A leaker has seemingly confirmed a newPokemonspin-off announcement for the June 21 Nintendo Direct. And it just might be one that’s beensilently in development since 2019.ThePokemonfranchise has never been shy about releasing spin-offs, with the earliest being a Game Boy Color adaptation of the trading card game all the way back in 1998. In fact, with few exceptions, fans are usually treated to at least one newPokemongame every year thanks to this. But perhaps the most unique and bizarre of these spin-offs is 2016’sDetective Pikachufor the Nintendo 3DS, featuring a more Western aesthetic, voice acting (a rarity for the Pokemon themselves), and an emphasis on mystery solving. The game quickly gained a cult following, a film adaptation starring Ryan Reynolds, and a Nintendo Switch sequel announced in 2019, although no details have been revealed about the latter in four years.RELATED:Detective Pikachu 2 Could Be Nearing the End of Its DevelopmentBut that just might change tomorrow morning. Known leaker Pyoro very recently tweeted out a GIF of Detective Pikachu dancing in his movie, with the simple teasing caption, “Good morning.” Many in the comments caught onto this right away, assuming they were referring to the long awaited follow-up announcement onDetective Pikachu 2, and the tone ranged from hyped to in denial. If this really is a leak and not just a troll move, then that now makes for three leaked announcements for the June 2023 Direct,alongside a new 2DMarioand a remake of an SNES bestseller.
The firstDetective Pikachuwas a very popular game, generating even more hype due to its timed Japan-exclusive release. Naturally, that hype would continue after the sequel was announced, especially with the very sparse updates since it entered production. But witha sequel to theDetective Pikachumoviereported to be in the works earlier this year, it’s clear that The Pokemon Company intends to keep this sub-franchise going, so perhaps that is a sign that the game sequel could be coming soon as well.
Leaks in the video game industry are nothing new, and while they’re a great way to drum up discussion and speculation over announcements to come, the actual predictions turn out to be hit-and-miss. Some turn out completely true with maybe a couple of details proven wrong, even from seemingly random people online, while othershave been leaked from much more credible sourceswith still no word about them even years afterward. Regardless, every Nintendo fan will soon be able to verify if Pyoro is correct, once the Nintendo Direct airs tomorrow at 7:00am PST/ 10:00am EST.
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