Because those franchises are not Pokémon and Pokémon is not those franchises. Core Pokémon titles have a plethora more text to not only translate, but rewrite, new core titles have countless names and elements that have to be approved for legalities and for standards and the games need to be positioned in order to maximize sales.
Because for what it was - a watered-down RPG side title with a fair number of Pokémon not found elsewhere in the 3rd generation for which sales expectations weren't sky-high - it was in the best interest to get it out worldwide as soon as possible, particularly in the whirlwind timeframe of the 3rd generation where five core titles were released in the span of about two years. No core title fits any part of the description assigned to XD.
You really need to divest yourself of this insane notion. There is absolutely no way these games see release anywhere besides Japan until the trees start to bloom again in 2010, when Nintendo of America's localization personnel and production facilities have had time to:
- Completely translate the script
- Rewrite the script as necessary
- Get legal and standards approval on any potential new names
- Fix any bugs and glitches found in the Japanese build
- Send the game to gold status and begin pressing copies
- Press, package and ship enough copies to satisfy what will be tremendous demand
That you refuse to understand this does not change it. And in addition to all that, Nintendo has no reason to think about releasing the game any time before the spring, when much of the target demographic happens to be on spring break (disposable time to purchase/play the game); this release frame also gives the production facilities time to press more copies and restock shelves before the summer consumer rush.
Continue thinking you'll have a North American copy in-hand before the New Year's ball drops, but you will find yourself sorely disappointed. Discouragement of suggesting this insanity should be in giant red text in this thread's first post along with the other crud.
Let me start by saying I'm Australian, so your assumption that I'm wanting a North American copy or give a crap about the New Year's ball drop is deeply flawed.
Now, onto the rest of it.
Pokemon isn't the only franchise that has a lot of text to translate, so your argument there is moot. Most of the legalities for remakes have already been addressed (because either they were addressed when the originals were made, or they were addressed when the
new games in the current generation were made) - the few remaining legalities are relatively easy to handle. As for game positioning, you have to be dense to think that it's better to release a pokemon game early in the new year rather than right in the middle of the holiday sales season, if it's ready earlier. Pokemon is one of those few franchises that can completely ignore the increased competition that occurs during the holiday period.
Pokemon XD is different from the handheld titles, you are right. But it doesn't change the fact that the key part of it - a game with a lot of text that needs translating - is the main argument being given for why it takes longer to release the main handheld titles. Let's go through the four parts you offered for why HGSS and other main handheld pokemon titles get the delay - you said it was localisation time, legalities, quality assurance, and game positioning.
Localisation time: XD and the handheld titles are comparable in terms of volume of text involved.
No significant difference.
Legalities: XD was a new story, and thus was a potential source of significant legal issues, while HGSS is a remake, meaning only a small amount of new story/characters that could cause legal issues.
Not as big an issue for HGSS as for XD.
Quality assurance: Nintendo's quality assurance would apply equally to both titles.
No significant difference.
Game positioning: Pokemon XD was brought out quickly, in time to leverage the holiday sales season in both America and Europe. HGSS would profit similarly from such timing - note that the holiday sales season is far less significant in Japan than in the West.
No significant difference.
So I don't see how any of those four can lead to longer delays for HGSS than for XD. The only one I see that could potentially require extra time is localisation, and that not by a huge amount.
You list off things that Nintendo of America's localisation people have to do. And how is that any different from Super Paper Mario - a title that was developed in Japan, with amount of text comparable to that in the Pokemon games (there was a
massive amount of text in that game)? Super Paper Mario actually managed to release in America
first, about a week and a half before Japan.
That you refuse to understand all this does not change it.