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New Pokemon Sun and Moon Version Coming to Nintendo Switch - Report

Written in the Stars?

34 Comments

Pokemon Sun and Moon may be getting a third version for Nintendo Switch.

That's according to Eurogamer, which claims "multiple sources" have told it this third Alolan adventure is currently titled Pokemon Stars--though that may just be a codename.

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Now Playing: GS News Update: New Pokemon Sun & Moon Version Could Come to Nintendo Switch

Stars was due for release in summer 2017, but has apparently been pushed back to "later in the year" following a brief development hiatus, required for Sun and Moon to be completed on time.

The game is being made at long-time Pokemon dev Game Freak, and it will feature higher-resolution assets enabled by the platform's greater power. It will, however, have the same map, journey, and art style as Sun and Moon--just as earlier third games in the series, like Crystal and Yellow, shared much common ground with Gold/Silver and Red/Blue before them.

If real, Stars would be the first mainline Pokemon game to ever appear on a Nintendo home console. Veteran Pokemon producer Junichi Masuda said recently that Game Freak was "already starting to think about the next title," and that the timing of release "will determine which platform we would release it on." This came after an earlier report saying the Switch would receive a new Pokemon, Mario, and Zelda game within six months of launching.

Pokemon Sun and Moon are out now in North America and Japan, while European players have to wait until November 23. Distributer Nintendo said recently that Sun and Moon are the "best pre-selling games in Nintendo history," while a connection between Pokemon Sun/Moon and Pokemon Go is still in the works.

Check out our Pokemon Sun and Moon review in progress for more on the pair of critter-collecting games.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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edinko

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"If real, Stars would be the first mainline Pokemon game to ever appear on a Nintendo home console."

Well No! Its not a home console. Its a mobile handheld you can plug into your tv so no no no.

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OBSIDIAN_BORN

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Sweet! BUT I expect an amazing Pokémon game made from the ground up for the Switch next time...

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jinzo9988

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Edited By jinzo9988

The word 'duh' comes to mind. The 3DS is several years old and the Switch can go fully portable. They're not releasing a dedicated portable with a product like the Switch also out on the market, so by definition a main Pokemon game would eventually make its way onto the Switch. If a brand new one is going to make its way to the Switch, they might as well start early with a port. It's guaranteed to make them money.

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SouXouX

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@jinzo9988: Depends on how well the Switch is welcomed in Japan. Nintendo will not ignore the japanese market, and that market is dominated by portable consoles. Switch is a hybrid and that could mean both success and failure, since it could just deliver a mediocre console and mediocre portable experience or be superb at both. We'll see.

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RSM-HQ

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Edited By RSM-HQ

No regrets, game is awesome!

Hopefully Switch version can interact with 3DS players, as I can imagine a few taking the upgrade/ waiting for the Switch version. While people like me are happy with S/M on 3DS.

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Metallinatus

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Good. Fire Emblem Fates HD being released for Wii U tomorrow? Yes or Yes?

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Tiwill44

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Neat, I was waiting for this. Didn't buy the game yet.

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nintendians

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so i expect the graphics and 3d models would improved more than the 3ds version?

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DeadPhoenix86

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@Metallicwolf29: as far as i know, its always been a Nintendo licensed game. so what does Sony and Microsoft have to do with this????

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Henry518

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@DeadPhoenix86: I think he means because the Switch is probably gonna be the number 1 console when they launch this Pokemon

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sakaiXx

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@DeadPhoenix86: need to write something

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Sepewrath

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So according to these rumors, every game ever is going to be released for Switch in its first two days on the market. Come on. These games sell millions on 3DS, but its not all done at once like say a CoD game. They would be undercutting their own sells by releasing a game like this next year. It would be smart to let Sun/Moon go on 3DS for at least two years and then do a 3rd version and I'm pretty sure they know that too.

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jinzo9988

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Edited By jinzo9988

@Sepewrath: I remember a time when a big launch lineup was a good thing. It's a port. It's not going to take them a ton of time and effort to do a port. Also, this is one of those games that holds market interest well beyond its release date so even if they don't sell a ton of them right out of the gate, it's going to sell over time.

They're undercutting their own sales to push a new hardware platform that must succeed early to keep continued interest in third party development. Remember how many people were on board initially with the Wii U? You see how the Wii U is now? They have to come out swinging right out of the gate, and that's a direct investment in the platform's future. Of course the other side of that argument is that too many good Nintendo games right out of the gate leaves little room for third party developers to actually succeed with their games. I hate to say it but at the end of the day, I buy Nintendo consoles for Nintendo games, and I think a lot of people feel that way too. The fact that it's portable may change that mindset though.

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Jigen32

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@Sepewrath: It'll probably also come out for 3DS but that wasn't the point of the article.

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Sepewrath

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@Jigen32: It would be dumb to even release a 3rd version that quickly on 3DS. This one will sell 10+ million, if you release another version before a year is out--it will take the legs out from under the original. Why do you think they wait a couple years now before releasing remakes? There's always a drop off in sales from the original to the 3rd version, releasing it so close to the original would see the same drop off and cut into sales of the original, no matter what system you put it on. Don't you think if they saw this rumor as a working system, they would have been doing this for years already?

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spike6958

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Edited By spike6958

Wow, so maybe Nintendo did those of us in Europe a favor by making us wait an extra week. Now I don't have to waste my money on a 3DS version, when the real version will come out later next year, and for home consoles no less.

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Metallinatus

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@spike6958: So Pokémon Switch is coming out before Switch? Neat.

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freonyl

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Edited By freonyl

gonna get this one

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SonictheHeg

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I've been played for a fool buying this on 3DS

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Sepewrath

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@SonictheHeg:Your a fool if you believe every rumor you've heard this week.

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SonictheHeg

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Edited By SonictheHeg

@Sepewrath: Hum? Like believing the rumors on the Switch which were true?

Just expressing my feelings towards a rumor that seems very likely to be true. Following all the previous statements and the fact that the Switch is an hybrid device.

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petey_olivarez

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@SonictheHeg: May I feed you a chilidog?

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Sepewrath

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Edited By Sepewrath

@SonictheHeg: Yeah the one rumor of the DOZENS of rumors surrounding the system. What you ignore all the rumors that turned out to not be true? This could easily be another example, particularly ones that sound so unrealistic and utterly defy sense.

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Sepewrath

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@Metallicwolf29: What are you five years old?

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