Pokémon Presents is coming next week and could announce the next step for the franchise

Pokemon scarlet starters
(Image credit: Nintendo / The Pokémon Company / GAME FREAK)

The next Pokémon Presents showcase will be arriving next week and promises "exciting Pokémon news."

The showcase will be available on the Pokémon YouTube channel and is set to arrive on February 27 at 9am EST / 6am PST / 2pm BST.  Those in Australia will be able to tune in at 12am AEST on February 28. 

The official Pokémon Twitter / X page made the announcement this morning (February 20), along with a short but sweet 15-second trailer depicting a dancing Pikachu. While we don't yet know exactly what to expect, but, between the possibility of flashy remakes or a brand new Pokémon generation, there are plenty of potential reveals that could turn the head of even the most jaded fan.

The Pokémon Presents showcase will coincide with Pokémon Day, the anniversary of the release of the original Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green versions in Japan on Game Boy Color back in 1996. The Pokémon Company acknowledges the event every year, and marking the day with a Pokémon Presents showcase seems especially fitting.   

The latest generation of Pokémon hasn't been without its challenges. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, which released at the end of 2022, received mixed responses. In our review here at TechRadar Gaming, I praised the title as "the most ambitious Pokémon game ever made" on account of its impressive open world. However, Scarlet and Violet was also "significantly held back by performance issues and bugs." 

More recently, the success of multiplayer survival game Palworld has drawn attention to the demand for a more modern and innovative monster-catching title. While the survival and manufacturing mechanics in Palworld are markedly different from Pokémon, millions of players have been attracted to Pocketpair's early access adventure game on account of its novelty - a feat that The Pokémon Company will likely be unable to ignore.

This means there's more riding on the upcoming Pokémon Presents than you might initially suspect. The Pokémon Company is in the unenviable position of needing to rebuild trust and confidence. On February 27, we'll be able to see if it's able to deliver. 

Looking for some adventure? Check out our lists of the best RPGs and the best single-player games.

Cat Bussell
Freelance contributor

An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.

A Cambridge graduate, recovering bartender, and Cloud Strife enjoyer, Cat’s foremost mission is to bring you the best coverage she can, whether that’s through helpful guides, even-handed reviews, or thought-provoking features. She’s interviewed indie darlings, triple-A greats, and legendary voice actors, all to help you get closer to the action. When she’s not writing, Cat can be found sticking her neck into a fresh RPG or running yet another Dungeons & Dragons game.