Kanto/Johto Sequels

[PurplePopplio]

What if we can visit Vermillion City in USUM, but only the Gym? It can be a small teaser of possible Kanto sequels.

 

[DoctorWhy]

If USUM allows us to travel to Kanto, then what is the point of a game straight afterwards travelling to Kanto?

I could argue the same regarding USUM's existence. Why release another Alola game only 1 year after SM? It's hardly different. Reuse of assets for a game that wouldn't take extremely long to develop and would make a lot of money. I still think there's no way a Gen VIII game could be done this quickly--as in, being released in late 2018, which has so far been the suggestion.

 

[PurplePopplio]

I can see Gen VIII happening in 2019. But that's only if 2018 is a break year.

Anyway, I really hope to see Kanto in its own games with Johto being fleshed out as well instead of Kanto being shoved into yet ANOTHER set of games as postgame content.

 

[SUP3RN0VA]

I could argue the same regarding USUM's existence. Why release another Alola game only 1 year after SM? It's hardly different. Reuse of assets for a game that wouldn't take extremely long to develop and would make a lot of money. I still think there's no way a Gen VIII game could be done this quickly--as in, being released in late 2018, which has so far been the suggestion.

Because Gamefreak have literally been doing that since Gen I, so that example, while a good attempt as a counter argument, doesn't really work as well. Plus, Gamefreak are currently developing new Pokemon titles, so the chances of having a new game being given to us instead of a third version/whatever you want to call USUM was unlikely. Gamefreak are merely giving us something so we don't have to wait as long for the Switch title.

It's not impossible, however, I just don't personally see the point in USUM taking us to Kanto and exploring majority of the region, and then have the next games also be Kanto games. At the very least, I'd atleast see Gen VIII (new game set in a new region) being released between USUM with Kanto post game, and new Kanto game.

 

[SerenaToAlola]

If any post-region in USUM, it would be Kalos, because of the whole Zygarde theory with the color stone it's chest resembling the colors of Xerneas (Dark Blue), Yveltal (Red), Solgaleo (Orange), Lunaala (Light Blue), and Necrozma (White, that hints a new light form) but that highly unlikely

I don't think we need to go to Kalos just because of Zygarde.

Well a Kanto game a year after a visit to Kanto in USUM makes as much sense as a USUM game a year after SM. Gamefreak literally doing this since Gen 1 is not a good reason why they should or shouldn't do it.

 

[Almonds]

So Ryuki is likely from Kanto?

 

[PurplePopplio]

So Ryuki is likely from Kanto?

Maybe Lance was Ryuki's mentor?

 

[Pyrax]

So Ryuki is likely from Kanto?

It's possible. Ryuki was in that building resembling Lt. Surge's Gym, but then again it could also be a coincidence. He could just as easily be from Blackthorn city's dragon clan.

 

[SUP3RN0VA]

I don't think we need to go to Kalos just because of Zygarde.

Well a Kanto game a year after a visit to Kanto in USUM makes as much sense as a USUM game a year after SM. Gamefreak literally doing this since Gen 1 is not a good reason why they should or shouldn't do it.

No, but giving us a game to tie us over and not have us potentially go 2 break years IS a good enough reason. Plus, whether or not you think it is a good reason or not is irrelevant, Gamefreak have been doing it since gen 1 and there is no reason why they shouldn't do it to tie us over. Plus, giving us a third version is a different situation to having one game feature an older region and then make a brand new game set in the very region that was just featured in the last game. The two situations are barely comparable.

 

[Silktree]

I'm surprised that no one has brought up Ishihara's initial skepticism about the Switch:

I told Nintendo that Switch wouldn't be a success before it went on sale, because I thought that, in the age of a smartphone, no one would carry around a game console.

It's obvious I was wrong. I came to realize the key to a successful game -- software with absolute quality leads sales of hardware. Playing style can be flexible if the software is attractive enough.

Why is this important? Because it begs the question what Game Freak were originally going to do before the Switch turned into a relative success (and even now both Masuda and Ishihara want to see bigger numbers before they can rest easy).

I think that sequels were planned for the 3DS in 2018, and now they have to rework them. That is the reason for the "2018 or later" projection; if we were dealing with a completely new project they wouldn't even consider 2018 as a possibility. That said, I do hope that they wait until 2019 to maximize the content. Masuda and Ohmori admitted that expectations are high, after all.

And if that is the case, they may as well add a modest number of Pokemon to boot, including cross-generational evolutions. They could be explained via a new subregion.

 

[Desdar300]

I'm surprised that no one has brought up Ishihara's initial skepticism about the Switch:


Why is this important? Because it begs the question what Game Freak were originally going to do before the Switch turned into a relative success (and even now both Masuda and Ishihara want to see bigger numbers before they can rest easy).

I think that sequels were planned for the 3DS in 2018, and now they have to rework them. That is the reason for the "2018 or later" projection; if we were dealing with a completely new project they wouldn't even consider 2018 as a possibility. That said, I do hope that they wait until 2019 to maximize the content. Masuda and Ohmori admitted that expectations are high, after all.

And if that is the case, they may as well add a modest number of Pokemon to boot, including cross-generational evolutions. They could be explained via a new subregion.

It's certainly possible now

 

[Bolt Strike]

I'm surprised that no one has brought up Ishihara's initial skepticism about the Switch:


Why is this important? Because it begs the question what Game Freak were originally going to do before the Switch turned into a relative success (and even now both Masuda and Ishihara want to see bigger numbers before they can rest easy).

I think that sequels were planned for the 3DS in 2018, and now they have to rework them. That is the reason for the "2018 or later" projection; if we were dealing with a completely new project they wouldn't even consider 2018 as a possibility. That said, I do hope that they wait until 2019 to maximize the content. Masuda and Ohmori admitted that expectations are high, after all.

And if that is the case, they may as well add a modest number of Pokemon to boot, including cross-generational evolutions. They could be explained via a new subregion.

It sounds like they may have been planning to shift towards Go judging by how much they're talking up mobile. I'm not sure they really planned anything further after the 3DS, they don't seem to want to do more than 2 games a generation anymore so they probably intended for 7th gen to be SM and USUM from the beginning.

 

[Silktree]

Shifting to mobile would have been extremely problematic given Nintendo's share in the franchise. Chances are that if the Switch had failed, Nintendo would have released a more traditional handheld and Game Freak would have used that, which would have taken time.

The point is that the decision to move onto the Switch is extremely fresh and the future was uncertain until a few months ago. So the comparison to the past two generations is faulty, and even if USUM were always meant to be the last 3DS entries, how could the next games be considered for 2018 if they didn't predate the Switch shift in some sense?

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

I'm surprised that no one has brought up Ishihara's initial skepticism about the Switch:


Why is this important? Because it begs the question what Game Freak were originally going to do before the Switch turned into a relative success (and even now both Masuda and Ishihara want to see bigger numbers before they can rest easy).

I think that sequels were planned for the 3DS in 2018, and now they have to rework them. That is the reason for the "2018 or later" projection; if we were dealing with a completely new project they wouldn't even consider 2018 as a possibility. That said, I do hope that they wait until 2019 to maximize the content. Masuda and Ohmori admitted that expectations are high, after all.

And if that is the case, they may as well add a modest number of Pokemon to boot, including cross-generational evolutions. They could be explained via a new subregion.

The games could be easily worked for the Switch since the games wouldn’t have went further than conceptual development at this point. Conceptual development is something which I think has very little relation to the system. They can easily modify a little to suit the Switch's needs.

EDIT: the next project would've been Switch or the next Nintendo handheld either way since-
1. The returns are diminishing with 3DS. At the point of release of any 3DS game after USM most of the install base would've moved to the Switch.
2. Nintendo wants all their fans franchises on the Switch to give it boosts. I'm certain there will be pressure from Nintendo to make something for the Switch.

I highly doubt there would be any major shake up in GameFreak's plans, but minor changes will happen.

 

[Silktree]

Did you read what the guy said? He thought that the Switch would be a failure. It's a questionable opinion, but he isn't lying about having thought that before. You can also tell from the Game Informer interview that Masuda and Ohmori had trepidations about the system. So no, I don't get the impression that they had to be on board with the Switch no matter what.

And conceptual development does not live in a vacuum; it has to be tailored for the system.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

But the point is, he isn’t the only one who gets to make a decision. There are many many factors involved in that, one of them being Nintendo.

And I highly doubt that there has been enough development for that project on 3DS that all of it will be useless. You'd need a few edits, yes, but the whole project will never have developed enough to be scrapped completely, and see my edits. USUM seems to be 3DS' last project by all means.

 

[Silktree]

I never said that the project has been scrapped or that the 3DS is getting another game. Just that there was a lot of uncertainty about the platform and the idea that Game Freak committed to the Switch from the outset, as the Eurogamer rumor asserted, is clearly false. I remember people deacribing Masuda's skepticism about the Switch as PR, which never made sense.

Everything about this project screams unconventional, and the fact that they're even considering a 2018 release makes it questionable that we're dealing with your typical launch titles.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

I feel like this thread deserves attention again after the rainbow rocket fiasco...

 

[Boss1708]

What fiasco? Or do you just mean the RR Episode was underwhelming?

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

What fiasco? Or do you just mean the RR Episode was underwhelming?

People are saying that it ends on a cliffhanger, so it may provide speculation-fuel here.