The Pokémon Company has revealed the release date for Pokémon Legends: Arceus, as the game is set to launch on Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2020. This puts the game close to the November launch of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, another surprise release date reveal by Nintendo.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is an upcoming open-world Pokémon game, in a similar style to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The game is set in the ancient past of the Sinnoh region, in a time when the land was still mostly unclaimed by humans. Players will be able to explore the vast open tundra of the Sinnoh region, in search of the Legendary Pokémon Arceus. The game takes place during a time before the idea of trainers or the Pokémon League exists. Players won't have the luxury of advanced technology to make their Pokémon journey easier, as this is an era when the Poké Balls were made out of wood and powered by steam.
The Pokémon Company has launched a page for Pokémon Legends: Arceus on the official Pokémon website. According to the Pokémon Twitter page, and the official site, a release date has been set for the game. Pokémon Legends: Arceus will be released for the Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2022. Pre-orders for the game are either available now or will be soon, depending on the region.
It's surprising to learn that the release date for Pokémon Legends: Arceus is happening so soon, especially as it has just been announced that Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will be released on November 18. Many fans expected a late 2022 release, as Nintendo generally wants to save its big titles for the holiday season. The 2021 holiday season is already covered by the Sinnoh remakes, so fans expected to see Pokémon Legends: Arceus saved for the 2022 holiday season.
It's possible that The Pokémon Company was playing it safe with release windows. The game was originally announced back in February and the pandemic is still an issue around the world. There's a good chance that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company wanted to be absolutely positive about a release date before making any announcements. Regardless, it's great to hear that the release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus is happening so soon and that fans will be able to battle and catch Pokémon in the ancient version of Sinnoh at the start of next year.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus will be released for Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2022.
Source: Pokémon, Pokémon/Twitter