Latest Nintendo Leak Might Fix The Switch 2's Biggest Problem

After the relative disappointment of the Wii U, both the Switch and Switch 2 have been big successes for Nintendo. Versatile hardware and a steady stream of exclusives are hard to ignore, and aside from the price of the Switch 2, mainstream complaints are minimal. One annoyance that’s persisted over the last nine years, however, is the approach to the digital availability of retro games on the systems.

Nintendo Switch Online has made its retro game library a major selling point, offering plenty of Nintendo classics and third-party hits from systems ranging from the NES to the GameCube. If you want to actually buy a retro game, on the other hand, you’re likely out of luck. The lack of retro Virtual Console titles on the eShop has been one of the biggest downsides to the Switch and Switch 2, but a new leak might change that.

Classic Games Might Be Coming To The eShop

No Subscription This Time

According to Pokémon leaker Riddler Khu, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen “will return soon.” This would be exciting news on its own for Pokémonfans, but the real story comes courtesy of a follow-up from Centro Leaks on X. Rather than returning as part of the Nintendo Switch Online lineup, FireRed and LeafGreen will allegedly be paid releases on theeShop.

For subscribers, a paid release might not sound as exciting as an online inclusion. From a broader view, however, this could open the door for Nintendo to resurrect one of its best bygone features. The Wii and Wii U featured an extensive “Virtual Console” library of classic games on the eShop, making it possible to own Nintendo classics on modern hardware in perpetuity.

From the standpoint of prioritizing preservation and accessibility, paid digital downloads of past titles are essential. Nintendo has always taken a strong stance against piracy, but the company’s past games aren’t always easy to obtain legitimately. Retro Pokémon games tend to sell for extremely inflated prices, which can be especially alienating for the franchise’s young targetaudience.

While Nintendo Switch Online availability is a solid half-measure, it’s significantly less permanent than digital downloads. Not only does access only persist as long as a subscription does, but there’s no guarantee that games will be available on the service forever.

Even if they never leave individually, the service will presumably be shut down at some point after production on the consoles ceases, rendering NSO versions inaccessible. Licenses for digital downloads are likewise less permanent than physical copies, but as long as a local copy is downloaded, it can persist as long as the physical console does.

Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen Could Be A Litmus Test

This Might Be All We Get

Of course,Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen coming to the eShop doesn’t mean that the Virtual Console will return in full. The releases are rumored to have Pokémon HOME compatibility, and the eShop release may just be the easiest way to facilitate that compatibility. Nintendo and Game Freak might also view Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen as titles with unique potential for eShop profits, while other games could still work better as selling points for Nintendo Switch Online.

Even so, any shift in precedent wouldn’t be a bad thing for digital Nintendo releases. If Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen prove successful on the eShop, they could open the door for other Nintendo hard-hitters to take a similar approach in the future.

A lot may hinge on the price point for Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. On the Wii and Wii U, Virtual Console titles tended to be cheap, with titles for the Game Boy Advance typically going for only $7.99 apiece.

I expect an increase for Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, but it’s hard to say how much Nintendo will raise the price. While classic games for $9.99 or even $14.99 would still feel like a solid deal, it could get a lot more expensive than that.

The Switch re-releases of Pikmin 1 and 2, for example, offered fairly simple remasters for $29.99 apiece or $49.99 as a bundle. I can’t imagine direct Game Boy ports commanding the same prices, but there’s always a chance that they won’t get close.

We’ll Find Out Soon Enough

Pokémon Day Is On The Horizon

Pokemon Day artwork with Pikachu and other pokemon surrounding it.

For now, this is all just speculation, and there’s no guarantee that the rumors of a Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen re-release are even accurate. We’ll likely find out on Pokémon Day, which is coming up on February 27. That shouldn’t be the only exciting reveal of the day for Pokémon fans, but it could be a reason to tune in even if you’re not invested in the franchise.

Until then, I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that Pokémon is indeed paving the way for the future of digital Nintendo re-releases. After investing in the undeniably expensive Switch 2, I’d like to get my money’s worth out of the system. New exclusives would be the best way to make that happen, but the return of the Virtual Console or anything like it would be a close runner-up.