Confirmed: Core Pokemon on Switch

[King Shuckle]

2018 movie could be like Zoroark's or Lucario's movie and just have it debut a 8th generation Pokemon and have the distribution be a previous generation Legendary.

Couldn't the 2018 movie focus on Ultra Beasts though?

 

[Wishy-Washy]

Couldn't the 2018 movie focus on Ultra Beasts though?

Yes, but what would they give out as a distribution, all the Ultra Beasts are already obtainable in the games?

 

[Lufenium]

Yes, but what would they give out as a distribution, all the Ultra Beasts are already obtainable in the games?

Z-Crystals for new UB exclusive Z-Move/s?

Edit: Although I think there's a higher chance of them just being in the main-game, as part of the plot/side plot (like the Tapu Z Crystal) rather than a move distribution.

 

[SinnohEevee]

How much would Game Freak care if the initial Gen 8 games turn out being trash and very rushed?

 

[Juliko]

I almost guarantee Nintendo won't make every Pokemon fan (including the kids) pay the price of a home console for the game; they'll release a portable-only version in preparation for it, much like the 2DS and X

Ohhhh! I had completely forgotten about that! But then again, who knows? Anything could happen.

 

[FroyoDragon]

I hope they aren't, tbh. The franchise needs a breath of fresh air, and I hope the Switch entry is that for it as well, like it did Zelda, and hopefully Mario.

Especially since being home console-tier, they should treat it with home console quality instead of handheld quality like the franchise has been thus far - and being handheld only has definitely held it back, IMO.

 

[Peppermint Phoenix]

I really hope people don't expect every Switch Pokemon game to be as open as Botw because Pokemon games are almost yearly and open world games need time to develop. Plus the franchise was designed to be able so that every child can finish the main game and easily see a vague idea on how far they have to go via the badge system.

Sure some people may want them to change over to an elder scrolls/ gta system where they have huge gaps between entry and some dlc but I don't see that being more profitable then there current system.

 

[Bolt Strike]

I really hope people don't expect every Switch Pokemon game to be as open as Botw because Pokemon games are almost yearly and open world games need time to develop. Plus the franchise was designed to be able so that every child can finish the main game and easily see a vague idea on how far they have to go via the badge system.

Sure some people may want them to change over to an elder scrolls/ gta system where they have huge gaps between entry and some dlc but I don't see that being more profitable then there current system.

Maybe not quite as large as BotW, but the series really should go more open ended. If Pokemon is going console and drawing in a console audience, they're going to need to make it a console-like experience, with larger worlds and plenty of things to do and places to explore. The current philosophy of "let's make the entire game super simplified and not give anyone any freedom" is not going to work for that audience, they're going to need to rethink their approach and create a gameplay style that can appeal to multiple different types of gamers with different tastes. That means people who want to go straight to the end can go straight to the end, people who want to wander around can wander around, people who want a good storyline can experience a deep and entertaining story, people that want things to do can have plenty of extra content, etc. Just because it's designed for kids doesn't mean that it has to be small and linear, there's probably a lot of kids enjoying BotW in spite of it being open world, and there are things they can do to make it easier to figure out where they're going while still allowing for more open ended game design. The Rotom Dex can be one piece of that puzzle, having a map of the entire region and a tool that can help you figure out where to go can really help kids get back on track when they're lost.

And I don't think making a game that big is much of a problem, since they would only have to really build one large console scale game each generation. Remakes won't take as much time as new generations since they'd be smaller scale (or at least until it's time for 8th gen remakes), and third versions/sequels will just be working off the same engine.

 

[Peppermint Phoenix]

@Bolt the Cat; I don't think they want or need to change audiences though yeah kids enjoy games larger games even though not all of them have the time patience or know-how to finish but Pokemon was supposed to be case like Kirby an exception.

Not everyone even likes open world games that much. I think they can ditch the handholding. IDK I think red and blue gave as much freedom as it "needs" and combine that with the even bigger BW2 style postgame and we're golden.

Also a few open world games suffer from having too much open space for people who just want substance or things taking to long. So I wouldn't want a huge world every 3 years because it will lead to sloppiness.

There are also plenty of linear games on console.

 

[Bolt Strike]

I don't think they want or need to change audiences though

Pokémon chief says approach to games needs to change if brought to Switch

Not everyone even likes open world games that much. I think they can ditch the handholding. IDK I think red and blue gave as much freedom as it "needs" and combine that with the even bigger BW2 style postgame and we're golden.

Eh, I think RB is still too limited. There's still a defined order you need to complete the game, you can just choose to skip most of the gyms. That's not quite the same as say, ALBW or BotW which let you choose which areas to go to first. Something more like Kanto with all of the roadblocks removed (except preventing you from challenging the League until you have all 8 badges) would be a better approach.

Also a few open world games suffer from having too much open space for people who just want substance or things taking to long. So I wouldn't want a huge world every 3 years because it will lead to sloppiness.

Again, I don't see Pokemon going full open world, so they probably won't design the region in that way, but something that has a bit more open endedness and multiple paths would work well. I'm thinking maybe something a little more like Twilight Princess, still a lot of linear, interconnected areas but with some wider and more open ended areas to explore. The routes would also open up a bit to feel wider and more open, while still remaining linear. Good examples of this kind of level design would be Bomb-omb Battlefield from Super Mario 64, Zora's Domain from OoT, and Bianco Hills from Super Mario Sunshine. And of course, we should be able to challenge gyms in any order. Maybe the first city or two can remain linear as a tutorial section, but after that I want the game to really open up and let us go anywhere in the region we want (with the obvious exception of needing every badge to reach the Pokemon League). That's more where I see Pokemon going in 8th gen.

There are also plenty of linear games on console.

How many of them are popular or high selling though? Most console gamers tend to gravitate towards more exploration heavy games.

 

[Blockhead Pippi]

Yes, but what would they give out as a distribution, all the Ultra Beasts are already obtainable in the games?

Ultra Beasts with unique moves.

It wouldn't be the first time. Pair them with a proper legendary and you've got your saving grace.

 

[SinnohEevee]

Ultra Beasts with unique moves.

It wouldn't be the first time. Pair them with a proper legendary and you've got your saving grace.

Or give out Shiny UBs.

 

[Peppermint Phoenix]

@Bolt the Cat changing approaches isn't the same as changing audiences idk I'll read the article later.

The linear Mario's sell a lot, some people like the campaign in fps games and they are linear, Kirby games do well.

IDK I wouldn't call sandbox games a fad but I think there is a surplus of them right now that won't exist in ten years.

Other then that the benchmark you put is reasonable but I have my reservations still since my perception of Pokemon games is limited by how they are now and as they are now I don't want them to get too long because I prefer the postgame and sometimes dislike the campaign for being too easy and slow I don't think freedom alone will fix that.

Freedom in the very start yes huge improvement. If the games have battles as fast Smt or persona sure I'm on board but I don't have much hope in that regard I think I said somewhere that fear we might see a repeat of Orre.

I'm not against an open world Pokemon though I'd just prefer if it were a spin-off that happened every five years as opposed to three. I'm actually want it just not every game. The open world wars are getting too ham you used twilight princess as an example but people consider that game linear now

 

[Silktree]

And I don't think making a game that big is much of a problem, since they would only have to really build one large console scale game each generation. Remakes won't take as much time as new generations since they'd be smaller scale (or at least until it's time for 8th gen remakes), and third versions/sequels will just be working off the same engine.

The fact that they're aiming for a 2018 release date implies that they aren't exactly pushing any boundaries. Also, switching back and forth between environment styles (for initial versions and remakes) sounds problematic to me. Remakes are supposed to update old games to be close in style to the latest generation.

That Ishihara quote you're citing only refers to graphics, really. I'd temper my expectations if I were you.

 

[Bolt Strike]

changing approaches isn't the same as changing audiences idk I'll read the article later.

It kind of is, changing approaches means that they're changing their design philosophy in some way, which either results in or is motivated by drawing in a new audience.

IDK I wouldn't call sandbox games a fad but I think there is a surplus of them right now that won't exist in ten years.

As far as Nintendo goes (can't really speak for the rest of the industry since I tend to ignore them), they're only really adding sandbox gameplay where it makes sense. The IPs that have gone sandbox have all been pretty exploration focused

I'm not against an open world Pokemon though I'd just prefer if it were a spin-off that happened every five years as opposed to three. I'm actually want it just not every game. The open world wars are getting too ham you used twilight princess as an example but people consider that game linear now

True open world would probably be better suited for a spinoff, yes, I'd like something closer to Pokepark 2 for that. But the main games should really have some sandbox elements itself simply because exploration is a major part of the core gameplay. You're supposed to be out on an adventure in a vast region looking for Pokemon, battling trainers, and going from city to city challenging gyms, forcing linearity in all of that is too limiting.

The fact that they're aiming for a 2018 release date implies that they aren't exactly pushing any boundaries.

They never said they were. They just said we wouldn't see it for more than a year. That implies that they're not really sure when it'll be ready.

Also, switching back and forth between environment styles (for initial versions and remakes) sounds problematic to me. Remakes are supposed to update old games to be close in style to the latest generation.

Not entirely. The remakes adopt some recent mechanics from later generations but don't really retcon the region design to match what they're doing with newer generations. Did you see FRLG or HGSS give their regions more diverse environments or map design that wasn't flat as a pancake? Did you see ORAS break from the grid based map design and have areas that proceeded in diagonal directions? I think people can immediately understand that older versions would be impossible to remake in a more open world style because that would require a massive overhaul of the region design and storyline.

That Ishihara quote you're citing only refers to graphics, really. I'd temper my expectations if I were you.

No it's not. They're speaking in terms of a lot more than just graphics, they're talking about the kinds of games that release on handheld vs. the kind of gamers that release on console. The differences there aren't just in terms of one having higher graphics than the other, there's completely different styles of gameplay going on between them.

 

[Silktree]

Those differences you mentioned for the previous remakes are absolutely tame compared to what you're suggesting. Most people did not fuss over flat environments or lack of diagonal movement (and FRLG's Sevii Islands mimicked the Hoenn style, which I wouldn't call diverse). Of course, I don't think that Game Freak will be held back by remakes so much as their laziness.

As for the quote:

The Switch, however, being a portable home console, has some different qualities compared to portables. The screen is bigger, the specs are higher.

Because of that, if we are to release Pokemon on the Switch, we cannot go about software the way we have been so far.

That's fairly vague and could easily refer just to HD graphics. You'd have a better point if he said anything about attracting home console players.

All I'm saying is that you might want to temper your expecations. But it is not my problem if you don't.

 

[Foxwarrior]

Things to consider:

• Will there be any functionality with the 3DS? We've been told "Pokémon Bank" is generation-proof for the most part, until the 3DS dies that is. Is it even possible for a Switch and 3DS to communicate? Maybe Pokémon Bank will have an app for the Switch? They wouldn't kill Bank after just 2 generations after promising longetivity of the service would they?
• It's scary how there are now 802 species of Pokémon. I wonder if Game Freak will surpass 1000 Pokémon for the 8th generation. They certainly would have the time and space to do it. Maybe throw in some new Megas while they do it. Wouldn't be surprised if this was codenamed "Pokémon 1000."
• This explains why we only had so few Mythical Pokémon. Gen 7 is going to be a short gen. I can feel it in my bones.
• Ash is going to have to haul some heavy ass in the anime if they plan on releasing this game in late 2018. Usually releases are timed around Ash's journey in the anime in Japan.

This is definitely Generation 8. I can hope they plan it well and that the locale its based on makes sense. Would be kind of cool if they returned to Japan and made the region be based on the area north of Kanto and Johto. If not, I can see them doing Australia.

More likely gen 8 will reach 900 pokemons. And gen 9 or 10 will surprass 1000.

 

[godiego]

More likely gen 8 will reach 900 pokemons. And gen 9 or 10 will surprass 1000.

we have 802 right now. Gen 8 would have to break with how many they've released for the past two gens (~60-70s) to reach 900. realistically they'll stick with the 60-70s because that'll let them reach 1k for Gen 10 without even having to try or end up with some oddly lopsided debut Pokemon quantities.

 

[Galactic_V]

I have a feeling TPC advised that earlier than the supposed since they knew all the flame caused by a lot of fans. While I don't blame neither, the fans are completely right in protesting, this Switch game should be in very early development.

Course I could be wrong, though it sounds odd to announce a core entry little after USUM, when the fandom was complaining the most. I'd expect a 2019 release, or a November 2018 at most. Both are fine for me, I'll be done moving and probably will have my Switch already.

 

[Lanstar]

I'm not exactly sure 'open world' is a must have yet - Although to me, that would be a dream come true... However, what I would like to see is something like the original Pokemon ruby and sapphire, where nearly the entire overworld is accessible without having to load in routes. No really - you could go from New Bark to Ever Grande in those games without any kind of external loading at all! If Game Freak does this at least, it would be a great step up!