Following the collaboration between The Pokemon Company and Ed Sheeran that produced the song “Celestial” for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, new updates from Game Freak indicate that such partnerships are no longer in the cards. Despite interest from TPC for a similar collaboration for Pokemon Legends: Z-A, Game Freak declined, signaling that future games will lack insert songs from external artists.

This decision emerges in the wake of significant leaks regarding Pokemon’s upcoming Generation 10 titles, potentially named Pokemon Winds and Waves. Rumors suggest that these games will be set in a region influenced by Southeast Asian cultures. Fans have been advised to approach these leaked details with caution until official announcements are made.

No More Music Artists in Future Titles

Pokemon enthusiasts can breathe a sigh of relief concerning the lack of artist collaboration in future titles. Documents leaked by Pokemon source Centro on Twitter reveal that Game Freak intends to prohibit insert songs across Pokemon games going forward. The earlier use of Ed Sheeran’s “Celestial” raised concerns, especially when content creators faced copyright strikes during its airing on platforms like Twitch.

To circumvent these issues, players of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet had resorted to modding their consoles to remove the song, which came with its own risks due to Nintendo’s strict anti-tampering policies. With this new stance from Game Freak, creators and fans alike can expect a return to predominantly original musical compositions on upcoming releases.

Additional guidelines now also prevent TPC from commissioning official artwork for Pokemon without first engaging with Game Freak, further establishing the developer’s authority in the franchise’s future directions.