The Pokémon Company could be working on remakes of Nintendo DS games Diamond and Pearl, according to a new report and a freshly discovered website URL.
Fan siteCentro Pokémonclaims to have been informed by sources close to ThePokémoncompany that it will announce the games in February to coincide with the franchise’s 25th anniversary.
Originally released in 2006, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl were the first instalments in the fourth generation of the Pokémon video game series.
It’s claimed that the remakes will hitNintendo Switchin 2021 and feature classic capture mechanics as opposed to those featured in Pokémon Let’s Go.
Potentially lending weight to the report is Centro Pokémon’s discovery that adiamondpearl.pokemon.comdomain has been enabled. The URL currently returns a 403 error, meaning access to the requested resource is forbidden, but it may suggestThe Pokémon Companyhas created blocked content under the Diamond and Pearl name.
UPDATE:Thediamondpearl.pokemon.comweb address has now been taken down.
ORIGINAL STORY CONTINUES:A notedNintendoinsider, who haspreviously leaked accurate timingsrelated toNintendo Directs, also recentlyclaimedthat Pokémon remakes would be released in November 2021.
Mainline Pokémon instalments Red & Blue, Gold & Silver, and Sapphire & Ruby have all been remade, so fourth generation Diamond & Pearl is theoretically next in line for the same treatment.
On DS, Diamond & Pearl introduced internet play over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, several changes to the core battle mechanics and the addition of over 100 new Pokémon.
The games take place in the fictional region of Sinnoh, an island based on the Japanese island of Hokkaidō, characterised by its large, snow-covered mountains.
Last November,The Pokémon Company began teasing plansfor a “very special upcoming celebration of Pokémon’s 25th anniversary in 2021”.
As revealed on ananniversary websitethis week, The Pokémon Company will be collaborating with singer Katy Perry, releasing special merchandise, and reprinting classic Pokémon cards.
New Pokémon Snap, the Switch sequel to the classicN64game, will be released on April 30,Nintendo also announced on Thursday.
Further reading
Several Pokémon games were released to coincide with the franchise’s 20th anniversary in 2016, including Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon for 3DS andPokémon GoforiOSandAndroid.
Nintendo launchedPokémon Sword and Shield’s The Crown Tundra DLCfor Switch in October. It’s available as part of a $29.99/£26.99 expansion pass, which also grants access toSword and Shield’s first expansion, Isle of Armor.
Together the two expansionsadd more than 200 legacy Pokémon to the game. Players who don’t purchase the DLC can obtain them via other means such as trading or online play.
