The classic Generation 3 games may be making a comeback sooner than anyone expected. Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald are reportedly in the pipeline for Nintendo Switch ports, with a release window as early as September or October of this year being floated.
The claim follows the earlier Switch release of Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green, which were brought to modern hardware earlier in 2026 and were well-received by fans. Nintendo appears to be building a pattern here, and if the reports hold up, the Hoenn region is next.
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What the Hoenn ports might actually look like
Here's the thing: the Fire Red and Leaf Green ports set a pretty clear template. Each game was priced at around $20, and neither came loaded with new content. These were straightforward ports designed to make older games playable on current hardware, not full remakes. If Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald follow the same approach, expect the same deal.
That means no sweeping additions, no updated visuals beyond what a modern port typically brings, and no expanded storylines. For a lot of fans, that's perfectly fine. Playing Pokémon Emerald on a modern Switch with no emulation hassle is a pretty compelling offer on its own.
Why Emerald is the one everyone actually wants
Pokémon Emerald has always occupied a special place in the series. It expanded on Ruby and Sapphire in meaningful ways: more Double Battles, story changes that gave the narrative more weight, and the addition of the Battle Frontier, which remains one of the most demanding post-game challenges the series has ever produced. For a lot of players, Emerald is the definitive Generation 3 experience, and the prospect of having it available on Switch without digging out a Game Boy Advance is genuinely exciting.
Ruby and Sapphire have their own fans too, of course. Pokémon Alpha Sapphire gave the Hoenn region a full 3DS remake back in 2014, but the originals have a charm that the remakes never quite replicated.
The generation Nintendo is skipping over
What's notable about this report is what it implies Nintendo is leaving out, at least for now. Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the Generation 2 games, would logically sit between the Fire Red and Leaf Green ports and any Generation 3 releases. Jumping straight to Hoenn means Johto fans are being asked to wait.
Whether that's a deliberate sequencing decision or simply a matter of which ports were further along in development is unclear. Nintendo hasn't commented. The skip might frustrate some fans, but it doesn't make the Hoenn ports any less appealing to the people who grew up with them.
What this means for the Switch port strategy
Nintendo's approach to classic Pokémon on Switch is starting to look like a long-term project rather than a one-off. Fire Red and Leaf Green were a test case. If those sold well, and the positive reception suggests they did, then working through the back catalog makes obvious sense.
The $20 price point per game keeps the barrier low. Three separate ports of Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald at that price means fans might be looking at $60 total to own the complete Hoenn set, which is a reasonable ask for games this beloved.
If you want to revisit everything Hoenn has to offer in the meantime, the Pokémon Alpha Sapphire guides cover the 3DS remake in detail while the wait continues. And for anything else you need across the broader gaming world, the gaming guides hub has you covered.
