One Pokemon fan has recently stumbled upon a heartbreaking, yet easily missed moment from Pokemon Black 2. The news of their discovery arrived on social media just as speculation about Pokemon Black and White remakes started heating up once again.
Last October marked the tenth anniversary of Pokemon Black 2 and White 2, a pair of critically acclaimed RPGs for the Nintendo DS that remain some of the best mainline Pokemon games ever made, according to aggregated review scores. Many fans of the iconic franchise point to Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 as their favorite installments in the long-running series, not least because these were some of the most challenging RPGs Game Freak ever put out. Another frequently praised feature of both games is their compelling world-building.
Reddit user NevGuy has recently discovered a heartbreaking moment in Pokemon Black 2 that underlines the game's immersive setting. Namely, they encountered a boy and a girl playing tag next to the Humilau City Pokemon Center during the main quest. Once they have returned to that location after becoming the Unova region champion, they happened upon the boy on his own. Speaking to him prompted a dialogue about appreciating every moment with close friends like it's the last, implying that the girl has died. The discovery quickly went viral on social media, with some players reporting that Pokemon White 2 features that same encounter.
Following the 2021 release of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, the fifth generation of Pokemon is widely believed to be next in line for a remake. Given Game Freak's track record of putting out remakes every three to four years since the 2010 launch of Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the modernized versions of Pokemon Black and White or, more likely, Black 2 and White 2, are now expected to release by 2025. Assuming Game Freak isn't currently working on the second-generation Let's Go games, that is.
While Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl were the first mainline Pokemon games not made by Game Freak, the next pair of remakes is presumably being handled in-house. That's because ILCA, the medium-sized Japanese studio behind Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, is currently leading the development of a new Ace Combat title. Founded in 2010, ILCA grew to over 250 employees as of 2020, according to its official website, but the company has so far avoided juggling multiple projects.
Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 are available now on Nintendo DS.
