Pokémon's First Official Multi-Region Game In Decades Will Feature 4 Classic Regions

It has been quite some time since a Pokémon entry has allowed players to explore multiple regions in one game. We saw it in the likes of Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, with Nintendo setting the first half of the game in the Johto region, before unlocking Kanto after beating the Pokémon League, but since the 2009 remake, Nintendo have stuck to same-region stories. However, with those regions, such as Lumiose City, being criticized for their lack of diversity, it is no wonder that this formula is seemingly set to change.

Now, according to recent reports, including Game Freak’s 2030 roadmap, we may be getting a multi-region MMO experience, set across Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh and Kitakami.

It was a year ago that Game Freak revealed its upcoming projects from now, until 2030. With Gen 10 set to begin in 2027 with the launch of Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves, it is believed that it will be followed by ProjectRingo/Legends Galar. Then, and perhaps the most exciting, is a potential 2029 release that takes players to all of the Japan-based regions, and is currently referred to as Project Seed. Last but not least, Gen 11 is expected to begin in 2030 at the earliest.

As for Project Seed, it is rumored to be a multi-region MMORPG with all of the aforementioned regions interconnected into a single world. Believed to launch in 2029, it is currently in development at Game Freak. The rumor was shared over on the Centro LEAKS Twitter/X account, and it was not long before Pokémon fans gathered to share their thoughts on the first multi-region entry in years.

“Game Freak making a game people actually want? We are in the end times,” one comment read. Another said, “This has potential to be the best Pokémon game of all time.”

The same sentiment was shared over on r/Animegamingnerd, after Game Freak’s upcoming docket was posted, to which one user replied, “Honestly, the main thing I have taken from these leaks is that the developers at Game Freak clearly have some pretty cool ideas. I saw a lot of awesome stuff planned from the last massive leaks. The multi-region remake sounds really fun. The minimal stuff I’ve seen for a Legends Galar seems interesting.”

A second user was feeling less hopeful, adding, “Game Freak doesn’t have the resources to pull off a game with four regions, like what Seed is described as. They only have around 200 employees in total, and they’re already juggling the main series and Legends.

Unless they outsource to another developer, I don’t see how Seed could realistically get released in that time frame. Though I suppose it could just end up as another rushed, low-quality mess like usual.”

At the time of writing, Project Seed’s development has not been announced by Game Freak nor Nintendo, and so it is worth taking all of this information with a pinch of salt. The information came from a massive data breach back in 2024, and so it remains a rumor to this day. However, there is no denying that a multi-region Pokémon title would be exactly what the franchise needs right now, so we can only hope that it comes true.

Pokémon is a Japanese multimedia franchise created by Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori, launched by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures in 1996. Centered on fictional creatures called Pokémon, the series spans video games, trading cards, animation, films, merchandise, and competitive events. Players assume the role of Trainers who capture, battle, and trade Pokémon. It is one of the highest-grossing entertainment franchises in history.