Why Are Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen Coming to the Switch eShop? “We Thought It Would be Fun”
Pokémon fans recently received some great news from Nintendo – well, it might be great or it might be bad, depending on your point of view. Two beloved Pokémon titles are coming to the Nintendo Switch eShop on February 28th. However, that might leave some fans wondering why the titles aren’t coming to Nintendo Switch Online. Also, what does this mean for the future of Pokémon and Nintendo rereleases in general?
The Pokémon: FireRed and LeafGreen Rereleases
Nintendo recently announced on their official site that Pokémon: FireRed and LeafGreen will both be available on the Nintendo eShop on February 28th. These Game Boy Advance titles are remakes of the original Game Boy Pokémon titles, Pokémon Red and Blue. While several Pokémon spin-off games are part of the Nintendo Switch Online retro collections, the mainline games are surprisingly absent, and fans have been clamoring for them to be added for a long time now.
However, this release won’t be part of Nintendo Switch Online. Nintendo posted an FAQ about the games that explained, “These games are being offered as standalone software and are not planned for release as part of the Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Classics collection.” On the one hand, this means that everyone, not just Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, can purchase the games. It also means that Nintendo Switch Online members who purchase the games will still have them in their Switch libraries if they ever decide to cancel their subscriptions.
However, the games will cost $19.99 each, meaning that you will have to pay $40 for both games. While it may be a reasonable price for older games, Nintendo Switch Online members already pay $50 a year for the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership, which is required to play the Switch Online Game Boy Advance library. They might be miffed that Nintendo is expecting them to pay forty extra dollars to play twenty-year-old games.
What About the Original Versions? What About Future Nintendo Rereleases?
Of course, there’s an obvious question about whether or not the original Game Boy versions will be released on Nintendo Switch Online or for purchase. Nintendo’s FAQ states, “We thought users will appreciate the ultimate versions of those original adventures, which add various features and upgrades.” Of course, a smart move might have been to release the original Red and Blue versions on Nintendo Switch Online. That way, newcomers would get a taste of the original games, which might make them want to try the remakes.
Also, fans have to wonder if this could mean a return of the Virtual Console, where players could purchase older Nintendo games on the eShop. The FAQ says, “We remain focused on offering classic games through Nintendo Switch Online and Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.” However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that no other older Nintendo games will ever be released on the eShop. Perhaps fans would appreciate games that are already available on Nintendo Switch Online to be available for purchase so they can own the games forever.
So, Why Is Nintendo Doing This?
The FAQ says, “In celebration of 30 years of Pokémon, we thought it would be fun to return to the ultimate versions of the original Pokémon adventures in the Kanto region with these special releases.” Of course, this also means that Nintendo can make extra money off of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, and even if fans complain about having to purchase the games when they already have a Nintendo Switch Online account, they will still buy the games so they can relive their nostalgia. After all, these games haven’t been available for years, and we all hunger to play old games again.
