Then, on March 16, 2022, a message flickered onto Nintendo Switch screens around the world:

There were smaller, kinder changes too. Gym leader rematches became more challenging, with higher-level teams and competitive items. The Elite Four could be refought with Pokémon in the 80s, providing a genuine threat. A handful of glitches—including the infamous “menu storage” duplication exploit—were finally sealed. The game became more stable, more complete, and more rewarding.

It didn’t arrive with a flashy trailer or a dramatic direct. It arrived quietly, like a seasoned traveler returning home after a long journey. But within its 600+ megabyte download, developer ILCA had packed something the community had been begging for: the real endgame.

“Have you caught Arceus yet?”