Nostalgia for Pokémon fans is through the roof ahead of Pokémon Day 2026, with a slew of news set to be announced, and the re-release of Pokémon Fire Red & Leaf Green on Nintendo Switch platforms is on the horizon.
22 years after an initial release, Pokémon Fire Red & Leaf Green are coming to both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 as re-releases. Unlike other classic games, these will be a separate purchase and won’t be included with a Nintendo Switch Online membership.
If you’re already counting down the hours until you can explore the Kanto region again, Insider Gaming has all the details on the release date and launch times.
What is The Pokémon Fire Red & Leaf Green Nintendo Switch Release Date?
Pokémon Fire Red & Leaf Green will be released on Nintendo Switch systems on Friday, February 27, landing as part of the Pokémon Day celebrations.
The announcement of the re-release of the titles originally released on Game Boy Advance two decades ago came a week ahead of their release. It was previously leaked that the titles would be made available again.
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Full Pokémon Home connectivity will be added to the titles at a later date, increasing the number of available Pokémon in the game. In the original release, players could transfer Pokémon from other titles like Gold, Silver, Emerald, Ruby, and Sapphire.
It’s not entirely clear when Pokémon Home functionality will be available, and whether previous events in the game will be made available.
Pokémon Fire Red & Leaf Green Nintendo Switch Start Times
Pokémon Fire Red & Leaf Green will be released on Nintendo Switch platforms following the conclusion of the Pokémon Presents showcase on February 27.
No precise time for the drop has been shared, and it’s not clear if the titles will be immediately available after the conclusion of the showcase. However, if they’re not available as soon as the show ends, it’s likely to only be a short wait until they’re in the store.
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Pokémon Presents is set for 6 AM PT on February 27, with a run-time of around 25 minutes, so expect Fire Red & Leaf Green to be available from 6:25 AM. The table below shows the expected release times in major time zones.
| Time Zone | Pokémon Fire Red & Leaf Green Switch Release Time |
|---|---|
| Pacific Time (PT) | 6:25 AM – Feb. 27 |
| Central Time (CT) | 8:25 AM – Feb. 27 |
| Eastern Time (ET) | 9:25 AM – Feb. 27 |
| Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) | 2:25 PM – Feb. 27 |
| Australian Eastern Time (AET) | 1:27 AM – Feb. 28 |
What do you want to see announced on Pokémon Day? Share your wishes in the Insider Gaming Discord.
For more Pokémon content, take a look at the start time and dates for Pokémon Go Tour: Kalos, and check out our hands-on preview of Pokopia.
