Time to swap your bug catchers for Poké Balls. Pokémon GO announces the debut of Blipbug at the Bug Out event from March 17 to 23, 2026. 

With spring right around the corner, Pokémon GO unveils the Bug Out event as it kicks off from March 17 to 23, 2026, featuring the debut of Blipbug, event bonuses, and many more as Trainers seek and capture bug-type Pokémon in the wild. Alongside the debut of Blipbug, Niantic shares more details about the Memories in Motion GO Pass.

The biggest highlight of the Pokémon GO Bug Out event is the debut of Galar region bug-type Pokémon, Blipbug. As Trainers capture the sleek Pokémon to add to their Pokédex, Blipbug can evolve into Dottler using 25 Blipbug Candy, and fully evolve into Orbeetle using 100 Candy. Alongside capturing Blipbug, Trainers can encounter many event-themed regular and shiny Pokémon in the wild, including Caterpie, Dwebble, Sizzlipede, Nymble, Scyther, and more. 

Alongside the Pokémon available in the wild, the Pokémon GO Bug Out event will offer event bonuses based on the regular Lure Modules, attracting various bug-type Pokémon and increasing the chance of luring the shiny Paras, Combee, and Cutiefly. Depending on the day and time, the Pokémon that will be attracted to the regular Lure Modules are:

• March 17 at 10 AM to March 19 at 10 AM local time – Paras and Sizzlipede.
• March 19 at 10 AM to March 21 at 10 AM local time – Cutiefly and Sizzlipede.
• March 21 at 10 AM to March 23 at 8 PM local time – Combee and Sizzlipede.

In addition to the Regular Lures event bonuses, Trainers can earn rewards from reaching Major Milestones in the event-themed GO Pass. The rewards that will be offered in each tier include:

• Tier 1 – 2x XP for successfully catching Pokémon with a Nice Throw or better. 
• Tier 2 – 2x Candy for successfully catching Pokémon, or 3x Candy for successfully catching Pokémon with a GO Pass Deluxe. 

For Trainers looking to participate in Raids during the Pokémon GO Bug Out event, the raids that will be running are:

• One Star Raids – Blipbug
• Three-Star Raids – Pinsir
• Three-Star Raids – Scizor
• Three-Star Raids – Kleavor

As Trainers partake in Raids, event-themed Field Research tasks will be available during the Bug Out event. Completing the limited-time tasks will reward Trainers with items and encounters with event-themed Pokémon.

Throughout the event, the GO Pass: Bug Out will be available for Trainers to collect GO Points to increase their ranks and earn rewards. For those looking to take it to the next level, Trainers can upgrade to the GO Pass Deluxe: Bug Out for $4.99 to unlock upgraded rewards and faster progression, with the GO Pass Deluxe: Bug Out + 6 Ranks available for $6.99 USD to receive the previously mentioned benefits and jump to Rank 7. From what we know so far, the free and GO Pass Deluxe rewards include:

• Encounter with Blipbug
• Encounter with event-themed Pokémon
• Stardust
• XP
• Lure Modules
• Great Balls
• GO Pass Deluxe: Additional encounters with even more event-themed Pokémon
• GO Pass Deluxe: Premium Battle Passes
• GO Pass Deluxe: Lure Modules
• GO Pass Deluxe: Rare Candy XL
• GO Pass Deluxe: Candy XL

For those who purchase the GO Pass Deluxe: Bug Out or GO Pass Deluxe: Bug Out +6 Rank on the Pokémon GO webstore, Trainers will receive 10 Ultra Balls, five Max Revives, one Premium Battle Pass, and five Max Potions. Exclusive to the Web Store for Trainers wanting to elevate their event experience, the GO Pass Deluxe: Bug Out +6 Ranks Ultra Box offers 20 Ultra Balls, 10 Max Revives, 10 Max Potions, two Premium Battle Passes, one Incubator, and one Super Incubator. 

Following the announcement of Pokémon GO’s upcoming season, Memories in Motion, Ninantic has shared more details about the GO Pass, running from March 3 to April 7, 2026. On top of the free GO Pass for Trainers to unlock rewards and climb the rank from completing Pass Tasks and collecting GO Points, Trainers can upgrade to the GO Pass Deluxe for $7.99 USD for upgraded rewards and faster progression, or opt for the GO Pass Deluxe +10 for $9.99 to receive the benefits of the Deluxe and jump to Rank 11. From what we know so far, the rewards that will be offered through the regular and deluxe GO Pass are:

• Encounter with Raikou
• Stardust
• XP
• Max Particles
• GO Pass Deluxe: A Timed Incubator
• GO Pass Deluxe: One Super Incubator
• GO Pass Deluxe: Additional encounters with more Pokémon

As Trainers climb the GO Pass ranks, players can unlock bonus rewards from reaching Major Milestones. The bonus rewards included in each Major Milestone are:

• Tier 1: Rank 25 – Open up to 40 Gifts per day, hold 10 more Gifts in your Item Bag, and receive up to 125 Gifts per day from spinning PokéStop and Gym Photo Discs. 
• GO Pass Deluxe Tier 1: Rank 25 – Open up to 50 Gifts per day, hold up to 20 more Gifts in your Item bag, and receive up to 150 Gifts per day from spinning PokéStop and Gym Photo Discs.
• Tier 2: Rank 50 – 2x Daily Adventure Incense duration.
• Tier 3: Rank 75 – Increased Stardust and XP from hatching Eggs. 

Before wrapping up, Trainers who purchase the GO Pass Deluxe: March or GO Pass Deluxe: March +10 Ranks on the Pokémon GO Web Store will receive 10 Ultra Balls, five Max Revives, one Premium Battle Pass, and five Max Potions. For Trainers looking to take it to the next level, the Web Store exclusive GO Pass Deluxe: March +10 Ranks Ultra Box includes 20 Ultra Balls, 10 Max Revives, 10 Max Potions, two Premium Battle Passes, one Incubator, and one Super Incubator. 

Ready to catch some bug-type Pokémon? Pokémon GO Bug Out event will run from March 17 to 23, 2026. To Learn more about the Bug Out event, Trainers can visit the page here. Alongside the event, visit the Pokémon GO website for more details about the GO Pass: March.

As snow continues to fall, Niantic announces Pokémon GO’s upcoming season, Memories in Motion, featuring Daily Discovery, new events, and many more. 

Wrapping up the Season of Precious Paths, it’s time for Trainers to don their training caps and grab their Poké Balls with the announcement of Pokémon GO’s upcoming season, Memories in Motion, launching on March 3, 2026. Stepping into the new season, the update features Daily Discoveries, adjusted event paces, Community Day, and more. 

Released in 2016, Pokémon GO brings the beloved creatures to real life, allowing players to explore their surroundings to capture Pokémon and battle their rivals in designated Gym areas from their mobile devices. Entering their virtual realm, the title features many Pokémon across the generations, Raid Battles, Max Battles to fight and capture Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémon, and fun events. 

Kicking off on March 3, the biggest update to arrive in Pokémon GO: Memories in Motion is the Daily Discoveries, making every day of the week unique for every player. Running from 12 AM to 11:59 PM, each day will host:

• Double-Time Sunday – Incense, Lure Modules, Glacial Lure Modules, Mossy Lure Modules, Magnetic Lure Modules, and Rainy Lure Modules activated on Sunday will last 2x longer.
• Fast-Track Monday – 2x GO Points from Pass Tasks for both monthly and event GO Passes.
• Max Monday – Power Spots refreshes more frequently, additional Power Spots will be active on Mondays compared to the rest of the week, and Max Battles will rotate to feature different Dynamax Pokémon. 
• Showcase Tuesday – PokéStop Showcases are active on Tuesdays, featuring up to 20 categories.
• Wednesday (Raid Hour) – Each week at the start of the day, Raid Bosses for five-star Raids and Mega Raids will rotate. Additionally, Raid Hours will continue featuring the five-star Raid Boss between 6 PM and 7 PM local time. 
• GO Battle Thursday –  Trainers can earn up to 4x Stardust from winning, and the maximum number of sets for play per day has increased from five to 10 – for a total of 50 battles. 
• Friendship Friday – Up to two Special Trades, increased chance of Lucky trade for any trades, guaranteed two Candy XL from trades for Level 31+ Trainers, and Stardust costing up to -10% for trades. 

Alongside the introduction of Daily Discoveries, events will be receiving updates to adjust their pacing. Taking effect during the launch of Pokémon GO: Memories in Motion, the update includes:

• Adjusted Events to follow a more regular schedule. 
• Weekend Events will move to Saturday, local time. 
• Events will shift away from paid tickets to event GO Passes. 
• Later in the season, Trainers can access the in-game event calendar with the latest information.

For the shiny hunters, previously debuted shiny Pokémon that are evolved can be encountered in the wilds. In contrast, Pokémon from Raid Battles and Eggs have a higher chance of being shiny. Additionally, Trainers will have the chance to save a debuted shiny Pokémon from the Team GO Rocket, with the chance being higher when rescued from the Team GO Rocket leaders and Giovanni.

Starting on March 3 at 10 AM local time, Trainers are invited to participate in the Special Research Story, Pressure Rising, available after completing the Glitz and Glam Special Research. After completing the Pressure Rising Special Research, Trainers can encounter the Mythical Pokémon, Volcanion. For those who have completed the Pokémon GO Fest 2025-exclusive Special Research, they will be awarded with an Volcanion Candy after completing the Pressure Rising Special Research.

Running from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. local time on March 14, the Community Day will spotlight the Galar Fire-type starter Scorbunny, increasing its encounter rate in the wild. After catching Scorbunny, Trainers can participate in March Community Day-themed field research to earn Stardust, Ultra Balls and additional Scorbunny encounters, some of which may feature a special background. If evolved into Cinderace during the event or within four hours afterward, it will learn the Charged Attack Blast Burn. Pyro Ball will also be added permanently to its moveset.

For Trainers looking to maximize the event, a Scorbunny Community Day-exclusive special research ticket will be available for $1.99 US. Completing the special research will reward players with three Scorbunny encounters featuring a special background, additional encounters, one Premium Battle Pass, one Rare Candy XL and other bonuses.

In addition, event bonuses will run from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time, featuring:

• 1/4 Egg Hatch Distance when Eggs are placed in the Incubator during the event.
• 2x Candy for catching Pokémon.
• Level 31+ Trainers will have a 2x chance of receiving Candy XL from catching Pokémon.
• Incense will be activated for three hours during the event, excluding Daily Adventure Incense. 
• Earn surprises while taking Snapshots during the event.
• Lure Modules will last for an hour and have a chance of attracting the featured Pokémon. 
• One additional Special Trade can be made per day, for a maximum of two.
• Trades will cost 50% less Stardust. 

Following the March 14 Community Day, Trainers can look forward to the future Community Days on April 11 and May 9, 2026. Not to mention, Community Day Classic will be taking place on May 16, 2026.  

As Trainers seek to catch’em all, Pokémon GO: Memories in Motion will include many new features for players to look forward to. The features that will be joining the update are:

• What’s Your Favourite? –  A new camera mode for players to showcase their favourite Pokémon as they celebrate the 10th anniversary of Pokémon GO and the 30th anniversary of Pokémon. 
• Themed Stickers – Trainers can earn themed stickers from spinning PokéStops, opening Gifts, and purchasing through the in-game shop. 
• GO Battle League – Battle in the Kanto Cup, Fantasy Cup, Jungle Cup, and more. Trainers can visit the GO Battle League webpage for more details. 

While partaking in new events, Memories in Motion features many Pokémon that will be available through the Research Breakthrough and Egg hatching. The Pokémon that will be available in this season are:

• Research Breakthrough encounter – Regular and Shiny variants of Gyarados, Honedge, Dhelmise, Sinistea, Duraludon, and Dreepy.  
• 2km Eggs – Dunsparce, Wimpod, Tadbulb, and more. 
• 5km Eggs – Sizzlipede, Snom, Fidough, and more. 
• 7km Eggs – Galarian Meowth, Galarian Corsola, Galarian Zigzagoon, and more. 
• 10km Eggs – Deino, Honedge, Impidimp, and more. 
• Adventure Sync Rewards: 5km Eggs – Chingling, Happiny, Audino, and more.
• Adventure Sync Rewards: 10km Eggs – Goomy, Turtonator, Toxel, and more.
• Route Rewards: 7km Eggs from Mateo’s Gift Exchange – Hisuian Growlithe, Galarian Slowpoke, White-Striped Form Basculin, and more. 

During the Memories in Motion, the GO Pass will be available for players to climb the rank and earn rewards by completing the Pass Tasks and earning GO points. Additionally, Trainers can upgrade to the GO Pass Deluxe to unlock upgraded rewards and progress faster. 

Before wrapping up, Pokémon GO will offer seasonal bonuses throughout the duration of Memories in Motion. The seasonal bonuses that will be available are:

• Level 31+ will receive a guaranteed Candy XL when trading Pokémon in-person. 
• One additional Candy when trading Pokémon in person.
• Increased XP for a seven-day PokéStop spin streak.
• Increased XP and Stardust for a seven-day Pokémon catch streak.

That’s about everything arriving in Pokémon GO’s latest season, Memories in Motion. To learn more about the season, Trainers can visit the Pokémon GO website. 

It’s about to be a massive week for Pokémon fans, as a double helping of the cuddly creatures is on the way.

The Pokémon Company has announced that a new Pokémon Presents is scheduled for February 27 at 6 am PT, which just so happens to be Pokémon Day. It’s fair to assume this might be a big show, considering the series is on the cusp of celebrating its 30th anniversary. And because we already have a game announcement tied to it.

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, remakes of the first two games in the series, will hit Switch Online right after the presentation on February 27 — running $19.99 each as digital-only titles.

Originally released in 2004 on the Game Boy Advance, these were the first “enhanced” remakes for the Pokémon franchise, something we’d see many times again afterward. Outside of a visual overhaul, the remakes added a contextual tutorial feature, allowing players to look up info at any point in the game by simply pressing the select button. Here’s a quick description of the games via a press release.

“Enjoy the classic soundtrack and turn-based gameplay, and meet-up familiar faces like Brock, Misty, Professor Oak and Giovanni! These classic Game Boy Advance RPGs feature all of the updates introduced during the Game Boy Advance era, including abilities, natures, weather conditions, held items and the ability to select your player character’s gender. Nintendo Switch players can also now link up with friends via local co-op² without the need to use a Game Link Cable like you did in 2004!”

FireRed and LeafGreen getting announced before the show certainly begs the question of what else is going to get announced, however. Over the last few months, there have been multiple leaks of information on Generation 10 of the series, and r/Pokeleaks has been packed to the brim with information.

Presumably, with the series’ anniversary, it’s not unreasonable to think that might be the centerpiece of this upcoming Presents. We’re also waiting for more info on the battle-focused Pokémon Champions. But it’s always possible we could also see a bit TV show or movie announcement, and plenty of new merchandise.

The Wow Stuff First Edition Pikachu Puppetronic by RealFX toy launched on the UK Pokemon Center storefront and immediately sold out. The £89.99 pre-orders only opened in that region at the moment and are expected to ship in Spring 2026 there. The North American and Japanese storefronts are not showing listings at the moment. Note that this only applies to just one version of the item, as a wider release is planned.

All versions of the Pikachu Puppetronic by RealFX toy will behave the same way, regardless of the edition. Touching its head, nose, and stomach can cause different reactions, with the character able to make noises, move its ears, blink its eyes, open and close its mouth, and light up the red cheeks. The product page noted “more than 120 sounds and actions.” There’s also a trailer showing its behavior, though the one on The Official Pokemon YouTube channel is region-locked.

The only difference between the First Edition version of the toy from the Pokemon Center and ones that will appear after involves altered additions that show it was one of the first to market. The box will have a “First Edition” badge on it to show it was purchased via The Pokemon Center. Inside the box is a certificate of authenticity. However, the certificate doesn’t mention a number to show how many of this release were produced and which “one” you got.

This Pikachu toy did show up at the 2026 Toy Fair in New York City, so there is other footage of it online in case you can’t see the region-locked trailer. For example, the KirbyGCN17 YouTube Short before showed someone demonstrating it at the event.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RIu3vwBnRBI

The Pikachu Puppetronic by RealFX toy will release in 2026, with the Pokemon Center UK First Edition one releasing in Spring 2026. We might learn more about the worldwide release during the Pokemon Day Pokemon Presents on February 27, 2026.

The post First Edition Pikachu Puppetronic by RealFX Sells Out in UK appeared first on Siliconera.

Having suddenly appeared on the Nintendo eShop, Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green are coming to the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 next week on 27th February – that’s Pokémon Day, which will have a traditional stream with new announcements, for which this was no doubt meant to be a surprise.

The games are priced pretty highly, set at £16.99 / $19.99, but also have the quirk of having distinct versions released for every language that they were shipped in.

The reason for this, per the eShop store page, is that “Because this version replicates the way the game was originally released, each language version is separate and there are no in-game options to change the language.” That’s an unnecessary complication for modern gamers, and honestly doesn’t make too much sense, but it hopefully won’t catch too many people out.

These Game Boy Advance remakes of the original game are rare enough to be prized possessions amongst game collectors, if you can find an original cartridge – it will be a great way to mark the Pokémon franchise’s 30th anniversary, that’s for sure.

The remakes updated the originals with the graphics of the GBA era – also making it so that Green was the pairing to Red, instead of Blue as it had been for the original western release – and added the Sevii Islands to visit, while bringing some other improvements like a contextual tutorial, save game recaps, and ties to the other Game Boy Advance and GameCube Pokémon games. Fire Red and Leaf Green also came with a special wireless adapter for local link play, and since wireless is now built into everything you own, this will also be supported on Switch.

Most importantly for the here and now, these games will have support for Pokémon Home added to them, so Pokémon caught in this game can be brought through to the newer titles.

This weekend will be Pokemon Go local Kalos Tour, and as we mentioned in our prep guide, it hasn’t been looking good. We’ve been expecting a big announcement to drop right before the event, and we were right, but it’s not a great one. The problematic-since-release feature, which has seen some improvement, is taking another […]

Nintendo Music has proven to be a nice little addition to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service adding a wide array of soundtracks from classic games from many different eras. The latest addition is the arrival of Pokemon FireRed & Pokemon LeafGreen which are arriving on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on 27th… Read More »Tracks from Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen added to Nintendo Music

Source

Nintendo has announced a special physical bundle for the upcoming rereleases of the beloved Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen and it looks rather special. It should be noted that the games themselves are download codes which expire in July 2026. The expiration date is presumably to stop people from hoarding and selling at a later date… Read More »Japan: Nintendo announces special physical bundle for Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen

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Nintendo and The Pokemon Company announced earlier today that both Pokemon FireRed & Pokemon LeafGreen will be arriving on the Nintendo eShop on Pokemon Day which is 27th February. Many of you have questions about how these releases are being handled and to answer some of the more pressing issues Nintendo has published a full… Read More »Nintendo publishes Pokemon FireRed & Pokemon LeafGreen Switch FAQ

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The time has arrived to celebrate the Pokémon franchise's birthday. The 30th Anniversary Pokémon Presents Livestream will take place on Pokémon Day at the end of February, offering a look at the next several months of releases and additions to the series.

Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen are officially making their way to Nintendo Switch and the upcoming "Switch 2," and honestly, it’s about time.

Nintendo is forcing a Pokemon TCG store in New York City to change its name, following concerns over the beloved franchise's branding and trademark. The massively popular TCG based on the monster-catching series is easily one of the biggest collectible card games in the world, with a long and storied history throughout its nearly three decades. The Pokemon TCG has grown into one of the biggest branches of the Pokemon brand, with tens of thousands of cards for players to collect across its many expansions. The past year has seen a particular boom for the TCG as well.

Early this morning, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company confirmed some big leaks from earlier in the month that two classic GameBoy Advance titles are coming to Nintendo Switch.

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen will launch as digital downloads for the Nintendo Switch on Feb. 27, Pokémon Day, after the big Pokémon Presents live stream. And that should be good news, but many are scoffing at the notion that the games are available only as digital purchases—and for $20 apiece to boot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhhFNXCNhv0&pp=ygUHcG9rZW1vbg%3D%3D

While I'm with everyone in wishing that the games would instead be available as part of the Gameboy Advance Nintendo Classics catalog as part of the online subscription, this move is obvious. Regardless of how many people have emulators on their phones and already have both games in their pocket as-is, many more will fork over the 20 bucks to have it on their Switch or Switch 2, so I can't blame the companies at all.

What does stink, though, is that an awesome special edition for the re-launch is coming out as well. And of course, it's coming to Japan only. Pictured below, it features a special case to display three glass PokéBalls depicting Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle within. It looks like it would make a gorgeous display piece.

The package also has some replica GameBoy Advance packaging reminiscent of the original GBA launch, along with a download code for FireRed. So, while it's not a physical edition of the game, it's still a really cool collector's item that most of the world will have to miss out on.

It's pretty decently priced, too, listed for sale on the Japanese Pokémon Center website at 19,800 Yen, or around $130 USD, so I can't say I wouldn't be interested in it if it wasn't available stateside. Hell, that's less than most of the Pokémon LEGO sets that are going online next weekend.

I'm still really excited to see whatever Pokémon announcements come out of the presentation next weekend for the series' 30th anniversary. But I'm also quickly realizing that I can't afford most of this stuff anyway, so I'll just have to admire from afar...especially if it's Japan-only.

The post The best part about Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen’s revival is, unsurprisingly, Japan exclusive appeared first on Destructoid.

Nintendo has announced remakes of Pokémon Red and Blue will be released on Switch next week, to coincide with a new Pokémon Presents.

After rumours suggested Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen were set be one of the surprises for Pokémon Day on February 27, Nintendo has now confirmed that’s exactly what’s going to happen.

As announced on Friday morning, the Game Boy Advance remakes of 1996’s Pokémon Red and Blue will launch on Nintendo Switch 1 and 2 on Friday, February 27, shortly after the Pokémon Presents showcase which airs on the same day at 2pm GMT.

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen are download exclusive titles on Switch, so they won’t be part of the Game Boy Advance line-up on Nintendo Switch Online and will instead be sold separately at £16.99 each – a fairly reasonable price considering Nintendo.

While it’s unclear why they are being sold outside of Nintendo Switch Online (aside from, you know, money), it might be related to Nintendo Switch Online’s rewind feature, which would play havoc with the trading mechanics and ruin the tension around shiny hunting.

Additionally, both these titles will support the Pokémon Home cloud service in the future, which would be tricky to implement through a Switch Online app.

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen on Switch will support local wireless multiplayer for battles and trading, but they won’t have online play. As confirmed on an FAQ page, it will support GameChat functionality on Nintendo Switch 2 but otherwise, ‘there are no major difference in how the games perform’ between the two systems.

Based on this Q&A, it seems like these two titles aren’t a sign that more classic Pokémon titles are planned for Switch – or that any other classic games beyond Pokémon will be released separately outside of Nintendo Switch Online.

‘We remain focused on offering classic games through Nintendo Switch Online and Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack,’ a response reads in regards to the Virtual Console’s potential return.

In response to why Nintendo is handling these games differently, it added: ‘In celebration of 30 years of Pokémon, we thought it would be fun to return to the ultimate versions of the original Pokémon adventures in the Kanto region with these special releases.’ Nintendo also confirmed these games will not receive a physical edition on Switch.

Before this announcement, there was no way to play classic Pokémon titles from the Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, or Nintendo DS on Switch. In the past, Nintendo made the games available on the 3DS Virtual Console, also as separate digital downloads.

Beyond the announcement of these ports, Nintendo has released music from Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen on the Nintendo Music App – so you can get into the spirit early.

More announcements are expected on Pokémon Day next Friday. Rumours suggest we could see the announcement of the next generation of Pokémon titles.

We might also see more from Pokémon Champions, Pokopia, and a potential release date for re-releases Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale Of Darkness on Nintendo Switch Online.

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The Thursday letters page is unsurprised God Of War: Sons Of Sparta was unremarkable, as one reader is enamoured by fan remakes of Pokémon Red/Blue.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Console apocalypse
So, um… all this stuff about memory and electronic components getting bought up by AI companies seems pretty bad, right? Like, really, really, bad? This guy talking about potentially a decade of problems presumably knows what he’s talking about, given his position, and that is going to be a nightmare for gaming. Never mind smartphones and everything else.

Do we even know if Sony and Nintendo are safe? They’re not gigantic companies like Microsoft and electronics is pretty much all they do beyond games. Maybe all three will go third party at the same time! I’m not really sure what companies he’s hinting at that could go under, as I’m not sure who counts as a smaller business, but it’s clearly not good news, no matter what happens.

There’s so much going wrong with the games industry, and the world in general, at the moment and yet it seems like it could still get much worse and very quickly. In the worse case scenario you’re talking about consoles, and gaming PCs, being impossible to manufacture for several years.

Whether that would last for a whole decade I don’t know but that’s an industry ending problem. I hope you’re all into retro games, because that might be all we have soon!
Oz

Monkey paw
So I guess one of the big victims of these memory shortage problems is going to be all those PC handheld gaming devices from companies I’ve never heard of. If even Steam Deck has only sold a few million I hate to think what some of these others are pushing. Even the Xbox Ally one, which I have literally not heard mentioned again even once since it came out.

That’s going to affect the rumoured Xbox portable and the PlayStation one too, to the point where they might just cancel them completely, because I imagine they involve a lot of custom chips – even more than if it was just a home console.

I’m sure no one but them knows the full details but this is all very bad news and yet… if you didn’t want there to be a next generation so soon your prayers have been answered. But you know the problem with being careful what you wish for, since now the PlayStation 6 might not arrive until 2036!
Korbie

Next in line
Like a lot of readers I’m looking forward to hearing abut the third Final Fantasy 7 remake game but I’m also wondering what might get the remake treatment after that is all finished up with. Do they even consider Final Fantasy 7 Remake to be a success is the first big question and I’m not sure what the answer is, other than there’s a good chance it might be ‘not really’.

They definitely seemed to have cooled on the idea of a Final Fantasy 9 remake, as there were rumours like crazy around that for a while. That was only meant to be a lower budget remake too, so that might be an indication they’ve already had it with triple-A remakes.

For me the obvious choices for Final Fantasy are 6 or 10, although personally I’d prefer 12. Final Fantasy 6 would require a completely new game, so I don’t think that will get the treatment. 10 is going to be a big job too, so I’m not honestly sure any of them will get remakes.

I’d love Chrono Trigger, but I think that’s the same problem as Final Fantasy 6, and so I think maybe the most likely is Kingdom Hearts, especially with a new game coming up to promote. Or maybe the answer is none of them. If a big budget Final Fantasy 7 remake only sells okay, what chance does anything else have?
Ochreblue

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Fan suggestion
I agree that this year is Game Freak’s big chance to turn around Pokémon in terms of the quality of the games and the technology behind them. I don’t know how likely it is, but if they don’t try this time I’m not sure they ever will.

Although most people imagine some kind of amazing high-tech open world I prefer the idea of something closer to the HD-2D style, that’s a mix between modern and retro graphics. There have been a lot of fan mock-ups with this idea over the years and while I don’t think any of them are perfect I’d rather go with something like this but keep it more of a top-down view.

Unless Nintendo is going to spend GTA 6 style money on it I don’t think there’s any point making Pokémon 3D. It’s got to be stylised and it’s got to be more like the wonder of the original Game Boy games. We might get that for a future remake but I’m afraid the next mainline game will just be another low-tech, janky knock-off.
Taylor Moon

You can dig it
Great Reader’s Feature about A Game About Digging a Hole at the weekend. I instinctively knew I would get some form of enjoyment out of it. Digging, collecting ore, selling it, upgrading equipment, and digging deeper? Absolutely all over it for £3.64.

Spaced out on Tramadol for a back issue last night, played for over two hours and it was an almost religious experience. Well not quite, but highly recommended to all other readers, especially for the price.
Whiskeyjack11

Fighting multiverse
RE: Lee Dappa. The closest you’ll get to playing all versions of Street Fighter 2 in one place, as one game, is not on the 30th anniversary collection of Street Fighter 2 but actually on the 35th anniversary collection labelled as Capcom Fighting Collection.

This release features Hyper Street Fighter 2: The Anniversary Edition. You can choose fighters from all versions of the Street Fighter 2 editions in one package.

Choosing World Warrior Ken from the original will give him extra strength, no super move, and he will be a palette swap of Ryu. Choosing Ken from Street Fighter 2 Turbo: Hyper Fighting will give him his longer range dragon uppercut and air whirlwind kick and still no super move.

Choosing Street Fighter 2 Turbo’s Ken will give him his flaming dragon punch but less damage, and thus more reliant on combos. But he will have his super move to use and the power bar for it at the bottom of the screen. This would apply to all characters across the games so you can have World Warrior E. Honda vs. Street Fighter 2 Turbo’s version of Blanka, for instance.
Nick The Greek

Online ban
I always wondered why companies don’t just lock a game out until the day it’s released, to avoid all these leaks you always get. It’s literally every game but they never seem to care. But surely it could just work like pre-loading, where you have the game but you’re not allowed to start playing it until the right time.

I guess you could buy the disc and then purposefully keep the console offline, and get around it that way, but who wants that much trouble? And besides, most games don’t seem to work without a day one patch anyway. At the very least a timer would cut the problem down, but the companies don’t even seem to try.
Flint

What it looks like
I know they say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but God Of War: Sons Of Sparta was an out of the blue shadow drop, it had what looked like terrible graphics, and it immediately looked inferior to about a 100 other Metroidvanias you could get instead. And as a bonus it was by some developer I’d never heard of, who’s biggest game was a Five Nights At Freddy’s spin-off.

I feel you have to be very optimistic given all that, to the point where I could probably sell you some magic beans. It’s not a question of whether it’s rubbish or not but if you want to spend a fair amount of money and a lot of time beating it, and I definitely don’t want to. Talk is cheap but time is not and at the moment I haven’t time for 10/10 blockbusters, let alone deeply average Metroidvanias.

I feel there’s plenty of interesting things an indie dev could’ve done with a low budget God Of War game and a 2D Metroidvania with Young Kratos seems like the absolute least exciting option. You could’ve had a game where you played as one of the Valkyries, you could have had a literal god game where you’re populating Midgar with humans, you could’ve had an archery thing with Arteus, heck you could’ve had a sledding simulator and it still would’ve been more interesting that what we got.

I know it was the safe option, but when the best option was probably not making a spin-off at all there’s no point going for the boring and obvious choice.
Campbell

Inbox also-rans
So Highguard has outlasted Concord, but by the sound of it it’ll be lucky see the weekend, so it’s really only going to beat it by a matter of days.
Goops

I really hate that Microsoft switched the buttons round on their controller compared to Nintendo’s. Why do so silly a thing and make it so difficult to switch (no pun intended) between the two consoles. I can never remember which is which way round.
Mobert

GC: They were copying Sega, who they were very cosy with in the initial years of the Xbox.

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It's always been a tradition in Pokémon games that some creatures are only available in one of two games – but what are the Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen exclusives?

Plenty of these exclusives carried over from the original Red and Blue (or Red and Green, we should say), but with the addition of new creatures from Johto and Hoenn, new exclusives joined that list in Generation 3.

It's a great time to dive back into Kanto, as we wait for more news on Pokemon's 30th anniversary and the elusive Generation 10 games

Of course, you could quite easily complete your Pokédex with the help of some cheats, but where's the fun in that?

So, for a quick overview of all the exclusives in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, let's get into it.

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen exclusives: Which Pokémon are only in one game?

Pokémon FireRed has a total of 23 exclusive Pokémon, while LeafGreen has 24 exclusive Pokémon.

With the Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen ports to the Nintendo Switch, hopefully it will now be a bit easier to complete that Pokédex, instead of having to trade Pokémon in person all over again.

Here is a full list of the Pokémon exclusive to each game:

Pokémon FireRed exclusives

Here are all of the Pokémon that are exclusive to Pokémon FireRed:

• #023 – Ekans
• #024 – Arbok
• #043 – Oddish
• #044 – Gloom
• #045 – Vileplume
• #054 – Psyduck
• #055 – Golduck
• #058 – Growlithe
• #059 – Arcanine
• #090 – Shellder
• #091 – Cloyster
• #123 – Scyther
• #125 – Electabuzz
• #182 – Bellossom
• #194 – Wooper
• #195 – Quagsire
• #198 – Murkrow
• #211 – Qwilfish
• #212 – Scizor
• #225 – Delibird
• #227 – Skarmory
• #239 – Elekid
• #386 – Deoxys (Attack Forme)

Pokémon LeafGreen exclusives

Here are all of the Pokémon that are exclusive to Pokémon LeafGreen:

• #027 – Sandshrew
• #028 – Sandslash
• #037 – Vulpix
• #038 – Nintetales
• #069 – Bellsprout
• #070 – Weepinbell
• #071 – Victreebel
• #079 – Slowpoke
• #080 – Slowbro
• #120 – Staryu
• #121 – Starmie
• #126 – Magmar
• #127 – Pinsir
• #183 – Marill
• #184 – Azumarill
• #199 – Slowking
• #200 – Misdreavus
• #215 – Sneasel
• #223 – Remoraid
• #224 – Octillery
• #226 – Mantine
• #240 – Magby
• #298 – Azurill
• #386 – Deoxys (Defense Forme)

View Green Video on the source website

 Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

More than two decades after first releasing on the Game Boy Advance, Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen are set to make a triumphant return.

The two games are remakes of the original Generation 1 Kanto games, Pokémon Red and Blue – or Red and Green, as they were in Japan.

And while the series has since made a return to Kanto in the form of Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee, FireRed and LeafGreen have remained the definitive way to enjoy the Kanto experience since their release in 2004.

So much so that fans have been clamouring for the games to receive ports ever since the launch of the original Switch, with the console family seemingly being perfect for playing old Pokémon titles.

Thankfully, our prayers have now been answered, as both Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen have been added to the 'Coming Soon' section of the Nintendo eShop.

We even have a confirmed release date – Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen will release on Nintendo Switch consoles on 27 February 2026, which just so happens to be Pokémon Day, and Pokémon's 30th anniversary.

The games will cost £16.99 / $19.99 each, which seems a bit steep for a 22-year-old game, but is a damn sight better than dropping a few dozen pounds on a potentially fake cartridge from eBay.

View Green Video on the source website

As well as supporting local wireless play, just as the original did, support for Pokémon Home is confirmed to be coming at a later date, meaning players will be able to transfer their Pokémon from this game into later generations.

A special physical edition has also been confirmed for Japan, including a replica Game Boy Advance box and a set of glass balls containing the three Kanto starters.

While plenty of fans will have been hoping for a full remake of FireRed and LeafGreen, the prospect of now being able to play the original games far easier is a godsend, and will certainly inspire hope for more fans (me) that Pokémon Emerald might just make its own return one day.

Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

The Golden PokéStops of Pokémon Go have returned to celebrate Lunar New Year, which means it's your chance to catch Gimmighoul once more.

Since their introduction, players have been able to use Golden Lure Modules to turn PokéStops gold, but during this event, they may randomly turn into Golden PokéStops if you're lucky.

Plus, you'll also be able to catch a shiny Gimmighoul during this event, so you don't want to miss out!

With Pokémon's 30th anniversary this year, there's plenty to look forward to across the main series, anime, TCG and of course, Pokémon Go.

So, if you're looking to get in on the action and catch yourself a Gimmighoul this Lunar New Year, here's what you need to know about Pokémon Go Golden PokéStops.

What are Golden PokéStops in Pokémon Go?

Golden PokéStops in Pokémon Go are similar to regular PokéStops, but offer more rewards compared to normal ones and can attract more Pokémon, including a Roaming Form Gimmighoul when you spin the stop.

To turn a PokéStop into a Golden PokéStop, you have to place a Golden Lure Module on it.

You can get Golden Lure Modules by linking your Pokémon Go account to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, and sending five postcards to the latter over five days.

To do this, you need to do the following:

• Launch Pokémon Scarlet or Violet on your Nintendo Switch
• Open the Poké Portal
• From the menu, select "Mystery Gift"
• Next, select "Connect to Pokémon Go"
• On your phone, open Pokémon Go and open the settings menu
• Scroll down to the bottom and select "Nintendo Switch"
• Go back to your Switch and select "Pair with a Pokémon Go account"
• You will receive a prompt to link your Pokémon Go and Scarlet/Violet account
• Once linked, open "Mystery Gift" in the Poké Portal in Scarlet or Violet
• Select "Connect to Pokémon Go" two times
• On your phone, open the Postcard Book in Pokémon Go
• Choose a postcard, then tap the hamburger menu (three vertical lines) and select "Send to Nintendo Switch"
• After it has sent, wait until the next day to send another, and do this five times

It does not have to be five days in a row, but five days in total. After you've sent five postcards, the Golden Lure Module will appear in your Pokémon Go inventory

View Green Video on the source website

How to get a Coin Bag in Pokémon Go

To get a Coin Bag in Pokémon Go, you need to send one postcard to Pokémon Scarlet or Violet.

You can do this by following the steps above, the difference being that you only have to send one postcard.

Once you have the Coin Bag, you will be able to crack on with catching a Gimmieghoul, which we cover just below.

View Riddle on the source website

How to catch a Roaming Form Gimmighoul

To catch a Roaming Form Gimmighoul, you will need to open a Coin Bag to attract Gimmighouls for 30 minutes, which you get after sending one postcard to Pokémon Scarlet or Violet, or by heading to a Pokéstop that has been turned gold by a Golden Lure Module, where Gimmighouls can be found.

The latter is your only method if you do not own Pokémon Scarlet or Violet.

If you manage to catch a Gimmighoul, you will need 999 Gimmighoul coins to evolve it into Gholdengo.

Golden PokéStops don’t stick around for very long, however, so you’ll need to act fast.

Read more on Pokémon:

• Pokémon Go Raids schedule - upcoming battles
• Best Pokémon gifts - the greatest merch
• Best Pokémon games on Switch - our ranking
• Best shiny Pokémon - the coolest creatures
• Best Dragon-type Pokémon - who's your fave?
• All cat Pokémon - the felines to catch
• Pokémon natures guide - all you need to know
• Pokémon type chart - strengths and weaknesses explained
• Legendary Pokémon - the full list
• Pokémon Scarlet and Violet cheats - handy hacks
• Pokémon Emerald cheats - what you need to know
• Pokémon Fire Red cheats - all codes
• Pokémon Go friend codes - and how to find them
• Pokémon games in order - where to start

Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Pokemon's 30th anniversary is right around the corner, and as one might expect, Pikachu's face is on almost all the marketing and merchandise. It's effectively the same logo as the 25th anniversary, except with a big 3 and 0 on its cheeks, instead of a 2 and 5.

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