Leak account CentroLeaks has once again mentioned the Pokémon cross-region Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) project, stating that its release will come after the next mainline entry following Pokémon Wind/Wave. If this claim is true, players will have to wait through two mainline generations before this title arrives.
The Pokémon series has adjusted its gameplay multiple times in recent years, with Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Pokémon Legends: Z-A being notable examples. Although mainline entries have faced criticism for insufficient development resources and perceived corner-cutting, the series' popularity remains strong, with several new titles planned for the future.
The spin-off title Pokémon Pokopia and the news that Pokémon Wind/Wave will add 300 new Pokémon have already attracted significant attention. The cross-region MMORPG project mentioned again this time involves further changes to the series' gameplay style.
This project is not appearing in leaks for the first time. Plans for a related multiplayer game leaked last year, with rumors suggesting it has been in development for some time, though little concrete information is currently available. The key point of CentroLeaks' latest claim is the release order: it will not follow Pokémon Wind/Wave directly, but will instead arrive after the next mainline entry.
Some players are concerned about the project's scale, arguing that Game Freak has yet to resolve quality issues in its single-player games, making the development workload required for an MMO even more daunting. According to current rumors, there is still a considerable amount of time before the project's actual release.
CentroLeaks believes that previous entries in the series have gradually moved toward more complete multiplayer online experiences, making an MMO plan unsurprising. They cite Pokémon Sword/Shield, which allowed players to see randomly matched online players in certain areas, as the starting point.
Subsequent title Pokémon Scarlet/Violet further expanded the scope of interaction, allowing players to interact with online partners across the entire map. As for the unreleased Pokémon Wind/Wave, CentroLeaks claims it will include "MMO-style quests" and "co-op play with friends," though these statements remain unconfirmed rumors.
Player interest in a Pokémon MMO has also spurred several fan-made projects, such as PokeMMO. These titles reflect the community's desire for multiplayer online Pokémon gameplay.
Other players worry that expanding online features could squeeze out the series' single-player experience. While Pokémon has included multiplayer elements since its inception, this does not mean the series will abandon single-player adventures to fully transition into a live-service online game; the cross-region MMO project and its release schedule have not yet been officially confirmed.