I am relieved I wasn’t the only one thinking about this. While pondering my next Boss Rush Banter, I got an e-mail notification that my Pokémon Pokopia pre-order was about to ship. With Resident Evil Requiem still very fresh in my find, I found it funny that I’m chasing the heart-stopping action-horror game with…a cozy Pokémon sim. Both are receiving high praise, and yet, are two completely different genres. Is the gaming industry having its Barbenheimer moment?
Ah, Barbenheimer. Remember that? If not, let me refresh your memory. Two blockbuster titans dropped at the same time in 2023: Barbie and Oppenheimer. They told wildly different in stories, themes, and had contrasting art direction, and yet both were such a hit that many people saw, and enjoyed, both. It became a cultural phenomenon, a meme, whatever you’d like to call it. What made it so interesting was how different in tone Oppenheimer was from Barbie, but any one person can sit through both and equally love them. While movies of different genres release often around the same time, these two seemed like a larger-than-life odd couple.
Same with video games. With a plethora of genres available and games releasing faster than you can blink, two franchise titans have come head-to-head within one week of another: Resident Evil Requiem, which released February 27th and Pokémon Pokopia, releasing March 5th. One is a survival horror (and action) zombie thriller by Capcom that is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and the other is a cute and cuddly sim that…wait. It’s also celebrating 30 years. You’d think that they cater to two separate markets, but the internet (and myself) sees it otherwise.
I view Resident Evil Requiem and Pokémon Pokopia as the Barbenheimer of games, and thankfully many out there agree. Both franchises are so massive, and these titles are appealing to a very wide audience, that it actually is no surprise that people are going from one extreme genre to another. Even if these genres may not be someone’s preferred, Capcom and the Pokémon Company are big enough that even the casual player is likely to open their wallets to try out their products.
The fact the internet is already crafting members of Ditto and Leon Kennedy brings me so much joy, and cultural phenomenon are sorely needed. It proves that “tribal behavior” (forming tight, passionate groups based on shared interests) can never overpower shared experiences if the quality of the game(s) or other media are of the highest quality.
Cheers to you Resident Evil Requiem and Pokémon Pokopia. I hope you both share nominations at the 2026 Game Awards! Are you playing either (or both) of these games? Please share your thoughts with us on our Boss Rush Facebook Group or our Boss Rush Discord.
Boss Rush Podcast – A Podcast about Video Games
The Boss Rush Podcast – A Podcast about Video Games – is the flagship show of the Boss Rush Network and Boss Rush Media. Each week, hosts Corey Dirrig and LeRon Dawkins are joined by friends, fellow creators, indie developers, and industry veterans to discuss the latest in the world of video games, including news, rumors, new releases, and what they’ve been playing. They also answer listener questions, debate important industry topics and Boss Rush Banter discussion points, and feature a rotating weekly segment. New episodes post every Monday.
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