If there’s one game franchise where remakes tend to be the most welcome, it would have to be thePokemonseries. It’s become a tradition at this point for there to be a remake of a previousPokemongame after the release of a brand new one, and ever sincePokemon SwordandPokemon Shieldreleased in 2019, most fans have been craving a return to the series' 4th generation.
Pokemon DiamondandPokemon Pearlare regarded by some as the best games in the series, and ever since the 3rd generation of games got some remake love all the way back in 2014, a lot of fans have been wanting the same forDiamondandPearl.
In the same way that remakes have become pretty commonplace in the video game industry,rumors and leaks on potential upcoming video gameshave become customary among fans. ThePokemoncommunity is no exception to this, and the rumor mill forPokemon DiamondandPokemon Pearlremakes has been working overtime as of late. There’s so many rumors at this point, it can be a little overwhelming to sift through them all.
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Gigantamaxing Could Be Featured
Gigantamaxing is one of many new features that thePokemonseries has introduced to spice up battles. Like the Z-Moves and Mega Evolutions before it, Gigantamaxing transforms the player’s Pokemon, turning them into colossal versions of themselves and giving them devastating attack moves. And essentially, one rumor claimed thatGigantamaxing would appear in theDiamondandPearlremakes.
It then went on to list some of thePokemon that will be able to Gigantamaxin the purported remake, including the final evolutions of the game’s three starters. As most rumors should be taken with a decently sized pile of salt, fans should wait for confirmation on this one, but it would make some sense as the 3rd gen remakes also contained forms of Mega Evolution.
Junichi Masuda’s Psyduck Tweet
The next rumor comes in the form ofa tweet from Game Freak producer Junichi Masuda. Masuda didn’t quite leak anything or directly tease something, but the photo that he used in his tweet caught the attention of eagle-eyedPokemonfans. The photo in question had a bunch of plush Psyduck grouped up in a circle, reminiscent of a similar moment inDiamondandPearlwhen the player is blocked by several Psyduck that are experiencing one collective headache. This could have been Masuda’s way of hinting that the remakes are on their way. Considering this was also a New Year’s tweet, Masuda could have been insinuating that the remake will be coming in 2021.
Potential February Reveal
One of the more recent rumors comes from Spanish outlet Pokemon Center, which claims to have sources close to The Pokemon Company. This rumor centers around thereveal window for theDiamondandPearlremake, and it would appear to be coming soon. According to the source, the reveal is going to come some time in February, but it didn’t specify when.
One of the unfortunate side effects of rumors like this one is that there tends to not be any specific information other than that “something” is going to happen. That being said, this reveal window would coincide perfectly with Pokemon Day, which usually falls on February 27th, andthe 25th anniversary of thePokemonfranchise. If the rumor is to be believed, announcing the remakes on this day would make perfect sense and be a great way to celebrate.
Upcoming Pokemon Merch
The most recentDiamondandPearlrumor that has a lot of fans all riled up comes from aleaked merchandise listing fromPokemonleaker Centro Pokemon LEAKS. In most situations, a merchandise leak wouldn’t really point to a potential game reveal, but this one could be an exception. The main cause for excitement with this leak is the fact thatDiamondandPearl’s three starters make an appearance.
There was also a number of other Pokemon that were introduced in the 4th generation that were featured in the merchandise, specifically Riolu, Lucario, Leafeon, Glaceon, Munchlax, and Pachirisu. When it comes toPokemonmerchandise, there’s usually a focus placed on more popular characters like Pikachu or Charmander. The inclusion of these specific characters could very well mean that The Pokemon Company is getting ready for a bigDiamondandPearlmarketing push.
Like any rumors for any game, the rumors listed here should be approached with a layer of skepticism. ThePokemonseries is known for having some farfetched rumorsthat can misdirect fans that are genuinely looking forward to a game. That being said, these rumors can also be a great way to stoke excitement and give players something to look forward to until an official announcement is made. With Pokemon Day fast approaching, and thePokemon Snapremake coming in April, fans of the series should have plenty of content to hold them over until more news on aDiamondandPearlremake becomes available.
Pokemon DiamondandPearl Remakesare not confirmed to be in development.
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