Can Beasts of Reincarnation Wake Pokémon Up?

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GameRant has published an article examining Beast of Reincarnation, Game Freak's new action RPG, and its possible impact on the industry. The game will launch on PS5, Xbox, and PC, but not on Nintendo Switch. Its release could test whether Game Freak can succeed beyond Pokémon.

For a studio long associated with Pokémon, Beast of Reincarnation marks a clear attempt to move beyond the monster-collecting formula. Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the game follows Emma and her loyal dog Koo as they investigate the truth behind the world's destruction. It focuses on melee combat and coordinated battles with companions instead of capturing, raising, and trading creatures.

GameRant argues that if Beast of Reincarnation succeeds commercially, it could become a potential internal challenger to the Pokémon series. That challenge would not be limited to sales. It could also change how players judge Game Freak's priorities.

In recent years, many players have criticized the mainline Pokémon games for bugs, performance problems, and a lack of creative ideas. If the same developer delivers a more ambitious original action RPG, players may begin asking why Game Freak can produce a high-quality original project while the mainline Pokémon games continue to fall short of expectations.

The review scores cited by the article provide a useful reference point. During the 2010s, Pokémon Black and White, Pokémon X and Y, and Pokémon Sun and Moon generally held steady at around 87 points. In more recent years, Pokémon Sword and Shield scored 80 points, while Pokémon Scarlet and Violet received only 71-72 points. By contrast, Pokémon: Pokopia reached 89 points, a new high for the series. That suggests players are still willing to give Pokémon strong scores. They are increasingly focused on whether each release offers something genuinely new.

From an industry perspective, an original IP brings both opportunities and risks. Beast of Reincarnation could help Game Freak reduce its dependence on a single franchise and reach a broader audience. At the same time, fans may worry that staff and development resources will be divided, potentially affecting future Pokémon projects. Its decision to skip Nintendo Switch and target PS5, Xbox, and PC also highlights the scale of that change.

Capcom provides a counterexample. It has managed to operate several flagship IPs at the same time while balancing development resources across different projects. That requires mature production pipelines and consistent output, however. Simply opening multiple projects is not enough.

Pokémon players do not need to view Beast of Reincarnation as a threat. Its more useful role may be to test Game Freak's priorities. If the game receives an enthusiastic response, players may question why the studio's original project can deliver a stronger sense of freshness while its flagship IP struggles to meet expectations. If it performs only modestly, Pokémon still will not face a sharp decline in the short term, thanks to its massive audience and deep franchise legacy. Those strengths may prevent a short-term collapse, but they cannot replace quality.

The key question is whether Beast of Reincarnation can challenge Pokémon and what its performance will reveal about Game Freak. It may show which direction the studio chooses for its future, particularly in terms of resource allocation and creative priorities.

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