It could be “nearing release”
In mid-2019, Nintendo announced Detective Pikachu 2, a sequel to the Detective Pikachu game (which ended on an unresolved note)…and not a peep has been uttered since then. Let’s look at the timeline of how everything Detective Pikachu-related has gone down.
The full timeline of the Detective Pikachu series
- February 2016: A three-chapter smaller version of the game is released in Japan titled “Birth of a New Duo,” which is the first major appearance of the Detective Pikachu character.
- March 2018: The full version of Detective Pikachu is released worldwide on 3DS, with a nine-chapter storyline (and a giant accompanying amiibo).
- May 2019: The Detective Pikachu film debuts, and smashes video game box office records (a sequel game is subsequently announced for Switch).
So this new late-2022 update actually all boils down to a LinkedIn profile from Jonathan Murphy, who worked on the game at Creatures Inc (the studio that developed the first entry). As spotted by Famiboards user MetalLord, Murphy used the phrase “worked on one unannounced project and one nearing release, Detective Pikachu 2.” Murphy has since changed their LinkedIn profile to note that the game is “in development,” removing a mention of “nearing release.”
Honestly, this is pretty explosive info if it’s actually correct, especially if Nintendo is aiming for a mid-2023 release to spice up the Nintendo Switch lineup. While the jury is out on how accurate this LinkedIn statement is, at the very least, Detective Pikachu 2 is still in development. Some of us want to know how the game ends (assuming it’s not the same as the film)!
Chris Carter
Reviews Director, Co-EIC – Chris has been enjoying Destructoid avidly since 2008. He finally decided to take the next step, make an account, and start blogging in January of 2009. Now, he’s staff!
