Game Freak Leaks Reveal Pokemon MMO and Switch 2

The latest in massive gaming leaks is here, involving Game Freak and the Pokemon games. With the franchise's next iteration not yet announced, fans are eager to know what is coming for the legendary RPG series. A seeming hack of the company has revealed internal files with key info about in-development games and hints about Nintendo's next console.

With all these things still unannounced on an official level, this is a major blow to Nintendo's planned announcement cycle. Let's look at what is out there and get a sense of what is coming for the monster-catching franchise.

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A Pokemon MMO

As discussed by TheGamer, the most clear reveal from this leak is that of a folder entitled "mmo_test." MMO is of course short for MMORPG, or a massively multiplayer game. For years, fans have desired this kind of game in the Pokemon franchise.

Combining many various regions from the Pokemon world would create a massive map to explore, with players able to catch creatures and battle alongside and against each other. Game Freak has never tackled such a massive project, but this would indicate they are testing the technology behind such an experience. This says nothing of mechanics or scope, but the word "massive" is in MMO for a reason.

Multiplayer Spinoffs

It seems the MMO is not the only attempt at a multiplayer game in the works. Another folder has information about a project codenamed "Synapse." Those with more direct access to the files describe this as a "battle-focused" multiplayer game not unlike Splatoon.

The file names don't reveal too much, but supposedly data within them confirms this as a collaboration between Game Freak and ILCA. They are the company responsible for the Diamond and Pearl remakes as well as Pokemon Home, among other non-Pokemon games. Perhaps with those games under their belt, Game Freak has trusted them with a larger project.

The Switch Successor

Lastly, we have information about the next generation of Pokemon and Nintendo's new console. Generation 10 of Pokemon is codenamed "Gaia" and is confirmed to be developed for the follow-up to the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo's next system has yet to receive an official name, though this leak confirms a codename of "Ounce."

What this means is unclear, although an ounce is a measurement of weight. The Joycon controllers for the Switch have a variety of sensors, including using motors to create the sensation of weight or pressure. Perhaps "Ounce" refers to an upgrade to this technology. We will see when Nintendo announces their next console.

Final Thoughts

Leaks like these can be devastating to game developers and can change the course of their plans. Game Freak has lost a lot of surprise from any potential announcement of these projects, assuming they made it through development. While the "Ounce" codename for Nintendo's next console is likely something they didn't wish to see released, it didn't reveal any more concrete information from Nintendo. The leading rumors see 2025 as the year for the next Nintendo system, so we hopefully won't have to wait long for these companies to give us an official reveal of information.

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This article was originally written by Alex Dunn.