Pokémon Pokopia isn’t scheduled to launch on the Nintendo Switch 2 until 2026, and yet an early prototype for the game just leaked online. The early version of the game is not only fully playable but also reveals some interesting details about the project.
Pokémon Pokopia Leaks Online a Year Before Release
Since 2024, The Pokémon Company has been hit with a wave of leaks after a security breach. From the reveal of Gen 10 Pokémon Wind & Wave to the entire Pokémon Legends Z-A Pokédex leaking months before launch — leaks have been rampant. However, many players were still shocked when an early prototype of Pokémon Pokopia managed to make its way online and was even playable.
The prototype first appeared online when an account called RyDawgE_ discovered it in the files of the major 2024 leak. The user revealed the playable version of Pokémon Pokopia in a post on X: “Beta version of Pokopia from 2019 found. Fully playable Unity project.”
The prototype is from 2019 and uses a completely different graphics engine. In fact, many are comparing its original 2D pixel-art style to that of Stardew Valley.
Interestingly, the leak revealed Pokémon Pokopia originally started at Game Freak before the company handed it off to Koei Tecmo. The Beta build is surprisingly complete and has many features already implemented.
While this is basically not even the same game anymore, the leak is still pretty devastating, given that Pokémon Pokopia doesn’t even have a solid release date yet and is still a year out from launch.
Pokémon Pokopia’s Early Build Feels More Like Stardew Valley Than Minecraft
When Pokopia was revealed during the September Nintendo Direct, many compared it to Minecraft. However, the 2019 prototype has revealed that the game was originally closer to Stardew Valley and a resource management simulator.
In the Beta build of the game, it centered around players assigning Pokémon to tasks. For example, you could assign Charizard to roam around the map to pick up resources.
Or you could have an Eevee automatically craft houses based on the resource items you had collected in your inventory. The Koei Tecmo version has a completely different hook altogether, centering the entire game around the Gen 1 shape-shifting Pokémon Ditto. In the 2026 Pokémon Pokopia, players will control Ditto and use its powers to learn abilities from other Pokémon that have been unlocked on their map.
So if you want to water your crops, for instance, you can just clone a Squirtle’s Water Gun move. However, it’s unclear whether you’ll be able to assign Pokémon to task management like in the prototype build.
In the official trailer, we do see characters independently wandering on various spots on the map. However, they don’t seem to be doing anything beyond just dancing. Either way, it’s fascinating to see how far the Switch 2 game has morphed from its original concept.
The post A Pokémon Game Just Leaked a Year Early—and It’s Fully Playable appeared first on VICE.
