Although Pokémon games never really brought Ash Ketchum into the canon, one of them is saying their goodbyes to the anime’s protagonist as he and his Pikachu leave the TV series. Ash and Pikachu’s adventures in the anime are coming to an end with a new reboot series already confirmed and on the way. This ends a 25-year-old saga, paving the way for new characters, Pokémon, regions to explore (including Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Paldea), and more.
As the entire fanbase gets ready to say goodbyes to Ash, one Pokémon game is also embracing the character’s farewell as it starts heading toward its own end. Pokémon Fire Ash is a fan-made game that follows the adventures of Ash, from the very start in Pallet Town all the way to the end of the popular Alola League. While it does not yet have the Journeys series adapted, that is already a work in progress. After the Journeys series and, potentially, the Pokémon: Aim To Be A Master special are adapted into Pokémon Fire Ash, the game will also come to an end, finally saying goodbye to Ash and Pikachu.
Why Pokémon Fire Ash Is Ending
Ultimately, Pokémon Fire Ash is coming to an end due to two important factors, according to GamesRadar. The first of them is that Ash’s adventures in the anime are ending and, therefore, there will be no more stories to tell, seeing that the game is centered around the titular protagonist. Another reason is that the developers are limited to a certain number of maps they can include in a single game due to the fact that the title was created on RPG Maker. The final update is expected to launch sometime between May and June 2023, as mentioned on Pokémon Fire Ash‘s official website.
What Pokémon Fire Ash Covers
As mentioned previously, the Pokémon Fire Ash game covers Ash’s adventures in the Pokémon anime, from the very beginning all the way up to the Alola League. This means that, as of writing, the game features over 50 Gyms and a National Dex of more than 800 creatures. As the game covers the anime, it also has regions and sagas that were never actually explored in the games, such as the Orange Islands and the Battle Frontier.
Additionally, Pokémon Fire Ash has expanded areas of original maps, which remain mostly the same as in the traditional games, as well as additions that complement the storytelling of the anime. Players have encounters with Jesse and James, which are Team Rocket members that only ever made it into Pokémon Yellow and its Let’s Go remakes. Ash also has special encounters with the same Pokémon he finds in the anime, such as Caterpie, his first captured Pokémon.
After both the Pokémon anime and the Pokémon Fire Ash game say goodbye to the popular character, the animated series should start focusing on Riko and Roy, the two new protagonists. The story is expected to start in the region of Paldea, but it is unknown if they will follow the character throughout previously explored areas and if they will continue as the Pokémon game series continues to expand.
Sources: GamesRadar, Pokémon Fire Ash