Explore A Dramatic New World!

[Joshawott]

There is no target audience for the games, at least not to such an extent where the rest of the players should get confused. Kids can feel excited about games they've never played even if they are presented as remakes.

There's a target audience for absolutely everything from entertainment media to toilet brushes! The Pokémon franchise as a whole has always been marketed towards the 8-12 year old market. All because they tried something different with HeartGold/SoulSilver doesn't mean that they will stick with that strategy.

The marketing strategy for Pokémon has seen a drastic change since the launch of Black & White.

The only thing that comes to mind is the lack of distinction between new Pokémon and alternate forms, but that has always been the case. And you can tell just from looking at a Pokémon if it is new or not. I have no idea why you thought Mega Mewtwo was a new Pokémon.

Pokémon Black and White saw a huge change in how the Pokémon series was marketed overseas and it was really used a platform to reach out and attract more people to the franchise - more-so than the launches of any previous generation barring the first. It was a way to relaunch the franchise to a brand new audience of children and they are now continuing with that audience.
With HeartGold/SoulSilver, I imagine the focus was put on nostalgia because that was one of the two generations that fans are most known for looking at with rose-tinted glasses, that were released when the Pokémon craze was near it's end. Ruby and Sapphire though? Overseas, Pokémon was in a lull.

And are you seriously going for the cheap point scoring of "hahaha, you were wrong before" thing? Remember, you were wrong on that one too - neither of us could have seen Mega Evolutions coming. It wasn't a new Pokémon, it wasn't a new forme by Pokémon, it was something in-between that was like something caught between the two.

Please pray tell, how "fresh take on Ruby & Sapphire" can possibly mean sequels.

Anything to do with Hoenn would be a fresh take on the original games. It doesn't have to be a repeat of the original story.

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A fresh take on Ruby & Sapphire implies that it's a fresh take on the games as a whole, not just one aspect of it.

The "fresh take" thing definitely implies some sort of significant change, although I'm not exactly sure it's a sequel. I think at the very least, though, we can expect things like new areas, maybe revamps to older areas, 4th, 5th, and 6th gen Pokemon added to the Hoenn Dex, new Mega Evolutions, a different storyline, things of that nature.

What does "explore a dramatic new world" mean, then? When I think of a remake, I don't think of something completely different than what the original was.

It means it's a new world for the target audience, who weren't even sperm when the originals came out. It could also be a reference to the dramatic changes Hoenn is undergoing due to the transition from 2D pixel graphics to the more sophisticated 3D environments of Gen VI.

Honestly, this is going to turn out to be Gen III's FRLG/HGSS and anyone expecting anything more, are simply setting themselves up for disappointment.

 

[SUP3RN0VA]

Personally i'm doubting the sequel thing. Why would they sequel a game that is 11 years old - their target audience of 10 year olds weren't alive to play the originals! I get a feeling it's going to be like HG/SS in that it's a remake but a remake with added features, which I am happy about because, honestly, Hoenn is da best.

Honestly I would be content with either outcome: Remakes or sequels. Although I do believe that these newly announced games could still be possible sequels as opposed to remakes. The phrase 'explore a dramatic new world' has me thinking they could possibly be sequels. I would not want remakes to have such dramatic changes that they don't feel like actual remakes of the originals.

 

[cassiem]

Personally i'm doubting the sequel thing. Why would they sequel a game that is 11 years old - their target audience of 10 year olds weren't alive to play the originals! I get a feeling it's going to be like HG/SS in that it's a remake but a remake with added features, which I am happy about because, honestly, Hoenn is da best.

Honestly I would be content with either outcome: Remakes or sequels. Although I do believe that these newly announced games could still be possible sequels as opposed to remakes. The phrase 'explore a dramatic new world' has me thinking they could possibly be sequels. I would not want remakes to have such dramatic changes that they don't feel like actual remakes of the originals.

As would I - remake or sequel, I think these two will be awesome. (love your avatar and siggie, too!)

 

[Alpha71689]

The "fresh take" thing definitely implies some sort of significant change, although I'm not exactly sure it's a sequel. I think at the very least, though, we can expect things like new areas, maybe revamps to older areas, 4th, 5th, and 6th gen Pokemon added to the Hoenn Dex, new Mega Evolutions, a different storyline, things of that nature.

What does "explore a dramatic new world" mean, then? When I think of a remake, I don't think of something completely different than what the original was.

It means it's a new world for the target audience, who weren't even sperm when the originals came out. It could also be a reference to the dramatic changes Hoenn is undergoing due to the transition from 2D pixel graphics to the more sophisticated 3D environments of Gen VI.

Honestly, this is going to turn out to be Gen III's FRLG/HGSS and anyone expecting anything more, are simply setting themselves up for disappointment.

I'll just have to wait until there's more information, then. One video won't satisfy me, and a small portion of my being is still holding out that it will be a sequel.

 

[Scarftail]

Just for clarification, I believe these will be remakes, but not typical ones. Otherwise, they would've flat-out stated this by now. These games are featuring Groudon and Kyogre alongside the 'Ruby' and 'Sapphire' names, so I don't see them not being remakes. They'll just include story alterations reminiscent of third versions or even more drastic in the sense that the original story is completely redone. The only reason any of this comes to mind is because of the wording and the boxart. I don't see why they couldn't just be straightforward. What's the charm in being vague about a clear-cut remake? If this has been done before, then I stand corrected. There are many people speculating about what kinds of games these are online, so no one should be criticized for doing so...

 

[Bolt Strike]

@Joshawott; Why would they bother with new forms of Groudon/Kyogre if they weren't going to take some kind of liberties with this game? Most of the target audience doesn't know them either, they haven't been catchable in any game since HGSS. There's no need to give them a new appearance/power boost for them in that case. I agree that perhaps expecting sequels may be on the more ridiculous side of people's expectations, but at the same time, the way this game is presented it is not a simple graphical/mechanical upgrade with a couple of extras sprinkled here and there like FRLG and HGSS were.

 

[Almonds]

Personally i'm doubting the sequel thing. Why would they sequel a game that is 11 years old - their target audience of 10 year olds weren't alive to play the originals! I get a feeling it's going to be like HG/SS in that it's a remake but a remake with added features, which I am happy about because, honestly, Hoenn is da best.

There are plenty of games that get sequels after more than ten years when the target audience weren't alive to experience the first games. OR/AS could still be a sequel.

 

[Silktree]

It was a way to relaunch the franchise to a brand new audience of children and they are now continuing with that audience.

I never felt that Black and White favored the new audience over the veteran players (some of whom had just come back due to HGSS). A lot of the marketing revolved around how the games were different, which a new audience couldn't have appreciated.

I don't see how B2W2 or XY support your argument, either. The Mega Evolution hype, for instance, is largely about appealing to the veteran players.

And are you seriously going for the cheap point scoring of "hahaha, you were wrong before" thing? Remember, you were wrong on that one too - neither of us could have seen Mega Evolutions coming. It wasn't a new Pokémon, it wasn't a new forme by Pokémon, it was something in-between that was like something caught between the two.

I am not going around telling people that I'm clearly right and they're wrong. I'm skeptical about these games but I am not ruling anything out; the marketing is just weird.

A fresh take on Ruby & Sapphire implies that it's a fresh take on the games as a whole, not just one aspect of it.

Sequels would include almost every aspect from the original games. There would be callbacks to the original plot, too.

 

[Zeb]

I have to wonder if this is going to be set in Hoenn. I know this will probably sound ridiculous but the press release doesn't mention a return to Hoenn, or even Hoenn at all, instead choosing to say a new world. Then we have the hiker in XY who told us we'd be seeing their region very soon (would very soon be after Hoenn remakes?) and that their region wasn't Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh or Unova (and Kalos). While I'd love to see Hoenn in 3D, I'm pretty interested to see if this is gonna be Hoenn and not something else.

 

[Scarftail]

I have to wonder if this is going to be set in Hoenn. I know this will probably sound ridiculous but the press release doesn't mention a return to Hoenn, or even Hoenn at all, instead choosing to say a new world. Then we have the hiker in XY who told us we'd be seeing their region very soon (would very soon be after Hoenn remakes?) and that their region wasn't Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh or Unova (and Kalos). While I'd love to see Hoenn in 3D, I'm pretty interested to see if this is gonna be Hoenn and not something else.

The backpacker said "in due time," which a 2015 release would fulfill. I can't see the unknown region being included in these games, because it is heavily implied to have its own Pokemon and League, which makes it distinct enough to be included in its own game. Masuda already made it a point to say that there will never be two full regions in a single game again. The "new world" phrase is either a graphically updated Hoenn or a drastically altered Hoenn.

 

[EvilChameleon]

You don't call a game Whatever Ruby and Whatever Sapphire and don't include Hoenn. What sense would that make?

 

[Zeb]

I have to wonder if this is going to be set in Hoenn. I know this will probably sound ridiculous but the press release doesn't mention a return to Hoenn, or even Hoenn at all, instead choosing to say a new world. Then we have the hiker in XY who told us we'd be seeing their region very soon (would very soon be after Hoenn remakes?) and that their region wasn't Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh or Unova (and Kalos). While I'd love to see Hoenn in 3D, I'm pretty interested to see if this is gonna be Hoenn and not something else.

The backpacker said "in due time," which a 2015 release would fulfill. I can't see the unknown region being included in these games, because it is heavily implied to have its own Pokemon and League, which makes it distinct enough to be included in its own game. Masuda already made it a point to say that there will never be two full regions in a single game again. The "new world" phrase is either false wording or a drastically altered Hoenn.

Hmm. I thought he said very soon. Guess that teaches me for not doing my research before jumping the gun.

 

[Proxima Centauri B]

I do think they have something going with what that backpacker said definately, but it doesnt mean it's for this game.

 

[Silktree]

Masuda already made it a point to say that there will never be two full regions in a single game again.

No, he just said that XY wouldn't feature another region. He didn't have any problem touting two regions as one of the HGSS' selling points. If you don't expect there to be two regions in any game and you think that a new region will be introduced next year, what does that entail?

 

[Scarftail]

Masuda already made it a point to say that there will never be two full regions in a single game again.

No, he just said that XY wouldn't feature another region. He didn't have any problem touting two regions as one of the HGSS' selling points. If you don't expect there to be two regions in any game and you think that a new region will be introduced next year, what does that entail?

He didn't say it verbatim, but he went on to state that Kanto was only in Gold and Silver as a form of postgame content and stated that they prefer to keep all postgame bonuses in the same region. That seems to imply my severe exaggeration of what he said. Oh, and the unknown region might be more likely to be released in 2016, but that might be too late.

 

[Bolt Strike]

You don't call a game Whatever Ruby and Whatever Sapphire and don't include Hoenn. What sense would that make?

This. It should go without saying that a game that bears the name Ruby and Sapphire, has Groudon and Kyogre as mascots, and is touted as "a fresh take on Ruby/Sapphire" would take place in Hoenn. It's just common sense.

 

[Almonds]

You don't call a game Whatever Ruby and Whatever Sapphire and don't include Hoenn. What sense would that make?

This. It should go without saying that a game that bears the name Ruby and Sapphire, has Groudon and Kyogre as mascots, and is touted as "a fresh take on Ruby/Sapphire" would take place in Hoenn. It's just common sense.

Agreeing it's definitely Hoenn, not a different region. The dramatic wordings, though, probably indicates new areas or some redesigns of Hoenn. I wish they kept the nature as it is - maybe with a more dramatic, beautiful design.

 

[Alpha71689]

You don't call a game Whatever Ruby and Whatever Sapphire and don't include Hoenn. What sense would that make?

This. It should go without saying that a game that bears the name Ruby and Sapphire, has Groudon and Kyogre as mascots, and is touted as "a fresh take on Ruby/Sapphire" would take place in Hoenn. It's just common sense.

Agreeing it's definitely Hoenn, not a different region. The dramatic wordings, though, probably indicates new areas or some redesigns of Hoenn. I wish they kept the nature as it is - maybe with a more dramatic, beautiful design.

The key would in all of this is "world".

 

[Silktree]

He didn't say it verbatim, but he went on to state that Kanto was only in Gold and Silver as a form of postgame content and stated that they prefer to keep all postgame bonuses in the same region. That seems to imply my severe exaggeration of what he said.

That doesn't imply anything concrete about the future. I don't recall the word "prefer" being used, either. Also, it's possible that such a preference exists for the beginning of a new generation alone.

Oh, and the unknown region might be more likely to be released in 2016, but that might be too late.

I'm just wondering what you're expecting because you were adamant about a return to Kalos for Zygarde.

 

[Scarftail]

Oh, and the unknown region might be more likely to be released in 2016, but that might be too late.

I'm just wondering what you're expecting because you were adamant about a return to Kalos for Zygarde.

I never wanted such a game. I just wondered how else Zygarde would be handled. I assume that it simply means nothing now or that it'll get Mega Evolutions at random.