Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are heading to Switch, but there is a catch
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are coming to Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 as standalone digital purchases for 16.99, skipping Nintendo Switch Online entirely as part of the franchise's thirtieth-anniversary celebrations.
The classic Game Boy Advance remakes Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are making their way to the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 family of systems. Revealed during the lead-up to the annual Pokemon Day broadcast, the beloved Kanto adventures will be available to purchase directly from the Nintendo eShop for 16.99 following the stream. This release is part of the massive celebration marking thirty years since the original Game Boy titles launched in Japan.
However, players hoping to add these titles to their existing subscription libraries will be disappointed. As reported by Victoria Phillips Kennedy over at Eurogamer, these versions are skipping Nintendo Switch Online entirely, meaning fans must buy them as standalone digital downloads rather than accessing them through the platform's retro library. This move breaks from the usual pattern of treating classic handheld releases as perks for online subscribers, shifting the approach directly toward individual digital ownership.
The upcoming Pokemon Presents broadcast is also expected to showcase more of the life-sim spinoff Pokemon Pokopia ahead of its March release, alongside ongoing updates for mobile staples like Pokemon Go and Pokemon Unite. While revisiting Kanto on modern hardware is an easy win for nostalgia, charging full individual prices for decades-old port work highlights the ongoing friction in how console ecosystems handle digital preservation and classic libraries. For a community that values both accessibility and long-term collection, paying a la carte for retro titles on modern hardware feels like a step backward when cloud and subscription options are the industry norm.
Tags: Pokemon, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo, Retro Gaming, Gaming News
Original article: Eurogamer