Rumors have been flying around nonstop as hype builds for one of the most anticipated Pokémon Day presentations in years. While most “leaks” and rumors can be quickly discounted, one is building momentum and could bring the monster battling franchise into a new esports genre.
According to leaker Light on X/Twitter, a new rumor suggests that part of the Pokemon Day Presents will show off the first details for a brand new game called Pokemon Clash. Here’s what the leak says:
Potential Pokemon Day leak.
Was from 21 of February and mention Pokemon Clash (¿probably Synapse?)
Legends Z-A
-Snivy Scorbunny Piplup as starters.
Dexio and Sina as profesors (remember they have a Zygarde).
-Mega Gogoat, Mega Vaniluxe.
-Release the 27th of June. pic.twitter.com/RaoZYPyB1C— Light (@Light_88_) February 24, 2025
If accurate, this would be the biggest departure from standard Pokémon gameplay that we’ve seen from the franchise since Pokken Tournament debuted on the Wii U.
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Every leak surrounding Pokémon should be treated with skepticism, but there’s a reason this rumor is getting more traction than most. In the legendary Teraleak from last year, one of the projects in development was described as a shooter-style game under the codename Pokemon Synapse. At the time, the game was described as having “Splatoon-style gameplay,” which would fit more directly with Pokémon’s commitment to a family-friendly style, but with so few shooters on a Nintendo platform, the leaker could have simply been describing a third-person shooter and not a territory-control combat system.
On the surface, a hero shooter seems like a major departure for a game series where spinoffs are usually puzzle games, RPGs, or quirky mobile offerings. However, this would not be the first time Pokemon has ventured into a major esports genre. Pokken Tournament remains one of the best-looking Pokemon titles and was a hardcore fighting game that only dabbled in more casual arena fighter elements. The game nearly found its way to the Evo mainstage during its heyday.
Similarly, Pokemon Unite, while clearly built for mobile first, is a MOBA through and through. Again, it is slightly more casual and lacks the depth of a League of Legends or Dota 2, but it has its own dedicated esports circuit and passionate fans.
With Marvel Rivals quickly rising to the top of the FPS esports landscape and “big money tournaments” on the horizon, now would be the perfect time for a Pokemon take on the genre. The game would almost certainly be more beginner-friendly than Rivals but the strength of the IP could make it even bigger than the hottest new game where you can swing around as Spider-Man or eat people as a goofy shark.
Ultimately, we’ll have to wait until the Pokémon Day presentation on Thursday, February 27 at 9am ET.
