Pokémon Firered Leafgreen to Debut on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 as Digital Releases on Feb. 27

pokémon firered leafgreen will return to modern consoles as digital-only releases on Feb. 27, timed for Pokémon Day. The reissues bring the Game Boy Advance-era remakes back to Nintendo Switch systems with classic content and mechanics restored for contemporary play.

Pokémon Firered Leafgreen: Development details

The two titles — the 2004 remakes of the original first-generation games — will be available to purchase individually in English, French and Spanish on the My Nintendo Store and the Nintendo eShop beginning Feb. 27. They are download-only editions playable on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 systems and will also be offered at select retailers during launch week for a suggested retail price of $19. 99 (USD).

These releases replicate the Game Boy Advance versions and include the updates that were introduced during that era: abilities, natures, weather conditions, held items and the option to select the player character’s gender. Players will be able to encounter the original roster of 151 Pokémon and can expect the classic soundtrack and turn-based battle system that defined the originals. Familiar characters such as Brock, Misty, Professor Oak and Giovanni appear in the restored Kanto setting.

One notable mechanical change for modern hardware is local cooperative linking: players can now connect with friends locally without needing the old Game Link Cable. The language editions are presented as separate downloads with no in-game option to switch languages, and the French and Spanish editions are offered in their EU regional variants.

Context and pressure points

These titles were originally released in 2004 as remakes of the first-generation games, which first appeared in Japan in 1996. The move to reissue them for current hardware is timed to coincide with a day of heightened attention for the franchise, positioning the releases as part of a broader anniversary cadence. The reissues preserve the specific features and content of the earlier remakes rather than presenting new remasters or additional modern conveniences beyond platform compatibility and local connection updates.

What makes this notable is the combination of faithful preservation and targeted accessibility: the releases keep the GBA-era mechanics and presentation intact while making them playable on contemporary systems and offering digital storefront availability in multiple language versions.

Immediate impact

Players who held nostalgia for the GBA remakes will be able to revisit Kanto in its earlier form, and newcomers can experience those entries as they were presented in 2004. The modest suggested price point and download-only distribution lower the barrier to entry for those on current hardware, while the separation of language versions requires buyers to confirm the language before purchase.

For collectors who favor physical media, the absence of a physical release at this time means these editions target digital-only consumption, though select retailers will carry the titles in some capacity during launch week. Local multiplayer functionality is simplified for modern hardware, potentially making trades and link battles easier for households with multiple consoles.

Forward outlook

The releases become playable after the conclusion of a special franchise presentation that morning; that presentation is scheduled to air at 9 a. m. ET. Following the presentation, players will be able to download and play the titles on supported consoles. In the days immediately after launch, the confirmed milestones to watch are storefront availability across the designated language editions, the retail roll-out during launch week and early player reports on how the classic mechanics translate on the newer hardware.

Given the concrete schedule and distribution plan, stakeholders from everyday players to retail partners have clear immediate next steps: prepare for the Feb. 27 storefront listings, verify language editions before purchase, and plan for local multiplayer sessions on modern consoles. The timing matters because the releases are synchronized with a major day for the franchise and a morning presentation that precedes availability, concentrating attention and downloads into a narrow window.

Ultimately, these editions offer a narrow, faithful re-release rather than a wholesale reinvention, returning a specific chapter of the franchise to current platforms with preserved mechanics, the original 151 Pokémon and a set price point and distribution model for players to engage with right away.