Despite rumours that a mainline Pokemon game would appear on the Nintendo Switch, developers Game Freak only announced that souped-up versions of the latest games will be releasing on 3DS hardware. For many, this news will be disappointing, but it isn’t without precedent.
In the past, Game Freak has stated that they “believe that Pokemon is best on a handheld“, though obviously the Switch is a hybrid console. We also know that a new 2DS XL is releasing later this year, and I’d wager that the combination of new handhelds plus new Pokemon will be a great boon for Nintendo’s sales. It’s just a bummer because emulators have shown us that a Pokemon game with higher graphical quality is possible.
Ultra Sun and Moon will feature an alternate storyline with new Alola creatures, and will drop on 17 November 2017. You can see the trailer below, starting around the 2:30 mark. You’ll note that Megas are back, and the legendaries we grew to love in Sun and Moon have a sleek new outer shell. Neat.
We reached out to The Pokemon Company to ask if Ultra Sun and Moon will be coming to the Nintendo Switch. Players are still holding out hope due to a web listing from this morning. Reportedly, fans such as neoGAF’s Atheerios spotted that the official Pokemon press page briefly listed Switch as a future platform:
Once we took a look, any mention of the Switch was gone:
The official press release sent to Kotaku, meanwhile, didn’t mention platforms for Ultra Sun and Moon at all.
Today’s Pokemon Direct also brought the first look from the newest titles in the Pokemon series, Pokemon Ultra Sun and Pokemon Ultra Moon. Launching worldwide on November 17, more details on Pokemon Ultra Sun and Pokemon Ultra Moon will be revealed later this year.
The Pokemon Company tells Kotaku that the listing of the Switch was a clerical error:
We would like to address rumours based on a clerical error on the Pokemon press site; Pokemon Ultra Sun and Pokemon Ultra Moon are coming exclusively to Nintendo 3DS family of systems and are not due for release on Nintendo Switch. This listing on the Pokemon press site was made in error and is not indicative of future plans. Please refer to the Pokemon Direct for more game details.
We do know, however, that the 3DS is capable of communicating with the Switch, and Ultra Sun and Moon could have taken great advantage of that.
Some screenshots for your viewing pleasure:
Comments
11 responses to “Pokemon Ultra Sun And Moon Only Announced For 3DS Later This Year”
Seems to me like the kind of thing they’d rather announce at E3.
Alternate story line?
Does that mean something like Fire Emblem Fates Revelations? Where a certain number of chapters are common to previous ‘versions’ of the game but there is a branching off at a certain point with all new material?
Just deciding if I should wait for this or just get Sun/Moon?
Sun/Moon and UltraSun/UltraMoon will have a different storyline but I think it will bring you to understand the Alolan region more.
The Ultra I believe is related to the Ultra beasts in the Alolan region.
Best if you get both if you are into it?
Probably more like how Emerald was an alternate version of Ruby and Saphire.
Personally I think wait. It would most likely have everything Sun and Moon did. Plus hopefully some of the data mined stuff from Sun and Moon they didnt use
If I had to guess I’d say the Ultra games take place in an alternate dimension. Either way it will use a lot of recycled zones and feature general improvements, so if you’re only getting one I’d say the Ultra games are the ones to get.
This reminds me of the time I brought a PS4 and then half a year later they announced the PS4 PRO.
Precisely why I’m not getting a Switch yet
Yeah fuck game companies and their greedy ways.
Well mainly so you get a console where they got rid of all the problems plaguing the launch console (3ds needed another control stick, Switch gets scratched screens in dock etc), and a slightly more powerful console (that game companies will be too scared to use out of fear of releasing to a more limited market)
More like Black and White 2 is what I’m thinking. And that worked okay.
I’ll always hope for a Gold/Silver style sequel, but I’ll take a B2W2 style half sequel over a merged path follow up like Crystal.
I guarantee that the black stuff on the legendaries is just a fusion between the legendaries and the black ultra beast you get at the end like how B2 and W2 had fusion between the previous legendaries and the new one
Do you guys think that ultra sun and moon will be supported on 2ds??? I don’t know….just having some feeling that will not work. Any thoughts about it guys??
i was wondering that but they are releaseing the pokeball 2ds xl so i hope it works