Nintendo surprised fans on Monday, February 9, 2026, with the announcement of “Pokémon Day” and “Pokémon Night” events for Pokémon GO, sparking initial speculation about a potential new generation of core Pokémon games. While many hoped for news regarding the tenth generation of the franchise, Nintendo confirmed these are special events celebrating the mobile game’s 10th anniversary.
The announcement comes as the Pokémon franchise approaches its 30th anniversary on February 27, the date the original Red and Green versions launched in Japan. Nintendo plans a major celebration of the milestone, but the initial reveal focused on the Pokémon GO events.
Despite being an ideal name for the next mainline Pokémon games, “Pokémon Day” and “Pokémon Night” are simply shortened titles for these Pokémon GO extensions. Officially, the events are called “Pokémon Radiant Day” and “Pokémon Electrifying Night,” and are designed to commemorate a decade of Pokémon GO.
What are Pokémon Day and Pokémon Night? A Bait for the 10th Generation?
Rumors suggest that Nintendo will announce the tenth generation of Pokémon games in 2026, though details remain scarce. Expectations are that the new titles will arrive on the Nintendo Switch 2 and will differ from the recently released Pokémon Legends: Z-A, leaning towards a more traditional Pokémon format. The enduring popularity of the Pokémon franchise demonstrates its continued relevance in the gaming landscape.
The anticipation surrounding the tenth generation led many to believe these Pokémon GO activities were a code name for the upcoming games, but that is not the case. The events are specifically designed to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Pokémon GO and include:
- Pokémon Radiant Day will feature family-friendly activities.
- Pokémon Electrifying Night will cater to longtime fans of the monster-collecting series.
However, the official Pokémon Day celebration later in February may be when Nintendo unveils the next generation of the franchise. The Pokémon community is already actively speculating about potential announcements and features for 2026.
The Pokémon franchise remains the most successful in video game history, and 2026 could be a pivotal year for the series. Fans are hoping for a more polished and graphically advanced Pokémon experience, a sentiment echoed by content creator Rubius.
“Pokémon Day” and “Pokémon Night” are Pokémon GO events, and fans will necessitate to wait for further announcements regarding the next official video game installments in the franchise.
Source: Serebii
