Highlights
- Detective Pikachu Returns is highly anticipated and has a lot of expectations to live up to after the success of the original game.
- The recent Pokemon Presents live stream teased details about the game, including familiar faces and locations from the past.
- The game's release date of October 6 puts it in competition with several other highly anticipated games.
Detective Pikachu Returns has been highly anticipated since it was announced three years ago. The original 2016 title, Detective Pikachu, was incredibly popular when it debuted for the Nintendo 3DS which means that the sequel will likely have a lot of expectations to live up to. After all, the Pokemon franchise has become a worldwide phenomenon with its various games, spin-offs, movies, and television shows. However, the recent August 8 Pokemon Presents live stream did well to tease a few details about the game that could preserve and stir up excitement in the community.
This live stream included a nearly three-minute trailer for Detective Pikachu Returns which showcased several familiar faces and locations from the past. This includes the iconic setting of Ryme City, an urban area where humans and Pokemon flourish and work together. Of course, while there is a lot to look forward to, Nintendo and The Pokemon Company may have made a mistake with the release date they chose for the adventure game.
Detective Pikachu Returns Will Face a Lot of Competition
The initial reveal from Nintendo Direct 2023 was titled "Detective Pikachu Returns - Announcement Trailer." This trailer served well to set the stage with a few brief glimpses at the characters like Tim Goodman and Pikachu himself. Pikachu appears to be once again undertaking his coffee-addicted Sherlock-like persona in order to solve a rapidly unfolding mystery in Ryme City. How exactly this plot will differ from the original game and the 2019 Detective Pikachu live-action film is still to be seen, but it appears to be packed with new characters and Pokemon to interact with.
The June trailer also confirmed that the game would be coming out this year, much to the delight of its fans. Specifically, the date to mark on the calendar is October 6. Unfortunately, this is already a very stacked month for long-awaited games amidst all the games releasing in 2023. The Pokemon detective will have to go up against quite a few major contenders in the month of October:
- Disgaea 7 (October 3)
- Forza Motorsport (October 10)
- Wild Card Football (October 10)
- Assassin's Creed Mirage (October 12)
- Lords of the Fallen (October 13)
- Alan Wake 2 (October 17)
- Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (October 20)
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder (October 20)
- Just Dance 2024 (October 23)
- Cities Skylines 2 (October 24)
- Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 (October 24)
- Alone in the Dark (October 25)
- Total War: Pharaoh (October, no date)
In the past, some games have had trouble performing well due to scheduling conflicts with other titles. Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 share the exact same launch day, which could be damaging to their active player counts. In contrast, when The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom came out in May, other game developers opted to give it a wide berth. October is going to be a very busy month for the gaming world which could be either harmful or beneficial for the puzzle Pokemon game.
Detective Pikachu Returns being slated for early October also puts it in competition with late summer releases like Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty and the highly-rated Baldurs Gate 3. As such, it will also have to face off against rivals prior to its own release day. Regardless, Nintendo has never been one to shy away from competition, and it's unlikely that the game will be pushed back for these reasons. Whether Detective Pikachu Returns can make a splash amidst the jam-packed month is still to be seen.
Detective Pikachu Returns releases on October 6, 2023 on Nintendo Switch.
