Pokemon dev Game Freak says it wasn't trying to make an anti-Pokemon game with its flashy new action RPG Beast of Reincarnation: "It just happened"

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Pokemon dev Game Freak says it wasn't trying to make an anti-Pokemon game with its flashy new action RPG Beast of Reincarnation: "It just happened" News By George Young published 26 January 2026

"We never had a strong feeling like, 'let's make something in a different genre and style to what we've done before'"

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Beast of Reincarnation director Kota Furushima says that Game Freak's upcoming action RPG wasn't consciously developed to be in a completely different genre and style from the company's other games, such as the Pokemon series.

In an interview with Famitsu, translated by GamesRadar+, Furushima discusses how the team at Game Freak landed on the idea of creating a realistic-style action RPG, particularly since it isn't similar to anything the studio has worked on before.

"The truth is that we never had a strong feeling like 'let's make something in a different genre and style to what we've done before,'" Furushima says. "Rather, we simply had a solidified concept as a starting point, and we developed the style of play that would best realize that concept. It just happened that it was something completely different to what we'd done up until now."

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Game Freak's most recent Pokemon game is the series' first entrant into the action RPG genre. Pokemon Legends: Z-A changes from a turn-based to a real-time battle system; however, Beast of Reincarnation will do something completely different by blending the two styles.

"Starting out we didn't hone in on a genre or style, but instinctively explored an idea," Furushima says. "The concept is Emma and Koo travelling alone through this harsh world, and the loneliness of surviving in this extremely harsh environment, though not really alone, but with the warmth of a reliable companion. The desire to express this feeling is at the core of the game."

While Game Freak is best known for the Pokemon series, the company has developed games of multiple different genres over the years, though none have reached the notoriety of Pikachu's popular franchise.

Game Freak action RPG Beast of Reincarnation isn't just being made by the Pokemon studio, as the devs "managed to seek out a lot of partner companies to work with us."

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. CATEGORIES PS5 Xbox Series X PC Gaming Platforms PlayStation Xbox George YoungFreelance News Writer

Freelance writer, full-time PlayStation Vita enthusiast, and speaker of some languages. I break up my days by watching people I don't know play Pokemon pretty fast.

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