• Due to the recent changes with Twitter's API, it is no longer possible for Bulbagarden forum users to login via their Twitter account. If you signed up to Bulbagarden via Twitter and do not have another way to login, please contact us here with your Twitter username so that we can get you sorted.
  • Pronoun field selections have been updated! To ensure they show up correctly, please reselect your preferred option(s) in the Account details page. Click here for more information.

Official Pokémon Sword and Shield speculation thread (Updated June 5th, 2019)

Status
Not open for further replies.

Joker901

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2018
Messages
3,743
Reaction score
8,237
How do you people think the rest of the Switch generation gonna play out for Pokemon?
2018 - Lets Go Pikachu/Eevee
2019 - Sword/Shield
2020 - Lets Go Johto
2021 - Break
2022 - Gen 9 games
2023 - Gen 4 remakes

I think Lets Go Johto is out next year. I think the LGPE team is already on that, cause they want to strike the Pokemon Go Iron while it's hot. It's also the last pokemon games of the pokemania era, so I think they'll be the last Lets Go games, as well.
If that holds true, that leaves Gen 4 remakes in a tough spot. Will GF remake three pokemon games in the same generation? I just don't know. Which is too bad since Platinum is my favourite Pokemon game.
Seeing dialga/palkia and arceus in Detective pikachu and Munchlax in the house of the main character of sword/shield made me believe d/p remakes are next games in the timeline. I would say:
2019: Sword and Shield
2020: Break
2021: D/P remakes
2022: Let's go Johto
2023: Gen 9
 

Oriden

May not return
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
8,113
Reaction score
24,605
While I may agree on some of the things you said, the fact the they need more people is just obvious. They make a game every year (this year probably more than one or two) and they just don't have enough people...even if the people they have are super skilled, they just cannot split themselves into more projects. For example, when Ohmori programmed the trials in s/m if he had 30 more programmers with him, he could have just told 15 of them how he wanted the trials to be like and then he, with the other 15 programmers, could focus on something else (like, for example, a decent post game).
"Too many cooks in the kitchen" may be a thing that they are trying to avoid. That, and you also have to consider whether they can even physically house and sufficiently train a larger number of employees- training takes time and resources too! Even if you take someone with prior experience, you need to teach them all of the things that are specific to your company. You'd have to have someone train those new people and make certain that they definitely know what they're doing- which means having one of your skilled developers taking time that they could otherwise be using to work on a game. On top of that, there's security- the more people they have working there, the more likely that things are going to leak out. Pokemon is one of the most tempting franchises to leak because the following is so massive! Heck, we ought to know. XD

Also wasn't Gen 7 already pushing the limits of the 3DS? Doing more may not have even been possible?
 

Bolt Strike

Bringing the Thunder
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
6,167
Reaction score
5,037
Reminds me of my former workplace- apparently after I left, they split the department into two units, one unit worked on just one product family while the other unit was in charge of everything else.


I think you're regarding it the wrong way... they are using Project Gear to build up the experience of their developers. That "lack of effort" isn't a lack of effort at all? It's a lack of experience that will improve by having this team work as an experimental sandbox. This learning opportunity would allow them to improve the skills for creating graphics, designing the world, and adding new content by creating these other games without the pressure that is their massive popular franchise, and they will bring back what they learn from working on these other projects to improve Pokemon as a result. This isn't a detrimental approach at all.

It doesn't have to take a ton of people to make something good- those larger development teams may not have even had the most skilled people working on them. But if you put a bunch of less skilled people together, they could make something just as great as a single skilled person could. Game Freak is just focusing on developing the skills of its people over resorting to throwing together a million monkeys to try to write Shakespeare in a day.

Also there is such thing as having too many fingers in a pie.

Um, yeah it does take a ton of people. AAA console games tend to take at minimum 100 people 3 years, realistically more like 200-300 people 4-5 years. All the skill in the world can't help you if you don't have enough bodies, there's only so much each person is physically capable of doing. These games are very big and very work intensive, that's why they need large teams.
 

Poke Dragon

Looking for a way to be whole again.
Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
4,070
Reaction score
7,100
Seeing dialga/palkia and arceus in Detective pikachu and Munchlax in the house of the main character of sword/shield made me believe d/p remakes are next games in the timeline. I would say:
2019: Sword and Shield
2020: Break
2021: D/P remakes
2022: Let's go Johto
2023: Gen 9
While I agree that the Diamond and Pearl remakes are more likely to be the next Pokemon games, I don't think they will take a break year before they make it. It instead could be:

2019: Sword and Shield
2020: D/P Remakes
2021: Break
2022: Gen 9
2023 Let's Go Johto
 

Juizel

Passionate (Let's) Go Hater
Joined
Mar 3, 2019
Messages
368
Reaction score
1,201
Um, yeah it does take a ton of people. AAA console games tend to take at minimum 100 people 3 years, realistically more like 200-300 people 4-5 years. All the skill in the world can't help you if you don't have enough bodies, there's only so much each person is physically capable of doing. These games are very big and very work intensive, that's why they need large teams.
But does Pokemon really want to be on par with known AAA titles? I mean, let's look at Pokemon games from a developing point.

The models for the Pokemon (and their animations) have been done for gen 6 and are merely being reused for the upcoming game, having the new gen's Pokemon simply added. Whether one likes these models or this approach is a whole different discussion. (I personally preferred sprites, as they looked so much less stiff than the models we had, for example.)
What's also being reused are Pokeball models and the sprites of the items in the backpack.
And...the whole combat system. Whether they simply can port it or have to rewrite it for going from one platform to the next, who knows, but it's still not as much effort as making a new one up for scratch.

The story of Pokemon games is also...well, it's not that horrible, but it's also nothing you'd need months of writing and revising to come up with. Same with NPC dialogue.
And while we're at it - you do not influence the story more than maybe, sometimes, getting a slightly different dialogue for a couple of text boxes whether you picked the first or the second answer, but in the end it still comes to the same thing. That is not complex to implement.

Now we could count how many different characters we get in a new game, too - have to be designed and modeled (and animated).

Same goes for the whole region.

And for all that, keep in mind, Pokemon does not go for realism in its look. It's very stylized which is less detailed -> less work than a realistic look. (Again, one can like this or not, subjective. I do, for example.)

Then Pokemon uses very limited maps and is a rather linear game. Basically that means, you don't have to consider every little dumb thing a player could do to break the game and make sure they can't, players don't have that much freedom to begin with.

The point I'm trying to make is... Pokemon is not on par with AAA titles in the amount of work it requires to create them (except maybe in terms of creativity, but again, it's arguable and depends on which AAA game you're referring to.) so Game Freak being a small studio assigning less people to these games isn't necessarily bad. Maybe frustrating if one would like to see a Pokemon game you'd call AAA. From Game Freak deciding to stay small, though, I feel you can pretty much assume that they don't lower their scope to what their manpower can do, but rather concept games the way they are and the employees they have are enough to pull it off.

These things kinda just make me want to look more into how exactly Game Freak works on Pokemon, would be interesting to see tbh...
 

PinkIceFox

PinkIceTales!
Joined
Mar 24, 2010
Messages
2,548
Reaction score
6,089
They're advertising the movie for kids who know little about it. Deal with it, especially if you chose not to care about the brand new movie that recently came out.
calm thine tatas my friend pretty sure we're all joking around. At least I am.
 

Bolt Strike

Bringing the Thunder
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
6,167
Reaction score
5,037
But does Pokemon really want to be on par with known AAA titles? I mean, let's look at Pokemon games from a developing point.

The models for the Pokemon (and their animations) have been done for gen 6 and are merely being reused for the upcoming game, having the new gen's Pokemon simply added. Whether one likes these models or this approach is a whole different discussion. (I personally preferred sprites, as they looked so much less stiff than the models we had, for example.)
What's also being reused are Pokeball models and the sprites of the items in the backpack.
And...the whole combat system. Whether they simply can port it or have to rewrite it for going from one platform to the next, who knows, but it's still not as much effort as making a new one up for scratch.

The story of Pokemon games is also...well, it's not that horrible, but it's also nothing you'd need months of writing and revising to come up with. Same with NPC dialogue.
And while we're at it - you do not influence the story more than maybe, sometimes, getting a slightly different dialogue for a couple of text boxes whether you picked the first or the second answer, but in the end it still comes to the same thing. That is not complex to implement.

Now we could count how many different characters we get in a new game, too - have to be designed and modeled (and animated).

Same goes for the whole region.

And for all that, keep in mind, Pokemon does not go for realism in its look. It's very stylized which is less detailed -> less work than a realistic look. (Again, one can like this or not, subjective. I do, for example.)

Then Pokemon uses very limited maps and is a rather linear game. Basically that means, you don't have to consider every little dumb thing a player could do to break the game and make sure they can't, players don't have that much freedom to begin with.

The point I'm trying to make is... Pokemon is not on par with AAA titles in the amount of work it requires to create them (except maybe in terms of creativity, but again, it's arguable and depends on which AAA game you're referring to.) so Game Freak being a small studio assigning less people to these games isn't necessarily bad. Maybe frustrating if one would like to see a Pokemon game you'd call AAA. From Game Freak deciding to stay small, though, I feel you can pretty much assume that they don't lower their scope to what their manpower can do, but rather concept games the way they are and the employees they have are enough to pull it off.

These things kinda just make me want to look more into how exactly Game Freak works on Pokemon, would be interesting to see tbh...

That's the point though, AAA games are the standard for a $60 retail game so Pokemon transitioning to $60 retail console games automatically brings the expectation that the series jump to AAA quality experiences. Why do you think there's so many complaints of "why is this $60?", the console market has been accustomed to much more than what Game Freak is offering for years from other console games so Game Freak's offerings feel underwhelming and poorly valued.
 

Poke Dragon

Looking for a way to be whole again.
Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
4,070
Reaction score
7,100
I mean, I'm not asking much of Game Freak, I just want them to make a game that has lots to do in the post-game and stop making the game take it easy on me when I want a challenge. It should not be extremely easy to go through the entire main game without having a full team of six. I actually tried a challenge like that in Black 2 where I play most of the main game with only 3 Pokemon, and that in it of itself was challenging. I want the aspect of challenge back in the games.
 

LuxrayOfTheWild

What lurks in the wild.
Joined
Jul 16, 2010
Messages
8,599
Reaction score
13,206
Pronouns
he_him
I'm thinking the release schedule will go

2019: Sword and Shield
2020: Break
2021: Let's Go Johto
2022: Diamond and Pearl remakes
2023: Gen IX
 

Oriden

May not return
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
8,113
Reaction score
24,605
I mean, I'm not asking much of Game Freak, I just want them to make a game that has lots to do in the post-game and stop making the game take it easy on me when I want a challenge. It should not be extremely easy to go through the entire main game without having a full team of six. I actually tried a challenge like that in Black 2 where I play most of the main game with only 3 Pokemon, and that in it of itself was challenging. I want the aspect of challenge back in the games.
Yeah, I think that is rather reasonable expectations. =) A game that just takes the player seriously would be nice.
 

swiftgallade46

Now with Mega Evolution
Joined
Jun 28, 2013
Messages
7,224
Reaction score
9,171
Since when do Nintendo scale their game prices based on quality anyway...? Pretty sure almost every first party Switch title is $60. Triple A game or not Pokémon is going to be a top seller so they are going to charge for it as such.

Besides, Sword and Shield still have huge potential. There’s still a lot left to be revealed.
 

FlashFire926

Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2019
Messages
135
Reaction score
319
Seeing dialga/palkia and arceus in Detective pikachu and Munchlax in the house of the main character of sword/shield made me believe d/p remakes are next games in the timeline. I would say:
2019: Sword and Shield
2020: Break
2021: D/P remakes
2022: Let's go Johto
2023: Gen 9
Yeah that definitely seems plausible too. But.... two remakes in a single gen (let alone in back to back years)? . Even though GF have been breaking trends, I just dont know about that one.
I'm thinking the release schedule will go

2019: Sword and Shield
2020: Break
2021: Let's Go Johto
2022: Diamond and Pearl remakes
2023: Gen IX
Read above.
While I agree that the Diamond and Pearl remakes are more likely to be the next Pokemon games, I don't think they will take a break year before they make it. It instead could be:

2019: Sword and Shield
2020: D/P Remakes
2021: Break
2022: Gen 9
2023 Let's Go Johto
I think it's either this, or just Let's Go and D/P remakes flipped around, IMO. We're also due for a break year sometime in the next two years as well, I feel.
 

The Haymaker

Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2018
Messages
117
Reaction score
361
Wow, am I really the only one who thinks there's not going to be another Let's Go title?...I'm not sure what the starters would be, and if Sword and Shield sell much more than Let's Go, like I'd expect, I'm not sure it's happening, especially if Go itself dies down in the next few years. This seems especially likely with less focus on Pokemon by GF.

After this year, I expect Gen 4 remakes, not because of any small hints like some have mentioned. References to other generations are everywhere and there's nothing ridiculously conspicuous about any of the Gen 4 ones. It's just logical based on past trends and the new hardware.

2020/2021: Gen 4 remakes + no main series title
2022: Gen 9
2023: Gen 9 v 2.0 / ??? Maybe some new experimental main series title
 

PkmnTrainerV

Flame Trainer
Joined
Jun 5, 2016
Messages
11,647
Reaction score
26,871
They could do for the next feminine plant Pokemon a Holly
Not every generation needs a feminine plant Pokemon... Tsareena is enough for the next 3 Generations...

Wow, am I really the only one who thinks there's not going to be another Let's Go title?...I'm not sure what the starters would be, and if Sword and Shield sell much more than Let's Go, like I'd expect, I'm not sure it's happening, especially if Go itself dies down in the next few years. This seems especially likely with less focus on Pokemon by GF.
I’ve been saying that ever since Let's Go was released.
Let's Go relies on the Kanto Pokemon being household names your mom, dad, and maybe even grandma know to appeal to a broader audience. They also appeal to the GO players which were fans during Generation 1 and have a revived interest in Pokemon, but not enough to look for the complicated stuff like 700+ extra creatures, abilities, Megas and what not.

No other region even comes close to the household name that's Pikachu.

The only further Let's Go game I can see being released is Johto, and even that’s not a certainty imo.
 

PkmnTrainerV

Flame Trainer
Joined
Jun 5, 2016
Messages
11,647
Reaction score
26,871
Someone made a first 20 minute gameplay 'leak' aka fan fiction on 4chan you can read if you’re bored...

Hello,

I am going to get straight to the point in regards to why I am posting here. I have seen the first 20 minutes of actual gameplay footage from upcoming Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield. The footage I have seen and gameplay mechanics are above what even I expected for this game. I certainly didn't think I would be this pleased with it. I am sure many of you are wondering, why I would post this, and how I got access to see this. I am involved with some of the investors for the games, and we have been having regular meetings regarding the progress of game development, and the last meeting revealed the first 15-20 minutes of the game. Anyway, here is how the game starts off.


After you name/design/customize your character, you will appear in your room. Your mom will ask you to come downstairs and clean up as you guys are expecting your moms old friend for dinner (The Pokemon Professor for Galar Region). Your mom hasn't seen her in years since moving away and now they finally get to catch up. The professor shows up and the dinner takes place, your mom and the professor are chatting away, talking about how her studies are going. The professor is studying how Pokemon adapt to human impact on their habitats. A few minutes later the topic of the “Pokemon Cup Championship” comes up. You tell your mom and the professor that you will compete for one day when you get a Pokemon. They both laugh and agree. The Professor leans in to tell your mom something then promptly gets up and says she must get going. Before she leaves, she tells you to come by her lab sometime up at the top of route 4.

The professor leaves your house and your mom says something to you about how that was her best friend in school growing up. Then you hear a scream, and both you and your mom run outside to see what happened. The professor is being pushed around by two people wearing masks, that are telling her to stop the research she is doing because she won't be able to stop them from continuing to build on Pokemon habitats and taking over the region and making it the biggest modern industrial region in the world. One of the masked people pushes the professor and 3 poke balls drop from her bag. She asks for your help and this is when you will pick your starter.

Anyway, you pick which ever starter you want, and the professor asks you to help battle off the 2 masked people. The professor throws out a Galar Snubbull and you throw out which ever starter you picked. In this case, the person playing had picked Scorbunny

The 2 masked people then get scared and run off. The professor then tells you that your bravery to help her was very appreciated, she takes the Pokemon back from you and reminds you to visit her. You go back inside and your mom asks if you are alright and asks questions about who the 2 masked people were. Your mom then tells you to go get some sleep it was an eventful day and you look exhausted.

he next day you wake up and you go downstairs and your mom tells you that the professor called and reminded her to make sure you come up to her lab. Your mom tells you that you're ok to go up there as it isn't very far, just to be safe and keep an eye out for those 2 masked people.


You make your way up to the Professors lab, along Route 4, once you arrive she is very thrilled that you made it up. You ask about the people from yesterday. She briefly tells you about who they were. A couple that is dedicated to purchasing all the empty land in Galar to build refineries and modernize the city for the future. She tells you not to worry about them and asks you to come with her to the back of the lab. Once you arrive, the Pokemon that you picked yesterday with her will be waiting outside of its Pokeball. She tells you that for some reason once she got back to the office that the Pokemon wouldn't stay in its ball and kept breaking out.

She brings up the conversation about the Pokemon Cup Championship and tells you that she spoke with your mother this morning and they both agree that you taking this Pokemon would be great for you, the professor thinks you have what it takes to be a trainer with the way you stepped up to help her yesterday. You are also given a Pokedex at this time. The professor asks if you know how to catch Pokemon, you can choose yes or no. If you pick no she will show you. If you say yes she will wish you good luck and tells you to go show your new Pokemon to your mom.

You leave the professor back down Route 4 right as you get to your house, a kid walks towards you and asks if you have a Pokemon and if he/she can see it. You say sure and you bring out your new Pokemon. That is when the kid tells you he tricked you into a battle, he throws out his Pokemon. Which is whatever Pokemon is strong against the one you picked. So in this gameplay, he throws out Sobble. The player won the battle in gameplay and continued on to the house to show off your new Pokemon and tell her about you winning your first battle.

That is where the video ended, we encountered no wild Pokemon as you are able to avoid the grass to and from the professor's lab. Expect to see some of this gameplay at E3 during a Pokemon Direct.

It’s a nice way to pass time with the lack of info if you’re fond of reading fan fiction...
I can’t believe 'leakers' are pretending to know everything about 20min game footage in full detail.
It’s probably a bored writer but reading it was more fun than arguments about Pokemon going downhill based on a game that we haven’t seen more than 2 minutes of.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom