Preloads for Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen are live — download before Pokémon Day

Preloads are live: you can download FireRed and LeafGreen before Pokémon Day

This caught my attention because preloads mean a seamless Pokémon Day launch: players who preordered the Nintendo Switch versions of Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen can already download the games ahead of the official release on 27 February 2026. Screenshots of preload icons – shared by Serebii.net and picked up across news sites – show the files sitting on home screens for preorderers in select regions, so the “day one” experience should be instant for those who grabbed the £16.99 / $19.99 digital preorders.

• Preloads are appearing for preorderers in select regions; Serebii.net shared early screenshots.
• The Switch ports arrive on 27 Feb 2026 – Pokémon Day — priced at £16.99 / $19.99 per version.
• The ports are faithful GBA remakes (151 Pokémon, Sevii Islands) with local wireless multiplayer; online/ HOME support details remain murky.

What’s actually coming to the Switch

Nintendo confirmed on 20 February that Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen — the 2004 Game Boy Advance remakes of the original Kanto adventures — will land digitally on Nintendo Switch and be playable on Switch 2 starting 27 February. Multiple outlets report each title is priced at €19.99 / $19.99 (listed in the eShop as separate purchases), and the launches are timed to coincide with a Pokémon Presents broadcast tied to Pokémon Day.

These aren’t new reworks: they retain the GBA-era content that made the remakes notable — the Kanto map, the original 151 Pokémon, the Sevii Islands content — and they appear to mimic the original pixel art and soundtrack rather than attempting a full modern overhaul. Siliconera and VidaExtra note local wireless trading and battling remain the multiplayer methods, with up to four-player local wireless supported.

Preloads: small convenience, big launch-day relief

Preloads themselves are a small but meaningful quality-of-life win. Images of preload icons posted on Serebii and copied by news outlets show that at least some preorders already have the download queued on home screens. For anyone who wants to be in Kanto the moment the clock hits launch, this removes the stress of last-minute eShop queues or slow downloads on release day.

That said, preloads are region-limited right now; reports emphasize select regions (UK/US among them) are seeing them first. If you preordered and don’t see the icon yet, don’t panic — these rollouts often stagger by store region and console account.

The parts that still need clarity

The reporting around a few important details diverges. Siliconera and VidaExtra call out limited connectivity: no online multiplayer and local wireless only for trading/battles. Several outlets also indicate Pokémon HOME support is not available at launch — though some reports suggest “compatibility” or a forthcoming HOME patch. Numerama’s coverage highlights Nintendo’s FAQ explaining why FireRed and LeafGreen were chosen for this anniversary push rather than the literal originals (Red/Blue): Nintendo argues these are the “ultimate” versions with extra features.

Physical availability is similarly fuzzy. Most European and North American coverage points to digital-only distribution, while Japan will receive a special bundle through official channels. Some retail partners in the US plan to sell digital codes, but a full physical release appears unlikely outside Japan.

Why Nintendo picked these remakes for the 30th anniversary

Nintendo and The Pokémon Company framed this as part of the 30th anniversary celebration. Numerama’s reporting dug into Nintendo’s FAQ: FireRed and LeafGreen contain quality-of-life improvements and extra content (Sevii Islands, additional mechanics) compared with the 1996 originals, which is the company’s stated justification for spotlighting the remakes instead of the first boxed releases.

What to watch next

The Pokémon Presents stream on 27 February (Siliconera points to a first airing at 6am PT / 9am ET / 3pm CET) is the next place to look for unresolved answers: will Nintendo confirm Pokémon HOME support and any one-way export tools, clarify physical-release plans, or reveal post-launch patches? After launch, expect player reports to confirm performance and any compatibility quirks on Switch 2.

TL;DR

If you preordered FireRed or LeafGreen on Switch, you can likely preload now in supported regions and be ready for the 27 February Pokémon Day launch. The ports look faithful and cheap at £16.99 / $19.99, but some connectivity and distribution details — Pokémon HOME integration and physical availability — are still unclear and worth watching during the Pokémon Presents stream.