Official Pokémon Sword and Shield speculation thread (Updated June 5th, 2019)

[Silktree]

It's okay not to be convinced 6 months ahead of the release, though. Chances are that you'll buy a copy anyway if you're already invested.

Personally, I don't see what Game Freak could do this time that would make me want to buy a Switch for one game (renting is only simple for games rather than consoles). So they can take their time until they've figured that out.

 

[Juizel]

Do you not know how promotion works? The point is to convince people to buy your product. If people know nothing or have any reason to feel like buying a game, then they won't feel like spending their money. Just so you know, not everybody buys the games by default. They need convincing.

I do know how promotion works. Part of my education included marketing, just fyi.

But this is a video game, with the main target audience being kids. You'd want kids to want the games and pester their parents to buy them, and parents to deem the games as okay for their kids to play. Not please people online who want regular trailers half a year before release because whichever trailer could convince you to buy the game now, would do the same in August, September, October or November still.

"Hype" right now is pretty irrelevant unless you expect most people have to start saving up for the game until release, it's so much more relevant closer to release.

And as I said - it's a freaking half year before release! Why would you think you need a reason to buy or not to buy a game that releases half a year later right now?

Wanting a trailer because you're spoiled on info dumps is another thing than claiming it would be crucial for sales right now to start the info dumps.

It's okay not to be convinced 6 months ahead of the release, though. Chances are that you'll buy a copy anyway if you're already invested.

Personally, I don't see what Game Freak could do this time that would make me want to buy a Switch for one game (renting is only simple for games rather than consoles). So they can take their time until they've figured that out.

Exactly. Now the tricky part is, do they only aim to target people who already own a Switch, or do they want SW/SH to be a big reason for people who don't have a Switch yet to buy one? Guess we'll see if SW/SH is worth the latter, and no trailer could show how much hours of playtime you can get out of a game anyway.

 

[AzuSquish]

Yea truth hurts but thanks for giving me a reality check, i was so unhealthily obsessed with news i checked this thread and reddit constantly for news or leaks. I needed a reminder that this game is still a longg way from coming out

Anyways dont second trailers barely show anything as well? we're gonna get cover legend only and maybe a route 1 bird, thats still not alot to talk about. Ill just wait to when they start dropping actual news about the region's pokemon themselves like they did with the sun and moon trailers

 

[Knightwolf09]

I do know how promotion works. Part of my education included marketing, just fyi.

But this is a video game, with the main target audience being kids. You'd want kids to want the games and pester their parents to buy them, and parents to deem the games as okay for their kids to play. Not please people online who want regular trailers half a year before release because whichever trailer could convince you to buy the game now, would do the same in August, September, October or November still.

"Hype" right now is pretty irrelevant unless you expect most people have to start saving up for the game until release, it's so much more relevant closer to release.

And as I said - it's a freaking half year before release! Why would you think you need a reason to buy or not to buy a game that releases half a year later right now?

Wanting a trailer because you're spoiled on info dumps is another thing than claiming it would be crucial for sales right now to start the info dumps.


Exactly. Now the tricky part is, do they only aim to target people who already own a Switch, or do they want SW/SH to be a big reason for people who don't have a Switch yet to buy one? Guess we'll see if SW/SH is worth the latter, and no trailer could show how much hours of playtime you can get out of a game anyway.

I'm pretty sure they want to cater to both people with or without a switch. Hence why they tend to offer deals to sell systems along with the games. And I'm also pretty sure we both know the games both for kids and adults. Rated E for everyone you know. So yeah I'd say it's smart to start reeling people now so they can pre order or save up for a switch. So I don't how you think insulting people's excitement will just miracoulously see your point of view. But how just stating your point you'd rather wait and leave it at that. Last thing we want is more arguments in here

 

[Myth]

My two cents on some things:

• The Pokémon audience is larger than others, and it takes time for the information to reach "everyone" (like, I'm sure there are potential buyers who are only seeing the first February trailer by now);
• A large portion, if not the largest portion of buyers aren't kids, and the marketing of the games isn't aimed only at kids (which one of them would remember of Kanto?);
• In the case of Pokémon, which is a system seller, the marketing campaign aims not only to sell the game, but also to convince those who do not have the console to buy it exclusively to play the game, and that kind of persuasion obviously demands more of the campaign;
• The marketing campaigns of Pokémon is like that, a longer campaign compared to those of other games, and that is constantly being hyped, many fans are just used to that;
• Speaking of kids, they really have short attention spams, generally.

And there are others minor things...What I mean is that, I don't think a trailer right now is crucial to sales, but I think some of you are ignoring some points by comparing the Pokémon games campaign with others.

 

[Joker901]

My two cents on some things:

• The Pokémon audience is larger than others, and it takes time for the information to reach "everyone" (like, I'm sure there are potential buyers who are only seeing the first February trailer by now);
• A large portion, if not the largest portion of buyers aren't kids, and the marketing of the games isn't aimed only at kids (which one of them would remember of Kanto?);
• In the case of Pokémon, which is a system seller, the marketing campaign aims not only to sell the game, but also to convince those who do not have the console to buy it exclusively to play the game, and that kind of persuasion obviously demands more of the campaign;
• The marketing campaigns of Pokémon is like that, a longer campaign compared to those of other games, and that is constantly being hyped, many fans are just used to that;
• Speaking of kids, they really have short attention spams, generally.

And there are others minor things...What I mean is that, I don't think a trailer right now is crucial to sales, but I think some of you are ignoring some points by comparing the Pokémon games campaign with others.

Ehm...those who played one of the 13 games that feature Kanto? Green, Blue, Red, Yellow, Gold, Silver, Crystal, Leaf Green, Fire Red, Heart Gold, Soul Silver, Let's Go Pikachu, Let's Go Eevee.
The only two generations that don't feature Kanto are Gen 6 and Gen 5 so it's higly possible that a child played one of the other gens games even if they were not released the year they started playing pokemon because there's not a single console in pokemon history that has not featured Kanto at least once.
God. They made us hate Kanto.

 

[prog rocker]

Ehm...those who played one of the 13 games that feature Kanto? Green, Blue, Red, Yellow, Gold, Silver, Crystal, Leaf Green, Fire Red, Heart Gold, Soul Silver, Let's Go Pikachu, Let's Go Eevee.
The only two generations that don't feature Kanto are Gen 6 and Gen 7 so it's higly possible that a child played one of the other gens games even if they were not released the year they started playing pokemon because there's not a single console in pokemon history that has not featured Kanto at least once.
God. They made us hate Kanto.

Don't you mean Gen 6 and Gen 5? Gen 7 had LGPE.

 

[Darkrai8674]

I do know how promotion works. Part of my education included marketing, just fyi.

But this is a video game, with the main target audience being kids. You'd want kids to want the games and pester their parents to buy them, and parents to deem the games as okay for their kids to play. Not please people online who want regular trailers half a year before release because whichever trailer could convince you to buy the game now, would do the same in August, September, October or November still.

"Hype" right now is pretty irrelevant unless you expect most people have to start saving up for the game until release, it's so much more relevant closer to release.

And as I said - it's a freaking half year before release! Why would you think you need a reason to buy or not to buy a game that releases half a year later right now?

Wanting a trailer because you're spoiled on info dumps is another thing than claiming it would be crucial for sales right now to start the info dumps.


Exactly. Now the tricky part is, do they only aim to target people who already own a Switch, or do they want SW/SH to be a big reason for people who don't have a Switch yet to buy one? Guess we'll see if SW/SH is worth the latter, and no trailer could show how much hours of playtime you can get out of a game anyway.

Pretty sure they said the target was for more grown up people this time around as opposed to kids which was sun and moon. In addition to this they would probably want to release a trailer to get more people looking at it, they've definitely been following the same path in past games so you don't have to be all defensive about stuff and basically declare that your opinion on the amount of news is correct.

 

[Joker901]

Don't you mean Gen 6 and Gen 5? Gen 7 had LGPE.

Yeah sorry.

 

[Juizel]

I'm pretty sure they want to cater to both people with or without a switch. Hence why they tend to offer deals to sell systems along with the games. And I'm also pretty sure we both know the games both for kids and adults. Rated E for everyone you know. So yeah I'd say it's smart to start reeling people now so they can pre order or save up for a switch. So I don't how you think insulting people's excitement will just miracoulously see your point of view. But how just stating your point you'd rather wait and leave it at that. Last thing we want is more arguments in here

This is exactly where you don't get the point of a "target audience". Of course Pokemon is a game for kids and adults, but a target audience is never "everyone". It's always a certain group of people, because if you start at wanting to please everyone, you'll get nowhere because it'll just be a mess. The rating also isn't decided when a game goes into development, but by independent people after the game is done. You can aim for an E rating but miss it and have to take stuff out. Most of all, GF wants to sell their game, not a Switch.
I also didn't mean to insult people's excitement, because complaining about not getting a trailer yet isn't "excitement", it's being spoiled/impatient, not more, not less. I also explained my point but it's really not my fault if people don't want to get my point and instead rather feel attacked, and I'm always up for clarification if I failed to make my point clear. I'm only human, misunderstandings happen.

The Pokémon audience is larger than others, and it takes time for the information to reach "everyone" (like, I'm sure there are potential buyers who are only seeing the first February trailer by now);

Much agreed. Also including parts of the fanbase who might just have been too busy with other things and missed the trailer.

A large portion, if not the largest portion of buyers aren't kids, and the marketing of the games isn't aimed only at kids (which one of them would remember of Kanto?);

Not only, but the game is kid-friendly so the target audience is rather kids than adults. The adults get the competitive part of the games for the most part, and it's a bonus if they can enjoy the rest. The franchise works well because humans generally like to collect things, "gotta catch 'em all" works out nicely. I think Kanto stuff is to cash in on nostalgia, and going by ages... A lot of people who actively played the Kanto games back then are adults now (if not all of them), and a lot of them probably also have kids. Sure those need to be convinced that their kids need to play Pokemon, or that they should still play/get back to it.
At the end of the day, though, if the target audience weren't kids, the games would be a little less kid-friendly. With that I mean, protagonists that aren't supposed to be 10 years old, a more mature storyline (with which I don't mean mature topics like dead or all the edge, but generally story that needs you to think a bit more - something along those lines.) and things like that.
I still feel a bit salty that despite the biggest part of the fanbase being non-kids, the game is still targeted at kids, but oh well - what can you do.

In the case of Pokémon, which is a system seller, the marketing campaign aims not only to sell the game, but also convince those who do not have the console to buy it exclusively to play the game, and that kind of persuasion obviously demands more of the campaign;

Agreed, but wouldn't most people who are waiting to buy a Switch for Pokemon also wait if bundles are announced?

The marketing campaigns of Pokémon is like that, a longer campaign compared to those of other games, and that is constantly being hyped, many fans are just used to that;

But it's not essentially bad that the hype starts late(r). I mean, it's not like there's nothing, if you're into Pokemon as a whole, you currently have a whole movie to discuss, so it's not like the core fandom should be bored right out of their mind right now.

Speaking of kids, they really have short attention spams nowdays, generally.

Can't argue with that when I compare myself of that age with both of my younger sisters. But this plays again into - it's aimed at kids, so kids won't remember a May trailer in November when they could actually get the game. Quite frankly...even I personally wouldn't remember whether or not May had a trailer in November when I go buy the game.

Ehm...those who played one of the 13 games that feature Kanto? Green, Blue, Red, Yellow, Gold, Silver, Crystal, Leaf Green, Fire Red, Heart Gold, Soul Silver, Let's Go Pikachu, Let's Go Eevee.
The only two generations that don't feature Kanto are Gen 6 and Gen 7 so it's higly possible that a child played one of the other gens games even if they were not released the year they started playing pokemon because there's not a single console in pokemon history that has not featured Kanto at least once.
God. They made us hate Kanto.

I keep forgetting all these Kanto games are a thing. Kanto is actually my least favourite region overall, unless it's just the post-game region (as it is in the Johto games) and LGPE only made it worse imo.

Pretty sure they said the target was for more grown up people this time around as opposed to kids which was sun and moon. In addition to this they would probably want to release a trailer to get more people looking at it, they've definitely been following the same path in past games so you don't have to be all defensive about stuff and basically declare that your opinion on the amount of news is correct.

Wasn't the target of more grown up more in comparison to LGPE, though? Not trying to argue here, just felt like it was more for that.
Also my personal opinion is that I don't care for the amount of news. I would enjoy the games as much if every single pixel was shown beforehand as I would if there was no more trailer than the one we got now until then.
I merely found it extremely irritating to see post after post of people seemingly feeling entitled to a new trailer and judging the game's quality over a news drought half a year before the game releases. Be honest, once it's November, will you remember the exact length of a news drought, or which month had a new trailer and which didn't?

 

[Poke Dragon]

It's more irritating are those who say their opinions are facts when in reality there is no such thing as opinion = facts.

 

[Jukain]

I just want to see something interesting. That is all I ask. I don't care when.

 

[jeisu]

I personally want a lot to be revealed ahead of time, I feel like SM had the perfect amount of stuff shown before the release. A lot of the game being shown never ruins the game for me, it just gets me hyped for the experience I get to have while playing it. The only thing I refrain from wanting to see is a straight-up walkthrough of the game before I play it (or big climactic events), but anything else i'm fine with.

 

[Tuoko]

Where was that sent to him?

It was sent to him through here:

View: https://twitter.com/FedeTM99/status/1128186487504297985?s=19

 

[Myth]

Ehm...those who played one of the 13 games that feature Kanto? Green, Blue, Red, Yellow, Gold, Silver, Crystal, Leaf Green, Fire Red, Heart Gold, Soul Silver, Let's Go Pikachu, Let's Go Eevee.
The only two generations that don't feature Kanto are Gen 6 and Gen 5 so it's higly possible that a child played one of the other gens games even if they were not released the year they started playing pokemon because there's not a single console in pokemon history that has not featured Kanto at least once.
God. They made us hate Kanto.

It's been 9 years since HGSS was released (I mean we were talking about kids)...And I understand the point you want to get, but clearly it is not because of that audience (who played HGSS, for example) that they use this much Kanto pandering. For example, okay, a kid played HGSS, but then I suppose they would not understand the nugget bridge reference in SM, since it wasn't in HGSS (IRC)? What about the LGPE trailer with the first opening of the anime? And it goes on. Perhaps my question "which one of them will remember Kanto?" has not been the best question to do, though. You're right about that. With the GO I'm sure many children have affection for Kanto Pokémon too. But now you got the point.

I still feel a bit salty that despite the biggest part of the fanbase being non-kids, the game is still targeted at kids, but oh well - what can you do.

That's sure is a interesting topic. There may be many reasons for so (maybe it's just the most safe way to go to them), but I've thought about it before...maybe it's because that's what makes adults buy (mostly)? I mean, you could change many things in the games about that, but we have to agree that the experience would be different...What if the adults who buy the games now want to have this experience (we have today)? Like, even if unconsciously.

Agreed, but wouldn't most people who are waiting to buy a Switch for Pokemon also wait if bundles are announced?

I think it would be best to do, but not sure if everyone does it. Edit: Some people also would prefer to have a longer time to get the money (for the console+game(s)

But it's not essentially bad that the hype starts late(r). I mean, it's not like there's nothing, if you're into Pokemon as a whole, you currently have a whole movie to discuss, so it's not like the core fandom should be bored right out of their mind right now.

I also don't think it's necessarily bad either, or that means we'd have less content. But I can see why people are expecting something different from other games campaigns.

Can't argue with that when I compare myself of that age with both of my younger sisters. But this plays again into - it's aimed at kids, so kids won't remember a May trailer in November when they could actually get the game. Quite frankly...even I personally wouldn't remember whether or not May had a trailer in November when I go buy the game.

That's right. But I think trying to hold their attention until November woud be more efficient than just trying to get it in November. I mean, not every kid will be convinced at first. And also has the "word of mouth marketing" (I'm esl, so I'm not sure if "word of mouth marketing" is the correct term for it, google says it's).

It was sent to him through here:

Spoiler

View: https://twitter.com/FedeTM99/status/1128186487504297985?s=19

I missed it. Thank you.

 

[KiranTheWitch]

TBH, RN, I would settle for Pokemon Bank Switch port news. I'm waiting on Animal Crossing and these games. I'm bored with Let's Go and US, and I'm getting bored of New Leaf. I NEED something new. This is depressing. I don't understand why video game companies are like this.

 

[Desdar300]

I'm a patient man but even I feel that we at least need to see the Professor so we can at least have some idea on what the primary gimmick maybe.

 

[Poke Dragon]

I have been very patient, but the fact that they couldn't at least show the box art Pokemon is when I can say that they are keeping too much information from us.

 

[jeisu]

I have been very patient, but the fact that they couldn't at least show the box art Pokemon is when I can say that they are keeping too much information from us.

As long as they don't do that thing where they completely blurred out the SM covers in the CoroCoro spread, that actually felt like a punch in the face.

 

[Poke Dragon]

As long as they don't do that thing where they completely blurred out the SM covers in the CoroCoro spread, that actually felt like a punch in the face.

Yeah, I hope they never do that again.