Pokemon Black and White remakes feel closer than ever based on new events
The Pokemon Company/Game FreakStrap on your tin foil hat and let us explain why we think Pokemon Black and White remakes are right around the corner.
There’s always a lot going on in the world of Pokemon, thanks to its dominance as a multimedia empire. That feels truer than ever lately, though. The popularity of Pokemon TCG Pocket, Pokemon GO’s continued success, and the tantalizing prospect of Pokemon Legends: Z-A have the franchise firmly in the spotlight at all times.
While there’s a tonne of confirmed Pokemon goodness to look forward to, fans of the series are always looking ahead into the realm of speculation. One of the biggest unconfirmed events that we’ve been waiting for is the announcement of Pokemon Black and White remakes.
Well, thanks to a series of recent reveals for other Pokemon properties like the TCG and Pokemon GO, we think those Generation 5 remakes are close. Allow us to explain.
The Pokemon CompanyWhy are players so hungry for Pokemon Black and White remakes?
It might be more accurate to say that Pokemon fans are hoping for Generation 5 remakes rather than just Pokemon Black and White remakes. There’s a little bit to go over when making sense of that.
It’s no secret that Pokemon Black and White weren’t particularly well-received at launch. A lot of the controversy came down to the fact that Game Freak decided to lock Pokemon from previous generations behind the endgame meaning that players didn’t have access to their existing favorites out of the gate.
While this was a sore point for a little bit, in the intervening years, Pokemon Black and White and the fifth generation of games have grown on players. There are many in the fandom who consider them to be the best the series has to offer.
In retrospect, the introduction of 156 new Pokemon for the Unova region and the decision to force players to engage with them is now seen as a bold decision that freshened things up. Pokemon Black and White also offered a more mature story for an aging playerbase that grappled with complex issues within the setting such as the morality of keeping Pokemon detained in balls and forcing them to fight.
The Pokemon Company/Game FreakThe introduction of Pokemon Black and White 2 as the series’ first direct sequels that continued that complex narrative also expanded on more of what players liked about their predecessors. Memorable characters, new battle mechanics, and earlier access to Pokemon from earlier generations made these sequels an instant hit.
With the benefit of hindsight, the fifth-generation Pokemon games have become a darling of the franchise. Thanks to their newfound cult status and the fact that physical versions of these titles now sell for absurd prices in the secondary market, fans are more than ready for Pokemon Black and White remakes.
Pokemon Black and White remake hints explained
Now for the reason we think that those Pokemon Black and White remakes will be revealed sooner, rather than later. Obviously, The Pokemon Company and Game Freak have made a habit of releasing remakes of classic games every few years.
Pokemon Black and White are the logical next in line after the release of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. We think the announcement for Pokemon Black and White remakes is close. This mostly comes down to Pokemon’s penchant for synergy across its various properties.
Recent reveals for Pokemon GO and the Pokemon TCG are all centered in some way or another around the fifth generation of Pokemon games. It’s highly probable that the folks in The Pokemon Company are priming their audience to head back to Unova.
NianticThe first inkling that Pokemon Black and White remakes are getting closer is the Pokemon GO Tour Unova event kicking off in March 2025. As the name suggests, it will bring an influx of Unova Pokemon to the mobile game.
These will come in the form of brand-new Raid Battles, new shinies to hunt, and the introduction of Generation 5 Mythical Meloetta to the game. On its own, this might not feel like enough of a reason to start looking out for remakes of Pokemon Black and White but there’s another event on the horizon that has us even more excited.
Special sets of the Pokemon TCG known as ‘Black Bolt’ and ‘White Flare’ have been revealed and if the names weren’t enough to tip you off, chase cards featuring N and the two box Legendaries of Unova should be. These sets are set to launch in Japan in June 2025, and they’re expected to launch globally soon after.
With two Generation 5-oriented releases across multiple Pokemon properties coming in the first half of 2025, we have a sneaking suspicion that an announcement for the Pokemon Black and White remakes may also be coming within the same window.
You can certainly choose to take our conspiratorial ravings with a grain of salt given that The Pokemon Company and Game Freak have been tight-lipped on the mere existence of these games. We’re not hedging our bets though.