Despite its larger-than-life popularity, the Pokémon franchise hasn't been immune to waves of criticism in recent years for its lackluster visual performance and somewhat dated gameplay mechanics. Compared to the disappointment that each Pokémon ​​​​​entry inadvertently brings with it, Game Freak's latest endeavor proves the studio has much more capability than they've previously shown. Whether it's from a longer development cycle or less pressure from Nintendo, Game Freak could be delivering one of the most anticipated games of 2026, and it isn't anything close to Pokémon.

Although it was hard to beat out the massive reveals from this year's Summer Game Fest, Microsoft's Xbox Games Showcase still offered several incredibly exciting games to look forward to. From learning more about already confirmed titles to entirely new world premieres, there were more than a few reveals that were hard to believe at first. Even if it's still a year away from release, Game Freak's latest game has already raised my hopes for a unique gameplay experience, and it has no resemblance to Pokémon.

Beast Of Reincarnation Looks Nothing Like Pokémon

Massively Suring The Visual Quality Expected From Game Freak

Set in a post-apocalyptic Japan with plenty of fantastical elements and mythological creatures, Beast of Reincarnation was one of the most pleasant surprises from the Xbox Games Showcase. Releasing in 2026 for both Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC as a day-one Game title, Beast of Reincarnation's action-RPG gameplay looks like it will take some considerable hardware to run. Taking place hundreds of years in the future, a young samurai-like character faces off against monstrous enemies in more technical gameplay that's been compared to the likes of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Nioh​​​​​​.

None of the studio's spinoffs over the years have come close to the level of quality seen in Beast of Reincarnation.

Although Beast of Reincarnation has an excitingly unique setting and combat mechanics, the most shocking aspect of the announcement was seeing the Game Freak logo popping up halfway through the reveal trailer. With visuals more than stacking up against the rest of the Xbox games revealed during the showcase, it was hard to believe the studio behind Pokémon's lackluster visuals in recent years was behind the project. Game Freak is no stranger to working outside of Nintendo either, but none of the studio's spinoffs over the years have come close to the level of quality seen in Beast of Reincarnation.

While I'm excited to see the incredibly unique experience Beast of Reincarnation has to offer first-hand, it's hard not to compare the new title to the more static state of Pokémon. There is already growing frustration with the recent direction for Pokémon, delivering some of the worst-rated Pokémon games in the series. Although entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus offered a glimmer of hope, they still failed to reach the full potential the series has to offer for the next generation, thanks to lackluster hardware, lagging further behind the competition despite being one of the most financially successful franchises in gaming.

Switch 2 Hardware Could Give Game Freak A Boost

Pokémon Has Already Benefited From Switch 2's Much-Needed Hardware Improvements

Despite the reveal trailer for Beast of Reincarnation igniting even more frustration among players tired of Pokémon's current level of quality, it does provide an exciting glimmer of hope for what the series could offer in the future. Being developed solely for next-generation Xbox systems and PC, Beast of Reincarnation won't have nearly the same hardware limitations as Nintendo's Pokémon series, which the Switch 2 could already help resolve.

An exciting glimmer of hope for what the series could offer in the future.

With the Switch 2 being a massive upgrade from the hardware performance of its predecessor, Game Freak has more room to reach greater levels of fidelity and performance. Visuals aren't the only area of Pokémon that could see improvements either, as having a brand-new console opens up the door for even more exciting opportunities and creative gameplay mechanics, delivering a sense of scale never before seen for the series. Unfortunately, the intense development of Game Freak's standalone title could also end up using the majority of Game Freak's resources, with the next Pokémon being a secondary priority for the studio.

Thanks to the boosted performance of Nintendo's Switch 2, past Pokémon games already feel significantly better to play, best seen when comparing Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's performance between each console. Even though Pokémon Legends: Z-A isn't designed solely for the Switch 2, it still features a digital take greater advantage of the new hardware. Regardless of the current offerings, if Game Freak's Beast of Reincarnation manages to be another hit success for the developers, Nintendo's very own Pokémon could see a much-needed facelift, benefiting from advanced hardware and having more time to work in between major releases.

Source: Xbox/YouTube