Downloadable content

[Arcalargo]

So, a couple of things to keep in mind. Pokémon games are normally $20(US) cheaper than other new releases, so the games are relatively cheap when compared to other games. I'm not against DLC per say, I just don't want to see pay for DLC that is required to see the ending of the game. However I I wouldn't mind seeing more patch updates that bring subsequent games up to par with the newest releases.

And frankly, if they don't have time to put everything they want in to the games, they need to take more time during production. I'm not a huge fan of this 3 year generational cycle. I'm willing to wait for the correct game the first time. Especially if they aren't going to make a final version for generations going forward.

 

[Icy Wind]

And frankly, if they don't have time to put everything they want in to the games, they need to take more time during production. I'm not a huge fan of this 3 year generational cycle. I'm willing to wait for the correct game the first time. Especially if they aren't going to make a final version for generations going forward.

....You do realize the first pair of a generation usually takes 3 years to make? So you're suggesting is that game freak would slow down their releases just for the sake of content?

 

[Arcalargo]

....You do realize the first pair of a generation usually takes 3 years to make? So you're suggesting is that game freak would slow down their releases just for the sake of content?

...I don't see any good reason why not. IF they are not able to put everything into the games that they are wanting the first time around AND they aren't making final versions of the games in the Generations any more AND they aren't going to patch the initial releases up to the standards of any other releases in the Generation, I can't see any reason why they need to rush to release the games. I'm more than happy to wait a little longer for a fully polished game with everything the developers wanted. We waited for 4 years between IV and V and they still didn't have time to put in everything they wanted. So yeah, I'm good to wait if they fit everything in.

'Sides, its not like we won't have Pokémon to play in the mean time.

 

[JaBray]

I'm all for paid DLC that adds new areas, trainers, etc., but not new Pokemon. Paid DLC that adds new pokemon leads to all sorts of problems for those who can't get them, and spoils the fun for them. Since the tagline for the franchise is "Gotta Catch 'em All", it wouldn't be right if we had to pay to do so.

 

[Arceus the Dragon]

I'm all for paid DLC that adds new areas, trainers, etc., but not new Pokemon. Paid DLC that adds new pokemon leads to all sorts of problems for those who can't get them, and spoils the fun for them. Since the tagline for the franchise is "Gotta Catch 'em All", it wouldn't be right if we had to pay to do so.

Some people can't use DLC or gain access to it so having new trainers and areas unlocked by DLC is a bad idea in my opinion.

 

[JaBray]

Some people can't use DLC or gain access to it so having new trainers and areas unlocked by DLC is a bad idea in my opinion.

As long as there aren't any new Pokemon in these areas, there's no reason to restrict it. Some people can't afford or gain access to a $40 game, yet they still make them.

 

[KrisiChiki]

Hmm, I also think Game Freak usually doesn't include certain features in the first pair of games because of time limitations. I'm also fairly certain Nintendo pushes Game Freak to pump out Pokemon games so the handheld consoles will sell. Correct me if I'm wrong, but was the 3DS already released by the time we got BW? Nintendo probably wanted Game Freak to hurry up and release a new game for the 3DS and they already had to spend time to learn the new engine, create all the 3D models and all that stuff, so they had to make a few sacrifices with XY.

Maybe Game Freak would want to spend more time developing the games, but Nintendo doesn't let them to. Still, I'm also of the opinion that it's better to spend more time on a game instead of releasing it too soon and hope to fix things in the "third version". Well, Pokemon games sell well anyway, so I guess Game Freak doesn't really need to worry lol.

Anyway, back on topic. I say both "yes" and "no" because it would really depend on how they handle the DLCs. They could be great or they could be a disaster.

 

[PinkIceFox]

If it's free DLC you can get at any time once that DLC is released: Sure why not!

If it's DLC you have to pay for, or DLC like certain animal crossing games where you have to locate one of those stupid Nintendo Zones (of which there are none around where I live within reasonable driving distance): *SCREAMS OF BEASTS AND STATIC* Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Pokemon's expensive enough as it is I would hate to have to shell out MORE money to get features that should have just been put in the game from the start. Plus I cannot drive to locate a special location to download stupid stuff like that. It kills me to miss out on content that I would otherwise be able to get were it not for stupid things getting in the way. I can't even see a good way to put paid DLC into pokemon.

 

[Stratelier]

DLC that applies solely to the single player experience (e.g. bonus areas with ordinarily catchable Pokemon and possibly a story arc or two) -- maybe.

DLC with applicability for competitive battling (e.g. DLC exclusive Pokemon or event moves for Pokemon), NOPE with a capital letter N. One issue here is it causes a compatibility break between those who do or do not own the DLC. Compare the Smash Bros. DLC -- the game had to be updated for it regardless of whether or not you actually purchased said DLC, because what if you get paired with a player who has?

DLC distributed to basically everyone free of charge (in the same manner as bugfix updates) - maybe, depending on what the content actually is.

 

[Icy Wind]

...I don't see any good reason why not. IF they are not able to put everything into the games that they are wanting the first time around AND they aren't making final versions of the games in the Generations any more AND they aren't going to patch the initial releases up to the standards of any other releases in the Generation, I can't see any reason why they need to rush to release the games. I'm more than happy to wait a little longer for a fully polished game with everything the developers wanted. We waited for 4 years between IV and V and they still didn't have time to put in everything they wanted. So yeah, I'm good to wait if they fit everything in.

'Sides, its not like we won't have Pokémon to play in the mean time.

The only time they ever delayed a pokemon game's release date is with Diamond and Pearl, who were set to be released in 2005 but were delayed to 2006 due to developpement issues with the DS.

They are not going to spend 4 or more years developping a first pair of a generation again because when you push back game release by a year when you don't need to, that's a good fraction of profit per financial year gone for good, along with more sluggish hardware sales.

 

[Blockhead Pippi]

The only time they ever delayed a pokemon game's release date is with Diamond and Pearl

False, Gold and Silver were also delayed. They were originally slated to be released at the end of 1997. They got delayed for two years.

 

[Arcalargo]

The only time they ever delayed a pokemon game's release date is with Diamond and Pearl, who were set to be released in 2005 but were delayed to 2006 due to developpement issues with the DS.

They are not going to spend 4 or more years developping a first pair of a generation again because when you push back game release by a year when you don't need to, that's a good fraction of profit per financial year gone for good, along with more sluggish hardware sales.

We as fans should demand they slow down and get it right the first time. Take Gen VI as an example. Since we aren't getting a third version, X&Y got the short end of the developmental stick. ORAS adds features, megas and new moves that X&Y will never get. I would much rather see EVERYTHING get put into the actual games for the generation OR a download patch to bring the originals up to the same level as everything else launched in the Generation.

So help me out. What are your reasons for wanting a shorter dev cycle and a less polished set of initial games?

 

[Silktree]

The only time they ever delayed a pokemon game's release date is with Diamond and Pearl, who were set to be released in 2005 but were delayed to 2006 due to developpement issues with the DS.

Only fans assumed that they were supposed to be released in 2005. It was never stated by an official source.

 

[Falconwing]

I can guarantee that Gen 7 will have free DLC because the series has had free DLC since Gen 2. Breaking that pattern now seems unlikely.

 

[DasManiac]

Seeing how Masuda refused to patch xy to get the oras megas, i highly doubt we're ever going to have DLC tbh.

And no people, game freak never intentionally "leaves out" things from the first pair of a generation, they simply don't have enough time to implement stuff like a battle frontier or PWT in the first pair of a generation because they havd to prioritize on things like the new pokemon, new region ect...
That's why the first pair of a generation typically doesn't have a lot of content in them, because game freak can't implement things like a battle frontier because they have to prioritize on other things.

And for everybody who doesn't believe me, here's a proof of what I am saying. In this BW2 interview, Masuda said that they actually wanted to implement the difficulty settings of BW2 in BW but couldn't because of lack of time, and seeing how BW is a first pair of a generation where they have to focus the new pokemon, new region ect... and that the difficulty settings required increasing/decreasing the npcs's pokemon levels and changing the gym leader and elite four and champion's teams, you can clearly see why game freak couldn't implement them in BW.
See? Game freak never intentionally "leaves out" big things like difficulty settings, or batle frontier or PWT in the first pair of a generation.
Sure, you can argue that things like gym leader rematch and move tutors would be easier to implent than others, and i'll give you that, but things like a battle frontier would be really hard to pass down to first generation pairs for the reasons I've said above.

They could easily hire more people. Game Freak has more than enough money to expand. There's no reason they can't hire 100 more people. They must realize that 3D games require much more work. Back in the day they used to have multiple teams working on different games. While a smaller team was working on Platinum, the majority were working on HGSS, and then BW was just in the early design stages.

Besides, no other series gets a free pass for a lack of content. Only Game Freak gets away with it. They've had every opportunity to expand the company and hire more people but they've chosen not to. I think fans have a perfectly good reason to be annoyed with the company. Game Freak has the potential each time to put out something great and each time they choose the lazy route.

On the subject of paid DLC, I have no problem with it. If it is quality story DLC at a good price and has some more Pokemon then I will buy.

 

[Icy Wind]

We as fans should demand they slow down and get it right the first time. Take Gen VI as an example. Since we aren't getting a third version, X&Y got the short end of the developmental stick. ORAS adds features, megas and new moves that X&Y will never get. I would much rather see EVERYTHING get put into the actual games for the generation OR a download patch to bring the originals up to the same level as everything else launched in the Generation.

So help me out. What are your reasons for wanting a shorter dev cycle and a less polished set of initial games?

Uh what? I never said I don't want a more polished first pair of a generation. I'm saying that it would be a bad move on game freak and Nintendo's part to push their main series game because when you push back game release by a year when you don't need to, that's a good fraction of profit per financial year gone for good, along with more sluggish hardware sales.

Game Freak has more than enough money to expand.

And how exactly do you know they didn't expanded their teams for gen 6?

Besides, no other series gets a free pass for a lack of content.

I'm sorry, but this is just wrong.
Believe it or not, video game companies, movie studios, television networks, and other forms of entertainment (or more precisely, the people who distribute the entertainment)often schedule release dates and target objectives during development with little regard to how long it actually takes to develop a game. So if you are a video game maker, and the Powers-That-Be say you have until X date to have it done, you've got to prioritize. Stuff like character design, plot, and whatnot are going to be prioritized over special features that often don't directly relate to the main game or are purely cosmetic.

Following this bit of logic, it is easy to see why Game Freak often utilizes the later released games to showcase new features, extended plots, and whatnot due likely to the more time they get to develop it. And while I'm not a video game guru, I'd be surprised if other game developers don't do similar things. Back in the wasteland days of the mid 90s, PC games sometimes got "Expansion pack" releases and in the modern home consoles, there's downloadable content released that may include new features, plots, characters, missions, etc...

 

[Falconwing]

They could easily hire more people. Game Freak has more than enough money to expand. There's no reason they can't hire 100 more people

How exactly do you know this? and oh wow would 100 people be excessive for this team.

 

[tyguy723]

They really need to pace the generations better, it's getting crunched down too quickly in my opinion. If they wait an extra year to pack in as much content they can the first time, then it's obvious: do it. Taking more time isn't going to lose sales. If you are really a fan of the series you'd realize that more time off will do more good than harm. It will cook up demand like a honeybaked ham, and the the brand itself can sell copies. That is the perk of being a pop culture phenomenon, so they should make the games live up to their pop cultural status by making them the best they can be the first time if not doing a third version anymore. Nobody likes undercooked food, so by not making a half baked game they will preserve the faith that the games are actually improving and not stagnating.

DLC at the end of the day is extra. For anyone to use the argument that not everyone has access to wifi and such it is just not a valid one anymore. Gamefreak expects you to go to a McDonalds to get a Hoopa in America, a place with wifi for free. You can make a trip to get chicken nuggets or simply loiter to get the DLC if you need it. I would never expect them to release an entire DLC revolved around the fact that if you don't have it you can't connect with others. It is extra, so take what you can get...

Will they do it though? Probably not. They haven't shown much of a desire to do it, and they seem fixated on extremely short generations now. But whatever, we love everyone...

 

[Icy Wind]

Only fans assumed that they were supposed to be released in 2005. It was never stated by an official source.

Just out of curiosity, when did DP starterd developpement?

 

[Blockhead Pippi]

Game Freak can't afford to push Sun/Moon by another year.

Because by that time, the 3DS will have very likely been discontinued. We have no idea what the specs or structure of the next major handheld will be like either, so it can't be a simple porting job and calling it a day.