'Detective Pikachu Returns' Announced During Nintendo Direct

I'd give it a light roast but it's missing the punchline

Shortly after the release of the Detective Pikachu movie, a press conference was held for upcoming Pokémon projects, including Pokémon Sleep, but also a sequel to the game that it adapted. Now, 4 years later, we finally get information in a surprising appearance in Wednesday’s Nintendo Direct.

Detective Pikachu Returns will be released on October 6, just three and a half months away, on the Nintendo Switch. Not much plot was given in the trailer, but it’s been unclear how much this is a port, a remake, or an actual sequel, as it was said that this story would have “a different ending” than the first game. It’s also said that Tim Goodman and the good detective will have a brand new adventure which makes the “new ending” implied and inherent. The trailer also featured Scorbunny, Inteleon, Galarian Darmanitan, Indeedee, and Milcery so there’s at least some Generation VIII representation. It remains to be seen how much Paldean representation from Generation IX.

It’s the start of Pokémon Friendship Week in Ryme City and Pikachu still loves his coffee. Mewtwo’s back, and there’s a Slowpoke in a hat. It really does remain to be seen how Mewtwo gets involved. The first Detective Pikachu game was released in 2018, when Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon were the most recent games. It revolved around Tim investigating the disappearance of his father, while the movie that adapted it, starring Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, and Bill Nighy, gave a more definitive answer. A sequel to that has been in the works too, but it’s been struggling to progress.