There is a lot going on for the Pokemon Company in 2021; between the 25th anniversary of Pokemon games, New Pokemon Snap, and then the announcement of both Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Pokemon games have shaped entire generations of video game fans, and they are still doing as much with new and innovative titles like Pokemon Legends: Arceus, and remakes of past generations. Especially considering how much the Pokemon gaming community enjoyed previous remakes, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are among the most anticipated games to come out this year.
Today, Nintendo's showcase at E3 broke a tradition lasting several years by not having anything to show for Pokemon games, be it Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl or Pokemon Legends: Arceus. As a matter of fact, Nintendo showed Pokemon-related content at E3 for seven years in a row, starting in 2013 and Pokemon never skipping E3 until 2021. E3 wasn't held last year because of concerns about the pandemic, and this year it came in a digital format that was largely appreciated by the masses despite its longstanding tradition of being an event people would go and watch in person.
Nintendo's History of Pokemon Announcements at E3
Nintendo's history with Pokemon games showcased at E3 over the past years started with Pokemon X and Y and the reveal of the new Fairy type, and it goes all the way up to 2019 when Pokemon Sword and Shield content was shown. This means that not featuring Pokemon games marks the end of this major tradition of having a Pokemon-related announcement every year, and it also puts a full trailer for Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl in a weird spot. The reason for this is that E3 would have been a great time to fully reveal Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and probably Pokemon Legends: Arceus as well, but not doing so poses a big question.
The question with Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and possibly Legends: Arceus, is when they will receive a long-overdue update if not at E3? The likely answer here is that a Pokemon Direct closer to the release date of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, which is scheduled for November 19 of this year, will probably be held by Nintendo later this year. This probably puts Pokemon Legends: Arceus' full trailer further down the line, maybe around the time Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will release.
Why Nintendo May Have Skipped Pokemon Content at E3
There could be a few reasons for Nintendo not to show Pokemon content this year, and they may have to do with the reception of Pokemon Legends: Arceus or other factors. It should be noted that while many fans were enthusiastic about Pokemon Legends: Arceus as soon as the first trailer came out, others noticed that the game was far from being finished and optimized, and thus there some complaints. Nintendo and the Pokemon Company could be playing it safe, leaving a full trailer for when the game is in a completely playable state, or maybe bigger plans are being concocted for its debut.
However, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl being absent from E3 is sad news for fans of the series and generation four in particular, precisely because of how eager gamers are to play the remakes. Breaking the E3 tradition could also mean that next year Nintendo could skip Pokemon announcements once again unless bigger projects are in the works, like generation nine games. Here's to hoping that the less hectic environment of a future Pokemon Direct will be a better space than E3 for Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl, and Legends: Arceus.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will be released on November 19, 2021, for Switch.