Pokemon fans horrified after discovering how brutal New Pokemon Snap really is

Brent Koepp
Pokemon Sword & Shield Peony next to New Pokemon Snap footage

New Pokemon Snap gameplay footage went viral after showing the terrifying realities of Pokemon in their natural habitat. Fans of the Nintendo franchise were horrified after seeing the series’ food chain in action.

For over 25 years, the Pokemon franchise has delighted players from around the world. Fans of all ages have found comfort in the RPG series’ whimsical world and vibrant cast of characters.

New footage from the upcoming Nintendo Switch title New Pokemon Snap went viral after showcasing just how terrifying the Pokeverse can actually be when it comes to how monsters find their food in the wild.

tyrannitar in new Pokemon Snap
Fruit isn’t the only thing Pokemon eat in their natural habitat.

New Pokemon Snap footage shows Pokemon in their natural habitat

One of the promises of New Snap is allowing players to truly experience Pokemon in the wild. A new clip posted by the Pokemon Company’s Japanese account on April 7 revealed just how brutal the creatures’ natural habitat actually is.

In the short footage uploaded to Twitter, we see a Magikarp happily soaking up the sun while relaxing in water, when out of nowhere a massive Pidgeot soars into frame. With its talons extended, the bird Pokemon then snatches up the fish and carries it away.

While Magikarp being food is nothing new to the series, the video then cuts to another scene where a Frillish has its arms wrapped around the carp as it drags it down to the depths of the ocean. Its glowing eyes and smirk certainly don’t ease the situation as it brings the fish to its certain doom.

Pokemon fans hilariously took to social media to react to the clip’s shocking reality, such as one user who wrote, “Frillish smiling creepily as it descends into the darkness with a wriggling magikarp stuck in its grasp is my new paralysis demon.”

Another tweeted, “Okay, now I understand why Gyrados is always pissed off most of the time.” One simply said, “Magikarp didn’t deserve this.”

Pokemon fans react to New Snap gameplay footage

As cheerful as the Nintendo franchise is, the series is no stranger to having darker themes. The subject of whether Pokemon is food has been brought up going back to Gen II’s Gold & Silver where Team Rocket harvested Slowpoke tail for edibles.

But New Pokemon Snap’s modern HD graphics add a new layer of realism, making it all the more creepy. The Nintendo Switch title will make its debut on April 30th. For all our guides on the photography game, check out our hub here.