Pokémon developer Game Freak has announced it's creating an all-new action-adventure IP in collaboration with Private Division, a publisher part of Grand Theft Auto owner Take-Two. Currently named Project Bloom, it is slated to release in fiscal year 2026, which runs from the start of April 2025 through to the end of March 2026. No platforms have been confirmed for the project, but you can view the first piece of concept art above.
On the publishing agreement, Take-Two Interactive's chief strategy officer Michael Worosz talked up the past 30 years of Game Freak titles. "We’re ready to help Game Freak unleash their potential and we’re honored to be the first Western publisher to work alongside this exceptionally talented and proven team to bring a bold new IP to market." Game Freak director Kota Furushima added: "We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to create new IP that is bold and tonally different from our prior work."
While the Japanese studio is best known for its constant Pokémon output, it has developed other games here and there. Perhaps the most noteworthy title would be Little Town Hero on PS4, but it's also done Giga Wrecker and Tembo the Badass Elephant. Project Bloom appears to be its biggest non-Pokémon experience to date, though. It's in "early development" for now, with more details planned for the future.
Comments 19
Wow, this looks intense. I will definitely hold off from gaming until 2026
Oh man, another game that will never release!
Tembo the badass elephant??!! Never heard of it, but gotta love that title!!😂😂
I don't have a lot of faith in this given that Gamefreak are making it
I haven’t really played any Game Freak games (dabbled in Pokemon, but it’s not for me).
I’ll be curious to see how this fares. I am always interested in what a developer comes up with when it leaves its comfort zone.
Mental headline!
I have a feeling that like every Gamefreak game, it'll be a cool concept, but ultimately half baked.
Definitely didn't have this on my 2023 bingo card.
Either this is a small team working on it, or the Pokemon games are about to get even worse 🤣
@Haruki_NLI Don't think that's possible!
@get2sammyb True. But this is Game Freak. They did Legends, guided BDSP, did Little Town Hero and Sword and Shield DLC all simultaneously alongside Scarlet and Violet.
Right now we know of Project Bloom, SV DLC, probably the next two Pokemon games in the world already.
One of these has got to give, and Pokemon can definitely get worse. Way worse.
It's a shame Game Freak just can't get the manpower to do all the things it wants to do because with that they'd consistently have good games. Maybe with that nice new office space Nintendo just gave them...
No offense to Game Freak, but I'm not convinced of their product given the games they've released sitting on their Pokemon laurels. Guess we'll wait and see
I wish Take Two would help them make the Pokémon games instead, would actually look good and be acceptable on a technical level.
The concept art at least looks cool. It looks like a stark contrast to what they usually do so here's hoping it turns out well. Though I do wonder how the heck they can keep up with the very strict Pokemon release schedule and do this one at the same time. They aren't a really big studio after all.
"Game Freak" is all I have to read about a project to lose all interest forevermore.
It's certainly a curious partnership. It'll be interesting to see how it turns out.
I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Who knows, maybe this is what GameFreak needs to finally get away from the shadows of Pokémon
I did a double take when I first read the title, though this was a very late April Fool's prank for a moment.
Hopefully this gives hope to future Pokemon games having modern graphics and 60 FPS.
Game Freak needs to make a sequel to Pulseman.
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