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A massive leak of data from Pokémon developer Game Freak, widely distributed online as the result of a hack of the company, has revealed new details about the past and future of franchise games, animated series, and live-action projects. That includes unconfirmed intel about the next generation of Pokémon — aka Gen 10 — and a new Pokémon game reportedly codenamed Gaia.
Few details about the next mainline Pokémon game have been leaked as part of the hack. We don’t know where the next entry will be set, which Pokémon are confirmed to appear, or what new mechanics might be introduced.
But the next-gen Pokémon game may have at least one twist: It’s supposedly a cross-generation game, and will reportedly be available for both the original Nintendo Switch and its still-unannounced successor, the “Switch 2.”
A cross-gen release, while certainly not new for Pokémon publisher Nintendo, would be something of a rarity for the monster-collecting RPG series. Pokémon games are usually designed for specific generations of Nintendo hardware, though backward compatibility across generations of Nintendo handhelds and consoles means they’re playable on multiple systems. The Pokémon Company and Nintendo may be taking a somewhat different approach this time, capitalizing on the massive Switch user base while giving Switch 2 owners a new Pokémon game to enjoy, rather than waiting for a game purpose built for Nintendo’s next-gen system.
Gaia may address the issue of delivering a new Pokémon game for a built-in audience and catering to early adopters of the Switch 2, and may also address a common complaint levied against developer Game Freak’s existing Switch game: their poor performance. The Switch 2 is reportedly more powerful than the existing, seven-year-old Switch, and Gaia would conceivably perform better on new hardware. An upgrade in visuals would certainly be a compelling reason to upgrade to Switch 2.
While Nintendo and The Pokémon Company haven’t confirmed any details regarding the Game Freak hack, outside of certain employee information being exposed, one reliable Nintendo leaker appears to have corroborated the leak about a cross-gen Pokémon Gen 10. Polygon has reached out to The Pokémon Company for comment and will update when the company responds.