Pokemon Sword & Shield GENERAL DISCUSSION Thread [Spoilers]

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

I would like to hear anyone's arguments as to why battling and trading through Pokémon HOME online wouldn't work If it has the exact same graphics and gameplay as Sword & Shield minus the adventure.

Trading was already confirmed for Home, but only for people that also have a compatible phone. Doesn't work on the Switch app of Home for some reason. Battling I can't see working properly. No way to change movesets, no reasonable way to add held items, no way to change EVs, and so on. Unless you could transfer items from Sword or Shield into Home, but even then all the megas and Z-Moves would still be out because the mega stones and Z-Crystals aren't going to be present in Sword or Shield, nor would the player have a Key Stone or a Z-Ring. And you'd still have the trouble of not being able to change movesets or EVs.

They already did confirm that there wasn't going to be any patches regarding transferring Pokémon to Sword & Shield yet they haven't ruled out paid DLC which leads to microtransactions and loot boxes as it's currently being investigated by the U.S. Government. I don't think it'd be wise for Nintendo / Game Freak to pursue a business model like EA just for one video game franchise which is becoming more shady each year. They could just restrict the DLC Pokémon toward Pokémon that you're unable to transfer over to Sword & Shield while the Pokémon that you're able to transfer over that's been confirmed on the Galar PokéDex are free of charge. Last I checked Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has paid DLC so why is it a problem with Pokémon Sword & Shield?

I have no idea what this has to do with loot boxes. That's something else entirely. Problem with developing stuff for Sword and Shield after release is that it cuts away development time for future titles. They'd just start running behind schedule more and get under even more time pressure for future releases.

Paid DLC is fine to re-add pokemon. Waiting 3 or more years isn't. I'm legitimately shocked the front page of this site doesn't condemn this decision.

Serebii website is informative and objective for a reason. It's not up to Joe to use his platform to spout his opinion above everybody else as if it is fact or worth any more than anyone else's opinion. There is an appropriate time and place for everything. If you want to know Joe's personal opinion on it you can just follow his personal twitter or whatever.

 

[Rainbowdashtheawesome]

Pokemon Jail is the real name of the app.

NO. IT. IS. NOT. Expressing your opinion is fine but this is just blatantly lying.

There's also another group of Pokemon for whom Home will be an escape: Pokemon that would otherwise be trapped in Go. I have a shiny Lugia and Latios in Go, neither of which is likely to be in the Galar dex. If they have to be trapped in either Go or Home, Home is probably going to be the better choice.

 

[Ulicies]

They already did confirm that there wasn't going to be any patches regarding transferring Pokémon to Sword & Shield yet they haven't ruled out paid DLC which leads to microtransactions and loot boxes as it's currently being investigated by the U.S. Government. I don't think it'd be wise for Nintendo / Game Freak to pursue a business model like EA just for one video game franchise which is becoming more shady each year. They could just restrict the DLC Pokémon toward Pokémon that you're unable to transfer over to Sword & Shield while the Pokémon that you're able to transfer over that's been confirmed on the Galar PokéDex are free of charge. Last I checked Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has paid DLC so why is it a problem with Pokémon Sword & Shield?

Imagine Sword and Shield loot boxes, paying 4.99 for 3 random Poke's, hoping you get your fave. Oh boy.

NO. IT. IS. NOT. Expressing your opinion is fine but this is just blatantly lying.

I'm pretty sure he was being facetious? Maybe chill just a bit.

Might want to give it a break @TsengHyena or else the mods will have to step in. The squeaky wheel gets oiled, as they say.

 

[Erron Black]

They already did confirm that there wasn't going to be any patches regarding transferring Pokémon to Sword & Shield

Can we stop spreading this misinformation please?

They said there was NO DECISION on the matter.

Meaning, they've yet to decide whether or not non-Galar dex Pokemon may become transferable via a post-launch update.

 

[Poke Trainer J]

Imagine Sword and Shield loot boxes, paying 4.99 for 3 random Poke's, hoping you get your fave. Oh boy.

At least it's a fair price compared to Dead or Alive 6's $93 Season Pass.

 

[Pokemon Fan]

Can we stop spreading this misinformation please?

They said there was NO DECISION on the matter.

Meaning, they've yet to decide whether or not non-Galar dex Pokemon may become transferable via a post-launch update.

I agree that we shouldn't underplay this, though it shouldn't be overplayed either. Some people might see that remark and think "for sure they'll patch in missing pokemon if enough people ask for it," while others may think Masuda was just giving a nice political answer.

Now assuming we do end up getting the missing pokemon but the power ups become semi-region-based, I think I could be satisfied with that. I love many of the Megas more than their base forms, and it can't be denied that many of them are of pokemon that are largely unusable without their Mega (Lopunny, Pidgeot, Beedrill, Mawile). On the other hand, having the most powerful megas no longer define competitive battling would be interesting to see. And there are some exciting combos that can be done with Dynamax that could make some Mega-dependent pokemon more usable than before. Like Solar Power Charizard being able to activate its ability while attacking with a Fire move if its dynamaxed.

Still, if they want to abandon the power ups from previous gens, I kind of wish they'd still have them in the games but only allow them under certain rulesets (much as has been done before). There ought to be a compromise that doesn't just get rid of all those cool, fan favorite designs in the interest of giving new mechanics and new pokemon a chance to sign. If they want to restrict things even further then maybe just make it impossible to double up on any power ups? Like if you use a Mega you can't dynamax, go primal, or use a Z move, if you use a Z move you can't use any of the other power ups, etc.

 

[WishIhadaManafi5]

At least it's a fair price compared to Dead or Alive 6's $93 Season Pass.

Yea that's insane. That said, I'm no fan of paying for any kind of in game loot boxes. If Pokémon went that route for main games, I just wouldn't bother with buying them.

 

[Poke Trainer J]

Yea that's insane. That said, I'm no fan of paying for any kind of in game loot boxes. If Pokémon went that route for main games, I just wouldn't bother with buying them.

How is that any different from paying a small fee to use Pokémon Bank on the 3DS?

 

[WishIhadaManafi5]

How is that any different from paying a small fee to use Pokémon Bank on the 3DS?

At least with Bank you can choose what you bring over. The in game loot box idea for only a handful of Pokémon, like what @Ulicies suggested, wouldn't be worth my money. I like being able to choose what I want to bring over.

 

[Pokemon Fan]

A related issue/potential problem that distinguishes Pokemon Home from Pokemon Bank would be that if you wanted to you could just spend $5 one time for Pokemon Bank, transfer everything to your next gen games, and then never use or pay for it again, and lose nothing in the process (you could sign back up years later and transfer forward again if you needed to). However, if at some point Pokemon Home becomes the only way to keep your pokemon collection intact in one place and available for future games, then you'd have no choice but to keep on paying for it.

 

[JohnLynch]

Enough with the Pokémon Jail talk. I don't mind it as a joke, but a little bit goes a long way. Cool it.

Disappointing to see staff shutting down criticisms of the new game I've been part of this community for years now because it's one of the better ones out there. This is very disappointing.

 

[WishIhadaManafi5]

Disappointing to see staff shutting down criticisms of the new game I've been part of this community for years now because it's one of the better ones out there. This is very disappointing.

Criticism is fine, but that was one joke that went a little overboard. No harm, no foul. To be honest, I'm no fan of Home either, for what it's worth. It's why I'm keeping most of my Pokémon on my older games and in Bank for now.

I don’t see the harm in calling it Pokèmon Jail. Seems extra and I don’t see how a harmless word annoys you. Just an opinion though so I’ll just leave it there

Anyway, I’m surprised we haven’t had any town names.

I don't either. But multiple times over the span of a few hours is a bit much. I honestly found it funny for a bit, but like any joke... if over used, I can see how it can become a bit annoying. It didn't really annoy me all that much for what it's worth though.

 

[JohnLynch]

If it didn't annoy you that much I presume were allowed to call it Pokemon Jail going forward then?

 

[WishIhadaManafi5]

If it didn't annoy you that much I presume were allowed to call it Pokemon Jail going forward then?

Not for awhile. Cool it means that, for now, let the joke rest. It was stopped due to being used too much. Again, I don't mind criticism, but I think it's time to let that one take a break.

 

[JohnLynch]

Disappointing to see legitimate criticism being shut down under the excuse of "people were getting upset."

Mark this as one person upset by this decision. #PokemonJailCensored

 

[WishIhadaManafi5]

Disappointing to see legitimate criticism being shut down under the excuse of "people were getting upset."

Mark this as one person upset by this decision. #PokemonJailCensored

Go ahead and use it. It's no big deal. It was just a temp thing anyway.

 

[Ulicies]

A related issue/potential problem that distinguishes Pokemon Home from Pokemon Bank would be that if you wanted to you could just spend $5 one time for Pokemon Bank, transfer everything to your next gen games, and then never use or pay for it again, and lose nothing in the process (you could sign back up years later and transfer forward again if you needed to). However, if at some point Pokemon Home becomes the only way to keep your pokemon collection intact in one place and available for future games, then you'd have no choice but to keep on paying for it.

That would be pretty exploitative, and should receive serious pushback if it happened.

Another problem I worry about is how reliant the franchise has become on smart apps/smartphones. It feels like it will take away from Sword and Shield if the main trading hub will be in Home when it releases, assuming this "active role" is just a copy-paste of mainline game features like online trading. I mean I understand the fact that smartphones are pretty standard these days, but it just sort of feels like it takes away from the main games when you cut the pie too many ways.

Disappointing to see legitimate criticism being shut down under the excuse of "people were getting upset."

Mark this as one person upset by this decision. #PokemonJailCensored

A low-effort snipe like calling it Pokemon Jail is fun to say but it is not a legitimate criticism, and honestly, if you keep trying to push this in bad taste, you'll make others dislike the real complaints about this very serious issue. I understand you're upset like the rest of us, but really, please just pick your battles more wisely.

 

[ghostedZorua]

I am not a mod, and I am upset over the name "Pokemon Jail", please don't use it for a while.

 

[BCVM22]

Calling it "Jail" is being obnoxious solely for the sake of it. Criticism is possible without intentionally grating names. Easy litmus test, really.

 

[WishIhadaManafi5]

If you guys don't like the term, ignore it. It's just a term, and it doesn't take too much away from other criticism.