Pokémon is a franchise that has garnered immense popularity over the years. With more than 34 games released across multiple Nintendo platforms, as well as a variety of anime series and films, it has become a juggernaut within gaming circles. The series is also very malleable with the types of genres it can be part of, with multiple spin-off titles applying different game genres into the Pokémon universe. But for as much as we've seen Pokémon conquer the world, digitally and physically, there are still things that we haven't seen from the franchise just yet. One of the biggest and most interesting types of games that would work well with the world of Pokémon would be the MMO RPG genre.

But what would a Pokémon MMO be like, and how would it work out well to fit with the core elements of the franchise if one were made for the Nintendo Switch 2? Despite multiple people at Game Freak and Nintendo stating that a massively multiplayer online game wouldn't be feasible, fans have wanted to see something like that for years. Traveling the world and interacting with others is a big part of the Pokémon games, but the world of Pokémon could be substantially bigger if given the chance. Here's why a Pokémon MMO game for the Nintendo Switch 2 would be a legendary game release.

Generations of Pokémon

Beyond the limits of previous games

At the current time, there have been a total of nine different generations of Pokémon games, with each generation having more than 50 additional species of Pokémon added with each new game. The single largest generation in a Pokémon game to date was Generation 5 from Pokémon Black and White, which contained 156 creatures. And although each game has included parts of different generations within a single adventure, the overall total was always limited compared to what the franchise has accumulated. But what if there were no limits, and one large game was able to completely incorporate every generation of Pokémon together? Rather than having one main grouping of Pokémon being the focus, a game could instead have access to them all.

The scope of a massively multiplayer game could allow for something like this to be possible. It would still be a Pokémon game that encourages players to battle, trade, and catch them all, but on a much larger scale. Nine generations of Pokémon species are included in one epic experience, with many permutations and varieties among players who engage with it. To any Pokémon fan, that would be intimidating at first, but a feat that would be exciting to tackle. The diversity between teams for each player, as well as the possibilities of interactions that open up when the pool of Pokémon species is expanded, would make for a very interesting and fun online experience.

Regions to travel through

Going to more places often

With a larger pool of Pokémon to catch and battle, inevitably come more locations to go to when searching for them. One of the best experiences in the Pokémon series comes from Pokémon Gold and Silver, which featured two main regions for players to explore. Other Pokémon titles have done something similar, allowing players to visit new areas after exploring the main location that was the highlight of the game, which usually opens up new species of Pokémon to find. However, the size and scope of an MMO game open up the possibility of having more than just a few regions to go to and becoming a Pokémon legend. Most MMO games like World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV, and others tend to have numerous locations and environments for players to visit, often with many side activities and points of interest. This is something that the Pokémon could take full advantage of with a larger game made for Switch 2.

Within the 34 games that have been part of the Pokémon series, multiple regions featuring all kinds of Pokémon types have taken players to many places. If one could somehow combine all the regions that the games have featured, one would most likely get a large map on a similar scale to most modern MMO games. Whether connected by some sort of fast travel system or even by players finding ways to get around with their own Pokémon allies, it ends up feeling like a similar setup to a game like World of Warcraft. Even the idea of having a mount with one of your active Pokémon to help you get around a large area is similar, which can be dynamic depending on the location of a player and the region they are exploring. It's almost too perfect a concept.

And while that might not be exactly how things could work, it's a concept that would make for a great foundation for building a Pokémon MMO game for the Nintendo Switch 2. One can imagine having all nine regions of the series accessible, with multiple events and unique storylines going on that could make one feel like they're on a true quest to become a master of Pokémon. It not only fits within the main goal that the franchise has been loudly proud of for years, but it can also approach it in a way that takes the idea of a Pokémon world to a higher place.

Connecting even more players

Bringing everyone together

If there's one thing that would be immensely beneficial for a Pokémon series MMO, it would be how many more people can connect to each other at a time. As a franchise, Pokémon has always promoted interaction between players in various ways, such as trading and battling with one another. As more games were released, this level of player interaction went even further as more activities were implemented into newer generations of the franchise. People love connecting with others and finding ways to enhance their Pokémon experience together, not just through competitive battling. In something as wide-reaching as the MMO genre, this type of approach can be taken so much further in ways the series has yet to even grasp.

In such a large space, so many players can end up in a given location when playing an MMO, which is ideal for the Pokémon series. Newer games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Pokémon Legends: Z-A have shown towns and other locations populated with more people moving around. But what if those same NPC characters were instead real players roaming around on their own journey? Like in other MMO titles, players being able to interact at shops, speak with different NPC characters for new quests and activities, or even connect with other players to form groups or clans for a variety of reasons would all make total sense. These are the kinds of things that big games like Guild Wars 2, Phantasy Star Online, and World of Warcraft all make available to players, which can be done just as well with the Pokémon franchise.

Multiplayer has always been part of the Pokémon series in various ways, but never at the level of something like this. Every Pokémon game is primarily a single-player experience, with multiplayer features as a light addition. But if the idea of a Pokémon world is to truly be realized, then bringing the franchise into the MMO genre, where more than just a few players can be present, can make that a closer reality.

Letting the Pokémon series grow

For now, the Pokémon have been doing very well and show no signs of losing momentum in the eyes of players. The latest game coming out for the Nintendo Switch 2 continues what players have been enjoying for years, with new species of Pokémon to find and capture, just like we've been doing since the original Game Boy in 1996. But for the franchise to grow and become even greater than before, it needs to be able to take things into other territories it hasn't previously explored. And with the Nintendo Switch 2 being a more powerful console that opens up new possibilities for game franchises, now might be a great time to consider seeing a Pokémon MMO game. There are a lot of great things that can come from it, which could end up becoming a legendary release for everyone to enjoy.