Copies of Pokémon Legends: Arceus have reportedly been spotted in the wild, leaks likely to follow

Pokémon Legends: Arceus isn’t officially releasing for the Nintendo Switch until Jan. 28. But it appears that at least one physical copy of the game is already out in the wild more than a week early. 

In an image shared by multiple accounts dedicated to Pokémon leaks and rumors, what appears to be the full physical case and cartridge have been revealed. 

The physical Arceus product seems to have been obtained early and appears to have been obtained early in a Spanish-speaking country—something that’s become expected via previous leaks for games such as Pokémon Sword and Shield or Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. And while we can’t confirm that the game is actually in the hands of the leaker, images have started coming out of what looks to be actual gameplay. 

Outside of the product images themselves, purported screengrabs showing the opening cutscene of Arceus have surfaced. 

In those screengrabs, the player looks to be talking directly to Arceus in a realm that’s “located beyond both time and space.” This means the intro could completely bypass the typical conversation with a Pokémon Professor and have the player character directly tied to Arceus much earlier than many expected. 

As more leaks begin to surface, everything should be taken lightly until we receive confirmation that the content is actually featured in Arceus when it launches next week.