Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green Are Coming to Nintendo Switch — Here Is Everything You Need to Know
Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green on Nintendo Switch were quietly spotted in the eShop’s “Coming Soon” section before any official announcement — here’s what leaked, what it costs, and why this is a big deal for Pokemon’s 30th anniversary.
Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green Are Coming to Nintendo Switch on Pokemon Day 2026
Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green on Nintendo Switch showed up in the eShop’s “Coming Soon” section before Nintendo or The Pokemon Company said a single word about it — and the internet went a little crazy.
That kind of accidental leak is basically Nintendo’s favorite way to announce things these days. Someone over at the eShop publishing team hit a button a little too early, and suddenly one of the most beloved Game Boy Advance Pokemon titles of all time was sitting right there, ready to pre-order, with a price tag and a release date attached. No trailer, no press release, no big Presents moment. Just… there.
Here is what we know, what it means for longtime fans, and why this release is actually a bigger deal than it might seem on the surface.
The eShop Leak That Started Everything
The listings for Pokemon FireRed Version and Pokemon LeafGreen Version appeared quietly in the Nintendo eShop’s “Coming Soon” section before any official announcement was made. Both games were priced at $19.99 in the United States, with the Australian eShop showing a $30.00 AUD listing as well.
What made these listings stand out immediately was how bare-bones they were. No screenshots. No gameplay footage. Just a title, a price, a release date, and a download size listed at 40MB for each game. That 40MB detail is important, and we’ll get to why in a moment.
Pre-orders went live on the Nintendo eShop for both titles, and a small but important note showed up on the US listing: Pokemon HOME support is confirmed to be coming, though it is not available at launch. There is also no Save Data Cloud Backup support for either title.
“Pokemon Fire Red just dropped on Nintendo Switch — grab it before Pokemon Day and relive Kanto the right way. Pre-order now on the eShop.”
The Release Date Is No Coincidence
Both games are set to launch on February 27, 2026 — which is Pokemon Day.
If you are not familiar with Pokemon Day, it is the annual celebration of the franchise’s original release date in Japan back in 1996. Every year on February 27, The Pokemon Company tends to drop announcements, host a Pokemon Presents showcase, and generally make it a big day for fans.
But 2026 is not just any Pokemon Day. This is the 30th anniversary of the entire franchise. Pokemon has been a part of people’s lives for three decades, and The Pokemon Company has been building up to this milestone throughout the year. Dropping FireRed and LeafGreen right on that date is clearly intentional. The store description even says it outright — these games are meant to help fans “celebrate 30 years of Pokemon.”
The timing of the leak, happening just days before the official Pokemon Day Presents showcase, suggests Nintendo had every intention of making this a proper announcement. Someone just got ahead of the schedule.
These Are the Original GBA Games, Not Remasters
This is the part that some fans might need a moment to sit with. Those 40MB file sizes are a dead giveaway.
For context, modern Nintendo Switch games routinely run into several gigabytes. Even older ports and remasters tend to clock in well above a few hundred megabytes. At 40MB each, FireRed and LeafGreen are not being rebuilt from the ground up. They are not getting updated graphics, new features, or any kind of modern remake treatment.
What you are getting is the original Game Boy Advance version of each game, running on Nintendo Switch. The store listing itself confirms this directly, describing these as “the Pokemon FireRed Version game originally released on the Game Boy Advance system.”
That might disappoint some people who were hoping for a full HD remaster, and honestly, that conversation is valid. But for a lot of longtime fans, getting to play these exact games on Switch — on a big screen at home or in handheld mode — is still genuinely exciting. These are not games that have been easy to play legally for a very long time, and the GBA originals hold up surprisingly well.
What Is Actually Included in These Games
If you never played FireRed or LeafGreen back in the day, here is a quick picture of what you are getting.
Both games are enhanced remakes of the very first Pokemon titles — the original Red and Green released in Japan in 1996, and Red and Blue released internationally. They were developed for the Game Boy Advance and launched in Japan in January 2004, followed by North America in September 2004 and Europe and Australia in October that same year.
The games take place in the Kanto region, the original home of the first 151 Pokemon. You pick your starter, battle your way through eight Gym Leaders, and eventually take on the Elite Four to become the Pokemon League Champion. Classic stuff.
But the GBA versions added something the originals did not have: the Sevii Islands. This is a whole extra set of islands accessible after you beat the main game, and they bring in Pokemon from Johto that were not available in the original Kanto games. It was a pretty big deal at the time.
The Switch versions also support local wireless play, so you can trade and battle with friends nearby if you both have the game. Pokemon HOME support is coming later, which means you will eventually be able to transfer your caught Pokemon into the broader Pokemon ecosystem.
Language Versions Are Separate Purchases — Read This Before You Buy
This is a detail that could catch people off guard if they are not paying attention.
Because these ports are designed to replicate the original GBA releases as closely as possible, each language version is being sold as a completely separate product. There is no in-game language toggle.
In North America, that means you can buy an English version, a Spanish version, or a French version — but they are each individual SKUs. In PAL regions (Europe and Australia), the options expand to include Italian and German as separate releases as well.
The store listing even includes a direct warning: “Please verify the language of the game before completing your purchase.”
It is a bit of an old-school approach in a world where most Switch games let you switch languages from a menu. But again, this is part of the “authentic to the original” philosophy behind the port.
Pokemon HOME Support Is On the Way
One of the bigger questions surrounding any classic Pokemon re-release is always: can you actually use these Pokemon in modern games?
The short answer is yes, eventually. Pokemon HOME support is confirmed to be coming to both FireRed and LeafGreen on Switch, though it is not available at launch. Once that update rolls out, players will be able to transfer the Pokemon they catch and train into Pokemon HOME, which then connects to more recent titles.
This is a meaningful addition. It means that grinding through Kanto to catch your favorite Pokemon is not just a nostalgia trip — you will be able to bring them forward into whatever comes next in the franchise.
There is no timeline yet for when the HOME update will arrive, but the fact that it is confirmed at all is good news.
No Save Data Cloud Backup — Here Is Why That Matters
One thing worth flagging: neither FireRed nor LeafGreen on Switch supports Save Data Cloud Backup through Nintendo Switch Online.
This is actually a policy that Nintendo has applied to several Pokemon games on Switch before, going back to titles like Pokemon Sword and Shield. The reason given historically has been to prevent people from duplicating rare Pokemon by backing up their save, trading those Pokemon away, and then restoring from the backup to get them back.
It is a trade protection measure, essentially. But it does mean that if something happens to your console, your save data is gone. That is a real consideration if you plan to sink serious time into these games.
Why This Is a Big Deal for Pokemon’s 30th Year
Here is the bigger picture. FireRed and LeafGreen have not been officially available on any current platform for years. The 3DS Virtual Console never got GBA games (outside of a small Ambassador Program batch), so there has been no legal way to buy and play these games on modern hardware for a long time.
Bringing them to Switch — even as straight ports — fills a real gap. It also signals something bigger: The Pokemon Company seems to be actively working to make the full history of Pokemon accessible again. If FireRed and LeafGreen are coming, other beloved GBA titles might not be far behind.
Pokemon fans have been asking for Pokemon Emerald, Ruby, and Sapphire on Switch for years. Whether or not those come next is still speculation, but the door is clearly opening.
Pokemon’s 30th anniversary is shaping up to be one of the franchise’s biggest years. A full Pokemon Presents showcase is expected on February 27, and fans are anticipating announcements ranging from new main series games to more classic re-releases. FireRed and LeafGreen landing on that exact day is a statement.
FAQs
When do Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green release on Nintendo Switch?
Both games are set to release on February 27, 2026 — Pokemon Day, which also marks the franchise’s 30th anniversary.
How much do they cost?
They are priced at $19.99 USD each on the Nintendo eShop.
Are these remasters or ports of the original games?
These are ports of the original Game Boy Advance games, not remasters. The 40MB file size confirms they are running the original GBA versions.
Do they support Pokemon HOME?
Pokemon HOME support is confirmed but not available at launch. It is listed as “coming soon” on the store page.
Can you play them with friends?
Yes, local wireless play is supported, allowing you to trade and battle with nearby players
Is there cloud save backup?
No. Neither game supports Save Data Cloud Backup through Nintendo Switch Online
Are they available physically?
No. These are digital-only releases exclusive to the Nintendo eShop.
“Miss the old-school GBA days? Fire Red and Leaf Green are back — and this time you can play them on your TV. Don’t sleep on this one.”
