Pokémon’s 30th lines up FireRed/LeafGreen Switch ports, LEGO sets and a big Pokémon Presents

Pokémon is front-loading its 30th anniversary – and that matters for every Trainer

This caught my attention because The Pokémon Company just crammed several of the franchise’s biggest anniversary plays into one morning: a Pokémon Presents livestream, immediate digital re-releases of the 2004 Game Boy Advance remakes Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen on Nintendo Switch, and the first-ever LEGO Pokémon sets – all timed for Pokémon Day, Feb. 27, 2026. For fans, that’s a lot to unpack in a short window; for Nintendo and licensors, it’s a tightly coordinated push to turn nostalgia into headlines and sales.

• FireRed and LeafGreen land on Switch as digital-only ports after the Pokémon Presents stream, priced at $19.99/€ equivalent.
• Those ports replicate the 2004 GBA remakes (including the Sevii Islands) and will be available as standalone purchases rather than added to Switch Online’s GBA library.
• Pokémon Day also launches the first LEGO Pokémon sets and a yearlong “What’s Your Favourite?” campaign tied to Pokémon GO’s 10th anniversary.

Key takeaways – what actually changes for players

• If you wanted FireRed/LeafGreen in the Switch Online GBA collection, you’ll be annoyed — Nintendo is selling them as $19.99 standalone downloads instead of tacking them onto the subscription library (reporting from Steam News and Gematsu).
• The Switch releases are faithful recreations of the 2004 remakes (Sevii Islands included), which many old‑school fans prefer to the later Let’s Go reworkings.
• Regional language SKUs are locked to single-language versions, so multiple-region players should double-check before buying (Gematsu flagged separate English/French/Spanish listings).
• Pokémon HOME support is promised “soon,” but there’s no concrete timeline yet — so don’t assume instant transferability to modern Pokémon games.

Breaking down the releases: faithful ports — and a contentious distribution choice

All three sources I surveyed agree: FireRed and LeafGreen will be available on February 27, 2026, immediately after a Pokémon Presents stream. Gematsu gives the clearest specifics — $19.99 per game, pre-orders live, Sevii Islands included, and regional single-language SKUs that mirror the way the games originally shipped. Steam News and other outlets noted that while the titles will run on both Switch and Switch 2 hardware, there’s no Switch 2-specific features announced.

Where the conversation gets heated is distribution. Instead of adding these GBA classics to the Switch Online + Expansion Pack’s GBA lineup (where subscribers expect new additions), Nintendo is selling them individually. That’s a legitimate gripe: the Switch Online GBA library is thin and slow to expand, so giving marquee re-releases only to paying buyers — rather than to subscribers — feels like a strange move during a big anniversary.

Merch and campaigns: LEGO bricks and Pokémon GO tie-ins

Announcing remakes alongside the first LEGO Pokémon sets is smart merchandising: nostalgia fuels purchases across formats. The initial LEGO drop recreates fan favorites like Pikachu, Eevee, Venusaur, Charizard and Blastoise in brick form, giving collectors and builders a physical companion to the digital nostalgia trip. The Pokémon Company also rolled out a yearlong “What’s Your Favourite?” campaign that ties into Pokémon GO’s 10th anniversary, including a new snapshot feature to collect fan picks. It’s cross‑platform anniversary engineering — and one that will keep engagement high throughout 2026.

What gamers should know before buying

• Price vs. value: $19.99 per classic GBA remake is an entry-level cost if you want those versions specifically — but it’s less attractive if you expected them included in Switch Online.
• Language restrictions: Gematsu warns buyers that regional SKUs won’t let you switch in-game languages, so double‑check your eShop region.
• Connectivity: the old wireless trade/battle mechanisms are referenced in store copy, but modern online integration appears limited — Pokémon HOME support is “coming soon,” not guaranteed at launch.

Looking ahead — why this strategy makes sense (and where it might backfire)

Concentrating the announcements on Pokémon Day creates a splashy, shareable moment: a single stream that fuels digital sales, merch hype, and a yearlong engagement plan. It leverages nostalgia (classic remakes) and new-market reach (LEGO and mobile tie-ins). The downside is friction with the community: choosing paywalled standalone downloads over broad subscriber inclusion risks alienating subscribers and feeding the “nickel-and-dime” narrative Nintendo sometimes faces.

TL;DR

Pokémon Day will be busy: faithful FireRed and LeafGreen GBA remakes hit Switch as $19.99 digital ports immediately after a Pokémon Presents stream, the first LEGO Pokémon sets drop, and Pokémon GO gets a yearlong “What’s Your Favourite?” campaign. It’s a polished 30th‑anniversary play that leans into nostalgia — but the decision to sell the remakes outside Switch Online will sting for some fans.