2021 is a pretty big year for the Pokémon Company. There had already been plenty of rumors about a remake of the Diamond and Pearl titles, but alongside these classic returns, it's also a year of celebration for Nintendo. 2021 marks the 25th Anniversary of the Pokémon brand!
Of course, there's likely plenty more to look forward to throughout the year. Whether it's continued development on other titles or the potential for other releases, events, or game updates throughout the year, fans of the Pikachu brand have a lot to look out for potentially, as some of the rumors and theories currently circulating may turn out to be accurate.
Niantic and Nintendo are always looking for ways to refresh Pokémon Go as it continues to maintain a loyal fan base and begin to appeal to a wider audience once more. Expanding the Pokédex is usually one way to bring a great deal of new content to the mobile game in an easy way.
There's been a number of leaks about the assets that are currently in the build of the game, which could point to new Generation 6 and 7 Pokémon being added throughout 2021. This would give players a brand new set of characters to search for, catch and battle with! The game would continue to come a long way from its launch with iconic Generation I Pokémon.
Mega Evolutions have already become a well-known part of the franchise after being introduced in the mainline games Pokémon X And Y and continuing into Sun and Moon. These evolutions have in part been introduced into Pokémon Go.
The same asset leak has also pointed to the fact that further Mega Evolutions could also be brought into the game throughout the year. With 48 in the mainline games, there's plenty of room for Pokémon Go to expand the Pokédex and continue adding these impressive characters.
Gigantamax Pokémon seem like the natural next step for Pokémon Go after the concept was brought into the mainline games. The idea is for the Pokémon to significantly grow in size, increasing their power and thereby adding to the spectacle of Pokémon battles.
The mechanics of this seem difficult for the game to adapt to mobile devices, but some players think they've found a glitch that demonstrates that Niantic is working on a solution to this problem. It would be an interesting addition to the Pokédex and one that could help cap off 2021 and lead into a new season and year.
Detective Pikachu is a huge brand for the Pokémon Company and a game is making its way to Nintendo Switch. However, it's currently unclear as to what this game currently consists of. There's a number of theories as to what fans could expect from the title.
It's possible that this may be a remake in a similar way to Pokémon Snap. It could also be an update like Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. The most likely answer is that this is a sequel of sorts though, allowing players to pick up where the last game left off.
With the game coming to Nintendo Switch though speculation has begun that perhaps a new movie is in development and this 2021 release is going to coincide or capitalize on the title. It's important to note that lead star Justice Smith doesn't believe there will be a second film.
A few years back it was confirmed a sequel was being written though and with fans eager to see plenty of new Pokémon in live-action and a continuation of that story, the 25th Anniversary could be a good year to reveal plans for the brand's cinematic future.
Considering the responses of the lead though, there are potentially no announcements for Detective Pikachu this year. The studio behind the original film, Legendary, has been working on a different live-action Pokémon project which fans could hear about this year.
With rumors of what the title could be continuing to unfold, including the potential for a Red/Blue film, the timeline works out that 2021 could be the perfect stage of the development process to announce to the world what Nintendo and the Pokémon Company have been working on.
Another rumor that has begun to circulate is the idea that additional DLC may be brought to Sword and Shield in 2021. Fans speculated that Nintendo may be done with the title for now so that they can focus on their other projects such as the Diamond and Pearl remake.
But with theories suggesting these titles are straight-up visual redesigns as opposed to significant changes for Nintendo Switch, it's more probable that this DLC may be released in order to continue to get players involved with the newer title.
There are a couple of other leaks that have been making the rounds based on the development process of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. It's possible that as they make their way into Pokémon Go, Mega Evolutions could also make a comeback in the mainline titles.
The concept of a Mega Evolution was not in existence when the original Diamond and Pearl were released on the Nintendo DS. But with the company potentially looking to update the game, this may be an interesting addition that adds a fresh coat of paint for players.
2021 has been a big year for Nintendo in general, but with E3 going ahead in June plenty of big gaming companies are building up their presentations after last year's cancellation disappointed fans. Nintendo is likely going to be showcasing their upcoming Switch titles.
There have been rumors that suggest that Pokémon may make up some of the highlights of Nintendo's display as they continue to showcase their mobile updates, as well as the various titles releasing in 2021 and beyond. Expect the potential for new announcements and further gameplay footage.
There's a lot of speculation that the Nintendo Switch Pro is actually going to release sooner than expected, potentially even being announced at E3. Pokémon will have a huge presence on the console if that really is the case, as it has done with every other Nintendo product.
In fact, the success of Pokémon on the Nintendo Switch has demonstrated that Nintendo will want to continue to give the franchise prime position on the Pro release. It could even be that Legends: Arceus might be released on the Pro as well as the Lite and traditional Switch.
