Pokémon Emerald is now playable in Unreal Engine 5

Pokémon Emerald is considered one of the best entries in the series by many fans. Solo developer UndreamedPanic has spent around two years bringing the Game Boy Advance classic into the modern era under the name Pokémon Gamma Emerald. After working on the game for nearly 12 hours a day, almost every day, according to the developer, the first playable version is now available. Around a year ago, the developer had already showcased the project on YouTube:

The free Early Access version of Pokémon Gamma Emerald has been available on UndreamedPanic’s itch.io page since August 15. What makes it special is that this is not a ROM hack, but a game developed from the ground up with Unreal Engine 5 graphics, a custom-built battle system, newly created 3D models and an original soundtrack.

Three Gyms are already available, but more content will probably take a while

The current build covers roughly the first third of the Hoenn region. Players can leave Littleroot Town and travel as far as Mauville City, where a roadblock prevents access to the unfinished area. This means three Gyms are currently included. The developer estimates the playtime at around three to six hours. Afterward, players can challenge previously defeated Trainers again. Despite the limited scope, many of the core gameplay mechanics are already complete – including a day-night cycle with different Pokémon appearing at different times, following Pokémon, breeding and trading.

However, after all the work of the past two years, the developer now wants to take a break. UndreamedPanic announced this on X. This means the game is unlikely to receive additional content or be completed in the near future. Bug fixes should not be expected for the time being either. However, the project does not appear to have been abandoned. On the official project page, the fan remake is still listed as being in development.

Fans are impressed – and already worried about Nintendo

On Reddit, the community has been largely enthusiastic about the Emerald remake. There is still room for improvement when it comes to technical optimization – on the Steam Deck, users report around 50 frames per second at 25 watts of power consumption – but considering the enormous amount of work put in by a single developer, the project has received plenty of praise. At the same time, fans are increasingly concerned about how Nintendo might respond to the remake.

Many fans fear that Nintendo could shut down Gamma Emerald before it is completed. UndreamedPanic emphasizes that the remake is completely free and non-commercial. The developer does not accept any money or donations for the project. There is also no official affiliation with Nintendo, Game Freak, Creatures or The Pokémon Company. Whether these precautions will be enough to prevent potential legal consequences remains to be seen.