Leak Repository Thread (WARNING: Huge spoilers!)

[Gísli]

what we did for free in the last 7 gens, Gamefreak.

Ah, yes - the free Gameboy Online Subscription Service of my youth.

 

[Gimbles]

Here tell me about it is exciting I’ve ordered my copy from amazon and usually the last few years with Pokemon games they’ve came a day early before the release so I’m praying this year it’s a day early again that’s why I like amazon so much ahaha

An early memory I had with pokemon was ordering Diamond online. I got it a day early too and I was hyped as all hell. Played nonstop for 2 days. I even remember the date (April 6, 2007). Wished I kept that save too, but I was pretty careless as a kid. Here's to early releases.

 

[TheElderKing]

I will also preorder it on Amazon (between prime and a discount for the app I’ll pay the game 49 euros) when I make the decision on the version, so I’ll tell you if I get it beforehand.

 

[WindBlast]

I would buy both versions if they had more drastic / substantial changes between them.
But yeah for me the versions r too similar to warrant getting them both.

Argh I am even dreaming about pokemon these days! I had a dream that all the evo starters were revealed and they all had a shared sphinx motif.
I want the datamine like yesteryear! All I want is to see the new pokemons. G.Ponyta was a blow as I really want to get Sword so I am hoping that the other exclusives are cuter in Sword...this way I’d go thru the trouble of only trading for Ponyta.

Why GF? Why putting one of my fave ever pokemon in shield????

 

[Juizel]

Given that we should (almost surely) be able to set up different saves with different profiles on the same platform, I think having different ones for different playstyles and runs shouldn’t require two copies of the games now.

Yeah, but if I use different profiles and happen to want to use my second playthrough for online as well I'd have to pay twice for Online, too. I don't mind that online isn't free, but I'm also not really up for a double subscription payment if I can just get two games which is a one time purchase. (Besides, exclusive Pokémon + this time even exclusive gym leaders make it even more worth it for me.)
Whether one buys both games or just one is really pretty subjective, tbh. It's definitely not necessary but hey, I'm an adult with money and bad spending habits so I'll go for it.

When it comes to preorder I considered preordering on Amazon but I'm still haunted by the one time my mom preordered Diamond for me back then and 11 years old me was super excited and waited in front of the house for the mail and then it just ended up coming the Monday after release (which was a Friday here) so I don't exactly have a lot of faith in that...
For the next games I usually just went to a shop on release date, sometimes preordered for pick up. Usually GameStop, and once in a while when I was too impatient I asked nicely if they'd hand the games out sooner (which they usually don't here. Lucky me. Oh well)
This time ordered from a smaller shop that also has an online shop that's pretty much known for sending out asap when they get their delivery, thus most people getting their preorder 1~5 days early.
I've marked the calendar, though, and if they don't send my copies out in time, I'll just cancel the preorder and look irl if shops break release and try to aim for an early copy and if that fails, too, I'll go digital.
I'm not obsessed, I'm dedicated. That's a difference.

 

[Gimbles]

I would buy both versions if they had more drastic / substantial changes between them.
But yeah for me the versions r too similar to warrant getting them both.

For as much flak as people gave the Ultra games one thing I did to try and diversify it was to get the version that I didn't start with. I played Moon when it released, and got Ultra Sun a couple of months after release. It helped a tiny bit a pretty derivative game more special. Currently we don't know what the future holds fro gen 8, and if there's super SwSh chances are I might get the other version I didn't start with. The thing that makes me doubt this happening is that I think the new tradition seems to be that we are getting a remake this generation because since gen 5 we've been getting a remake every other generation (not including let's go which they've recently said they won't go back too). Like a true 3rd version like Emerald and Platinum feel like a pipe dream honestly (Platinum happened 11 years, while the closest we've got to another platinum is Ultra which were split). I feel a little crazy trying to piece this together, but I guess this what pokemon kind of does to ya hahaha...

 

[TexasBugTrainer]

I always get both versions, myself. Historically, the first playthrough ends up as my breeding game and I use it to breed various teams for multiple playthroughs on the second version. With some of the hinted at changes aimed to make obtaining competitive attributes easier, I wonder if breeding will be as necessary this time around. I still preordered the double pack and I'm not worried about the online subscription. $20 USD a year is a very reasonable cost and I'm going to use the features for Pokémon enough by itself that I won't mind the payment.

 

[PocketMonster]

This is the first time we are getting both. i mean technically shield is mine but my dude is getting sword, so if there is anything I am wanting from the other version we can trade. I would buy both regardless if he was gonna play too IF there was enough version differences for me to justify buying it "twice". i hope to see more differences in the future between the versions. they would probably make more sales . . .

 

[Oriden]

Cuz there are plenty of us who aint paying for your online subscription to do what we did for free in the last 7 gens, Gamefreak.

Last 4 gens, but yeah. As someone who suffered the first three without any form of online trading, having to pay or go back to the dark ages of needing a local trade partner sucks. This subscription service is definitely a step backward for the games in that regard.

 

[TheElderKing]

Something to consider, given that they introduced the gym leader change and the fact that the marketing cycle has been scarce of information: it’s possible there’ll be more, even big differences in the versions that we don’t know about.

 

[Cute Charm]

I’m curious of how the payment for online features in SwSh with the alternate method mentioned sometime ago would work, though.

There's no alternative method. It's just you can get the subscription through the game without having to go to the e-shop first.

Also I'm more than poor right now, but am I really the only person here that thinks $20 a year upfront isn't sawing off anyone's limbs? Is it stupid due to it not being free any more, yes. But it's cheap and that's what matters in this day and age.

 

[TheElderKing]

Last 4 gens, but yeah. As someone who suffered the first three without any form of online trading, having to pay or go back to the dark ages of needing a local trade partner sucks. This subscription service is definitely a step backward for the games in that regard.

It’s not like GF can do something about it, though as it’s Nintendo’s policy with Switch.

I’d say that it’s also even more important (although it s a subjective thing) because of the mmorpg-like features of the Wild Area: I fear that without the online subscription, if you plan alone, the open world areas will look really, really empty.

 

[TheElderKing]

There's no alternative method. It's just you can get the subscription through the game without having to go to the e-shop first.

Also I'm more than poor right now, but am I really the only person here that thinks $20 a year upfront isn't sawing off anyone's limbs? Is it stupid due to it not being free any more, yes. But it's cheap and that's what matters in this day and age.

I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily stupid. Nintendo simply adapted to the its competitors, with the different that it’s cheaper, but seemingly worse then the other two.

 

[Juizel]

Also I'm more than poor right now, but am I really the only person here that thinks $20 a year upfront isn't sawing off anyone's limbs? Is it stupid due to it not being free any more, yes. But it's cheap and that's what matters in this day and age.

I think we actually have (had?) a thread regarding this "online isn't free anymore" topic. Personally, I think 20 bucks for a year is pretty reasonable and affordable. It's not like anyone is forced to play games in online multiplayer either.
I'm not sure how this offer exists outside of my country, but with my Online subscription (20 bucks per year) I can buy 2 game coupons for 99 bucks for which I can then get 2 games - if I pick ones with a price of 60 bucks each, it's literally +/- 0 for me. And I already did that once this year, so technically I didn't really spend money on my online subscription lol

 

[Oriden]

It’s not like GF can do something about it, though as it’s Nintendo’s policy with Switch.

I’d say that it’s also even more important (although it s a subjective thing) because of the mmorpg-like features of the Wild Area: I fear that without the online subscription, if you plan alone, the open world areas will look really, really empty.

Switch Online isn't mandatory for every game with online features. The real issue is that Pokémon is so popular and the partnership between Game Freak and Nintendo is so strong that they couldn't remotely easily just opt out without stepping on any toes.

 

[blitzle stan]

My whole rebuttal for the “I need to know all version differences before I buy” perspective is that gamefreak wants players to have that “oh what is that Pokémon? That’s not in my game! Can we trade?” experience.

It’s unrealistic in today’s digital age, and sort of unfair since you need to pay to do long distance trading, but it is what it is. They want you to NOT know everything going into these games.

 

[Oriden]

My problem with the subscription is that I'm not a gamer- Pokémon would probably wind up my only game, so it's hard to justify buying a Switch in the first place nevermind a $20 a year subscription on top of that.

 

[TheElderKing]

Switch Online isn't mandatory for every game with online features. The real issue is that Pokémon is so popular and the partnership between Game Freak and Nintendo is so strong that they couldn't remotely easily just opt out without stepping on any toes.

What games on the Switch doesn’t require online subscription? I know about Fornite, but that’s a free to play game.
But yeah, given that Nintendo holds a third of shares of TPC, GF could never oppose it and make the only free.

 

[Gimbles]

In Pokemon's case there is a special discount that you can get. Inside the game there is an option to get switch online for a reduced fee. Its only for pokemon tho and does not affect other games.

 

[TexasBugTrainer]

My problem with the subscription is that I'm not a gamer- Pokémon would probably wind up my only game, so it's hard to justify buying a Switch in the first place nevermind a $20 a year subscription on top of that.

Perspective is funny. I bought a Switch solely because of the new Pokemon games. I have a couple others, but I don't really play them. Pokémon will be close to the sole reason I own a Switch. It was that way with all the handheld systems too. In fact, I always eventually bought two so that I could trade between my breeder game and my other games.