Pokémon creators announce Xbox ARPG project Beast of Reincarnation

Who would have thought we'd see the name Game Freak, the development studio behind Nintendo's Pokémon franchise, as one of the "World Premiere" announcements at the Xbox conference today. That's right.

But it seems the studio's developers aren't just dedicated to expanding the long-running pocket monster universe, they're now venturing into the very different genre of action role-playing. In Beast of Reincarnation we control Emma The Sealer, a katana-wielding warrior accompanied by a white wolf in what appears to be a dystopian future where humanity is on the verge of extinction. It seems that Emma is the only one who can find the Reincarnation Beast, kill it and thus restart the world for humans.

An interesting premise and a combat style slightly reminiscent of Stellar Blade, Shift Up's debut feature. We'll see if, in addition to animating charming creatures for more than 20 years, Game Freak surprises us with an action game to match. Beast of Reincarnation is coming to Xbox Series (and presumably more platforms) in 2026. You can check it out below.