Core 'Pokemon' RPG Under Development for Nintendo Switch

It's official: Nintendo is developing a core "Pokemon" RPG for the Switch.

Nintendo was a showstopper at this year's E3, offering some of the biggest news in the entire event. One of them was the announcement that a mainline "Pokemon" game is in development for the company's Switch platform. Game Freak, which has developed all the titles in the main "Pokemon" game franchise since 1996, will continue to serve as developer for the new Switch title. The Pokémon Company's president and CEO, Tsunekazu Ishihara, delivered the good news at the Nintendo E3 presentation this week.

It's still unclear whether the upcoming Switch "Pokemon" is also the rumored "Pokemon Stars," which is reportedly part of the current "Pokémon Sun and Moon" 3DS game, or a new addition to the franchise. Regardless, the upcoming game will mark the first time in "Pokemon" history that a core title will be introduced to a console.

During the event, Nintendo said fans will have to wait "for a year or more" to get their hands on the new game. However, the company hopes for continued support for the augmented reality app "Pokemon Go," which has been downloaded over 500 million times since its release.

Nintendo also presented trailers for an updated version of "Kirby" and the "Xenoblade Chronicles" sequel, scheduled for a 2018 debut. Other games featured in the conference were "Super Mario Odyssey" and a Yoshi-focused title.

Last week, Nintendo celebrated the franchise's anniversary on the Switch by unveiling the Pokken Tournament DX, which is scheduled for a fall 2017 release. New and improved versions of "Pokemon Sun and Moon" were revealed as well, but they will be exclusive to 3DS players once they hit the shelves in November of this year.

Further details about the new "Pokemon" RPG have yet to be revealed, but Nintendo confirmed that it wil not be launched until 2018 at the earliest.