Pokémon Legends: Arceus is shaping up to be a game focused on single-player exploration and adventure. But that won’t stop Game Freak from including one of Pokémon’s core mechanics in the game.
Though it wasn’t widely publicized in the Pokémon Presents showcase for the game today, Legends: Arceus will in fact feature some multiplayer elements. For now, however, it appears to be centered solely around trading.
The game’s official website mentions that Jubilife Village, the hub location for players to return to after exploring, will feature multiple “institutions and services.” This includes mention of a trading post that will let players connect and trade Pokémon.
It’s unclear right now if this means other players will be appearing in Jubilife Village similar to that of Sword and Shield’s main Wild Area or if it will simply be an area set aside for communicating with others.
There’s no indication of battling or other multiplayer features on the website yet, but the updated slides do mention the need for a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to access certain features of the game.
Trading is intrinsically tied to Pokémon as a franchise, so Game Freak putting some form of multiplayer into the game to let friends connect and at least continue swapping ‘mons isn’t that surprising.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus will be released on Jan. 28, 2022.
