Game Freak is synonymous with Pokemon. The primary developer of the mainline Pokemon video games has exclusively worked on Pokemon games for decades. But, after dabbling with a bunch of other projects in recent years, it appears that Game Freak is finally ready to take a big swing and make a new AAA game.
In a statement, Game Freak director, Kota Furushima, said that “Project Bloom” is a completely different game from what most have come to expect from one of gaming’s most storied studios.
We’re thrilled to announce we're partnering with Game Freak on an upcoming action-adventure game, codenamed #ProjectBloom.
We can't reveal too much yet… But for now, we're excited to share the first piece of concept art for the game: pic.twitter.com/LarOpBXdsy
— Private Division (@PrivateDivision) May 9, 2023
Much of Project Bloom remains under wraps, with specifics carefully guarded. However, what’s clear is that it’s the start of something big for Game Freak.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus was such a departure for Game Freak from the usual Pokemon formula that it was as risky as it was exciting. Most had expected Game Freak to work on a new Pokemon Legends entry following the game’s success. But, as it turns out, the company has bigger plans as it ventures into unexplored territories that will help it showcase its creativity and versatility better.
Helping Game Freak bring this vision into reality is Private Division, a game publisher with a rich history of unique and high-quality games.
Private Division serves as the nth subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive and its third publishing label. Unlike Rockstar Games or 2K, Private Division is aimed toward indie games by small and mid-sized studios, which Game Freak definitely isn’t.
Then again, Private Division has published titles from Obsidian Entertainment, among others, in the past.
While Project Bloom is still in development, fans are salivating at the possibility of seeing Game Freak get a chance to flex its creative muscles.
According to the official announcement, Project Bloom is planned to launch “during Take-Two’s Fiscal Year 2026” so it’ll be a long wait until we get to see the game in action.
For now, fans can look forward to at least two more big Pokemon titles to come out between now and FY2026.
Speaking of Pokemon, adults are no longer allowed to buy a specific set of rare Pokemon Trading Cards in a retail shop in Japan. Finally, a new video game adaptation of the popular card game is set to go live in June.
