Although Eevee gives it a run for its money, Pikachu is the default mascot of the Pokemon franchise. From its early days as Ash’s first partner Pokemon, Pikachu has captured the hearts of fans. And throughout Pokemon history, Pikachu has pretty much just been Pikachu. Though we do have Alolan forms of its evolution, Raichu, there’s never been a true variant of Pikachu itself. But with the latest trailer for the upcoming Pokemon Pokopia, it looks like that might be about to change.
In a 10-minute trailer for its upcoming life sim, The Pokemon Company shared new details for Pokemon Pokopia. This new spinoff game is set to release on March 5th, 2026, and it will give us Pokemon’s take on a Minecraft and Animal Crossing-inspired game. But along with new details about the overall gameplay loop, the tail end of the Pokemon Pokopia shared something no one expected. Several Pokemon will receive new, creative variants, known as Peculiar Pokemon. And that includes Pikachu’s first-ever variant form, Peakychu.
The New Peculiar Pokemon Variants in Pokmon Pokopia Are a Mystery Fans Can’t Wait to Solve
Toward the end of the Pokopia trailer, fans got a first look at something new and unexpected in the upcoming cozy game. Several strange new Pokemon variants were revealed, giving new forms to Pokemon that have never previously had alternate forms. In addition to the game’s very own Pokemon Professor, Professor Tangrowth, three additional Peculiar Pokemon made their debut in the trailer. And while we don’t know much about them just yet, we can make some guesses based on their appearances.
First up, of course, is Peakychu. This new Pikachu variant has a ghostly glow to its white/grey fur. Its ears also droop rather than standing up at alert like a typical Pikachu’s ears. And based on the strange behavior of the environment around this unusual Pikachu, it looks like it just might be a Ghost-type variation on the electric mouse we’re used to. If this is a new version of Pikachu, it would be the first one in Pokemon history, unless you count the appearance of Clone Pikachu in Pokemon: The First Movie. Of course, it’s also possible that Peakychu, like Professor Tangrowth, is a unique one-off that will not make its way to main series games.
Peakychu and Professor Tangrowth aren’t the only new Peculiar Pokemon revealed, either. We also see a moss-covered version of Snorlax, which will be known as Mosslax. In the trailer, it wakes up from what looks to be a lengthy sleep, a flower blooming on its head. Snorlax, like Pikachu, has never before received a variant form since its debut in the original 151, aside from its Gigantamax evolution in Pokemon Sword and Shield.
Finally, we have a Peculiar variant of the paint brush Pokemon, Smeargle. This creature, known as Smearguru, has vibrant colors splattered all over it and looks to be hard at work painting a masterpiece. Smeargle is a newer addition to the Pokemon franchise compared to mainstays like Pikachu and Snorlax. Even so, this could be its first variant form.
As of now, we don’t know too much about the role that Peculiar Pokemon will serve in Pokopia. It’s also unclear if these new variants will go on to appear in future gens, similar to Alolan and Hisiuan forms, or if they are one-off characters for the purposes of this cozy game. Either way, though, it’s hard not to love these unique new designs for some of our favorite Pokemon.
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