Black and White to be enhanced on 3DS: Full 3D not supported

[mullen]

IGN has removed the statement about pokemon bw's 3ds enhancement, what a shame.

 

[Jeff]

You know, I hate to say I told you so but...

I've noticed a couple other errors in that same article. At one point it mentions that the Virtual Console games are going to be available on Day 1 even though Nintendo confirmed that there won't be any downloadable content until May (and to my knowledge hasn't made any official announcements otherwise). Also, on classic games with added 3D effects, it says "It's currently unknown if these treatments would be featured on the virtual console or if they will make it to any market at all." Satoru Iwata has mentioned a couple times that "3D Classics" will be a part of the eShop. I haven't finished the article yet, but those kinda jumped out at me. Sounds like B/W being 3DS-enhanced was just another mistake on IGN's part.

From what I've heard, that article also screwed up a couple release dates. Those mistakes should have raised a few red flags.

 

[Ice Tyrant]

This is not a good day for 3DS enthusiasts. It turns out that another website (MeriStation) actually did interview someone from Game Freak (Mana Ibe) about the 3DS and the third version, and she confirmed that the third version will not be released for that system. See here.

I like the use of the words "opposed to the idea". There really wasn't much to the 3DS theory to begin with, was there?

In other words, no third version at all then?

 

[The Outrage]

In other words, no third version at all then?

Where'd you get that from "confirmed that the third version will not be released for that system"

 

[Jeff]

There's a discussion going on in this thread.

Basically, one of the direct quotes from that article translates as "We have finished this installment with Black and White versions."

 

[Ice Tyrant]

Where'd you get that from "confirmed that the third version will not be released for that system"

Sorry but I didn't exactly understand it at first. oops. x-x

 

[Silktree]

Sorry but I didn't exactly understand it at first. oops. x-x

When I wrote that post earlier today, I was under the impression that Mana Ibe had said that a third version wouldn't be released for the 3DS. It turns out that she was saying that Black and White are the last games of their installment.

 

[Ice Tyrant]

When I wrote that post earlier today, I was under the impression that Mana Ibe had said that a third version wouldn't be released for the 3DS. It turns out that she was saying that Black and White are the last games of their installment.

So what does that mean then?

 

[Silktree]

So what does that mean then?

Barring the (remote) possibility that Mana Ibe was lying, Black and White won't be followed by a third version.

 

[Garren]

I dunno...

Isn't it the usual company policy to not announce future games? You know, like how if you ask a Nintendo Rep about the event legendaries they'll be quiet about it.

 

[Zeta]

Barring the (remote) possibility that Mana Ibe was lying, Black and White won't be followed by a third version.

Kyurem, and the God orb, and the lack of a Battle Frontier, say that either he's lying, or that Mana Ibe is not on the production team for the third version or that the Wii console game will serve as the third version in some way.

 

[Joshawott]

Kyurem, and the God orb, and the lack of a Battle Frontier, say that either he's lying, or that Mana Ibe is not on the production team for the third version or that the Wii console game will serve as the third version in some way.

Have we had an event for the Lock Capsule yet? =3

It could be possible that they were planning a third version at some point, but shelved it once they got their hands on the 3DS development kits.

 

[Zeta]

Have we had an event for the Lock Capsule yet? =3

It could be possible that they were planning a third version at some point, but shelved it once they got their hands on the 3DS development kits.

Lock Capsule wasn't a feeble Legendary Pokemon that was obviously dependent on having an expanded story and another Forme. It was also in games that had Battle Frontiers.

 

[Silktree]

Kyurem, and the God orb, and the lack of a Battle Frontier, say that either he's lying, or that Mana Ibe is not on the production team for the third version or that the Wii console game will serve as the third version in some way.

Kyurem could indeed be the mascot of the Wii game. Black and White's main plot is already complete (both Reshiram and Zekrom are involved); even though Kyurem is obviously related to Zekrom and Reshiram, they don't have to be featured in the same story. Movie 14 will obviously make Reshiram available to White players and Zekrom to Black players, so they don't have to be obtainable in another game. In a certain sense, these are signs that Mana Ibe is not lying or mistaken.

The God Stone would appear to be a scrapped item. Unlike the Lock Capsule (which has a known function and may be distributed via Wi-Fi at any time), the God Stone can't be transferred, so it's not as if it was included in Black and White's data in preparation for a third version. The Ancient Crown, which is an obtainable item that can be traded, is implied in the games to have a secret use. But if it were used in the third version, that wouldn't explain the point of obtaining it in Black and White, since it would be directly obtainable in that version. On the other hand, the Ancient Crown could trigger something in the Wii game, and if so, that would justify trading it from Black or White.

In terms of gameplay, Black and White lack Move Tutors, battle venues and a means for Generation V to acquire Dream World abilities (any other feature is not really required for this generation to feel whole). The Wii game could address all of these points.

 

[Shiron]

I dunno...

Isn't it the usual company policy to not announce future games? You know, like how if you ask a Nintendo Rep about the event legendaries they'll be quiet about it.

No. Typically they'd either beat around the bush, refusing to give direct answers and just saying stuff like "Don't worry, we have great stuff planned for the future. Please look forward to it" or just saying "We can't discuss that at this time, sorry." It's not typical for them to outright deny that they're working on a game at all. If this person really said that there aren't plans for a third version, it doesn't look good.

 

[Silktree]

No. Typically they'd either beat around the bush, refusing to give direct answers and just saying stuff like "Don't worry, we have great stuff planned for the future. Please look forward to it" or just saying "We can't discuss that at this time, sorry." It's not typical for them to outright deny that they're working on a game at all. If this person really said that there aren't plans for a third version, it doesn't look good.

Exactly.

I'd like to note that Serebii is "debunking" the rumor on his website by making it seem that that Ibe was asked about any future games (to which she allegedly replied that there were no plans at the moment). This is not what was really said in the interview; she was specifically asked about the third version, and she was quite clear about Black and White being the only games in the Unova family.

She may have lied, but I have no idea why she would have done such a thing instead of simply dodging the question. At any rate, it is quite shameful that none of the big Pokémon sites has reported this news yet (without twisting anyone's words). Why wasn't this precaution taken yesterday when IGN made that extremely dubious claim about 3DS functionality?

 

[Owain]

because they have done it once, and so its best for them not to do it twice, in a two-day span, it would be ridiculous...
and like it was said before, Ibe is not Junichi Masuda...

 

[Zeta]

Exactly, the team actively developing Platinum was very small while the bulk of GameFreak were working on HGSS. It is possible Ibe simply isn't working on a Gray project.

 

[Shiron]

Exactly, the team actively developing Platinum was very small while the bulk of GameFreak were working on HGSS. It is possible Ibe simply isn't working on a Gray project.

So, what you're trying to say is that she simply may not be on the Gray team and thus not really know about it at all? I find that unlikely and very hard to swallow (there's really no reason for the two teams to keep what their working on secret from each other, as they're still coworkers and can help each other out), but even if that's true, why wouldn't she have simply dodged the question or said that she simply doesn't know if there is any plans for or work currently being done on such an installment, because she doesn't have anything to do with it if so? She didn't do that. Instead, she flat out said that there wouldn't be such a version and that BW is it for the core 5th gen installments as if she, well,... knew (which would again only make sense, even if she's not on the team that would be developing it).

If people want to try and argue that she's lying, that's one thing (but like I've already mentioned, I find it weird that she would have lied instead of just dodging the question, especially now that it's been like half-a-year since BW came out in Japan and thus, while it still wouldn't quite be time to actually announce another game, the time is right to at least start teasing what's coming next, dropping hints, and getting people to look forward to whatever the next installment is), but I really don't believe that she doesn't know or would be mistaken about what's going on.

 

[Zeta]

So, what you're trying to say is that she simply may not be on the Gray team and thus not really know about it at all? I find that unlikely and very hard to swallow (there's really no reason for the two teams to keep what their working on secret from each other, as they're still coworkers and can help each other out), but even if that's true, why wouldn't she have simply dodged the question or said that she simply doesn't know if there is any plans for or work currently being done on such an installment, because she doesn't have anything to do with it if so? She didn't do that. Instead, she flat out said that there wouldn't be such a version and that BW is it for the core 5th gen installments as if she, well,... knew (which would again only make sense, even if she's not on the team that would be developing it).

If people want to try and argue that she's lying, that's one thing (but like I've already mentioned, I find it weird that she would have lied instead of just dodging the question, especially now that it's been like half-a-year since BW came out in Japan and thus, while it still wouldn't quite be time to actually announce another game, the time is right to at least start teasing what's coming next, dropping hints, and getting people to look forward to whatever the next installment is), but I really don't believe that she doesn't know or would be mistaken about what's going on.

Mana Ibe is but a Pokemon designer/art person. I'm not sure why she would even be involved in a third version, or anything at GameFreak aside from new Pokemon designs that would entail an new generation. She is not a part of the direction, production, or business end of the games. In other words, unless new Pokemon are being designed, she doesn't even need to be called into the office. It is very common for art workers to be divorced from any part of the game development that is not directly related to concept art production.