pokémon Future Revealed in extensive Leak, Progress Budgets Raise Concerns
A meaningful leak has revealed details about Nintendo’s plans for the Pokémon franchise through 2030, but it’s the reported development budgets that are sparking discussion among fans. The leak, circulating online, purportedly details plans for the next four Pokémon games.
According to the leaked information, the budget for the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Z-A was approximately 2 billion yen (around $13 million USD).This figure has surprised many, as development budgets for major Japanese games are often smaller than those in the West due to factors like staff salaries, but still appears low for a flagship Nintendo series.Concerns have been raised regarding performance issues in recent Pokémon titles, leading to worries about insufficient investment in future game optimization.
Online commentary reflects this sentiment. A top comment on a Reddit thread discussing the leak joked that the entire leak could be summarized as “even lower budget for next game.” Another user commented, “A lot of people are going to complain about the money budget and not enough people will complain about the time budget of thes games.” A further poster expressed a desire for “a better engine, and actually treat Pokemon as a modern game with a high budget.”
The leaked documents reportedly outline plans through 2030, beginning with the next mainline game, currently codenamed “Gaia” and slated to be known as Pokémon Wind and Waves. This tenth generation title is reportedly targeted for release next year, with DLC planned for 2027, and will be set in southeast Asia. Concept art depicts open jungle environments. Its budget is reported to be 3 billion yen (roughly $20 million USD), a notable increase from Pokémon Legends: Z-A, perhaps due to planned improvements including a new engine.
Following Pokémon Wind and Waves, a new Pokémon Legends game is planned, set in the galar region from sword and Shield, codenamed “ringo.” Further projects include “Seed,” wich will reportedly feature multiple regions from past games, and an eleventh generation game aiming for a 2030 release.
It is crucial to note that the authenticity of this information remains unconfirmed. Even if accurate, the leaked documents may be outdated and subject to change. Eurogamer has contacted The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for comment.
This leak follows the early release of copies of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, which is officially launching this Thursday, October 16th. The game is currently being streamed on platforms like Twitch, and illegal ROMs are circulating, resulting in widespread spoilers.
