoh region, proving that dreams really do come true. Pokémon Legends Arceus, which takes place long before 2006’s Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, was revealed for Nintendo Switch today during the company’s Pokémon Presents and is set to launch sometime in early 2022. Gameplay was shown, highlighting many of the different biomes and locations to be found as you adventure to your heart’s content through a familiar but different feudal Sinnoh. You can organically catch Pokémon now while hiding in the grass, but regular battles will return as well. See the announcement footage below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUW1ZWAq09M
This isn’t the first time Game Freak has created open-world environments for the series; the studio experimented with open areas in Pokémon Sword and Shield‘s Wild Area. Pokémon Legends Arceus seems to show that the developer is willing to give fans more of that content, though, which should be exciting for fans who might have been let down by the more linear games of the past.
Today’s Pokémon Presents is part of how Nintendo is celebrating the franchise’s 25th anniversary. Expect more announcements to come as 2021 continues, and don’t forget that New Pokémon Snap, a sequel to the original Nintendo 64 photography game, launches on April 30.
