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Termination of Generation IV and Generation V Wi-Fi Services on May 20th: Discussion

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Earendil

Well-Known Member
Many of you have likely seen today's unfortunate news about the upcoming termination of all Wi-Fi services for every Pokemon game falling outside of Generation VI. My question is, how do the members of this forum feel about this announcement?

Personally, I feel it has echoes of the closure of the Dream World; I would have loved to have received news of a similarly phased shutting-down period. Wi-Fi is such a large part of the Pokemon games now that I feel like the inability to use it will make the older games feel "empty" (for those older fans who still play them, or those newer players who discover them upon entering the franchise).

Across Generations IV and V, there are entire areas (such as Join Avenue) where full access is essentially contingent upon continued access to wireless. Granted, things like Wi-Fi battling do have viable/ enjoyable in-game alternatives (such as the Battle Tower/ Frontier). However, at least one core facet of the games will be utterly crippled. Due to the spreading-out of catchable Pokemon across many different titles, the pending unavailability of the GTS in Generations IV and V will likely make it impossible for the average player to ever complete the Pokedex in the older games. For those who want--or will want--to "Catch 'Em All," one could argue that this announcement is akin to an ultimatum.


EDIT (3/3/14):

In light of certain players' inherent enjoyment of special in-game events, I have compiled a master list of event Pokemon needed to unlock such features, subdivided by generation and game. If you would like to partake of these events, but do not already possess the necessary Pokemon, you will need to trade for them before May 20th in order to ensure access to these components. It may be risky hinging everything upon local wireless trading, so I would not recommend that route myself. Please note that the following is only applicable to the Generation IV and Generation V titles (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, and SoulSilver; Black, White, Black 2, White 2). Other fateful encounter Pokemon of the same species may work as well, but I am unable to test this myself. If you see I have missed anything, please feel free to let me know.

Generation IV:

Platinum:

- Toys 'R' Us or Pokemon Movie 08 Regigigas (I have personally tested both): Unlocks the Regi trio and fully unlocks their respective in-game locations.
Link: http://www.serebii.net/platinum/regigigas.shtml

- Toys 'R' Us Arceus: Unlocks an essentially inconsequential, text-based storyline event (you will also be given an extra Flame Plate).
Link: http://www.serebii.net/platinum/arceus.shtml

-The Member's Card (Darkrai), Oak's Letter (Shaymin), and Secret Key (Rotom forms) events are long passed and completely inaccessible through normal gameplay.

HeartGold/ SoulSilver:

Main link: http://www.serebii.net/heartgoldsoulsilver/events.shtml.

- Toys 'R' Us Arceus: Unlocks the Ruins of Alph event, where you will be given your choice of a Lv. 1 Dialga, Palkia, or Giratina.
- Pikachu-Colored Pichu (GAMESTP Pichu): Unlocks the Spiky-Eared Pichu and its respective event; as this particular Pokemon is un-tradable, this is the only was to obtain this Pokemon in your game.
- GameStop Celebi: Unlocks a time-traveling storyline event where you can visit Giovanni in exile and have a battle with him.
- Any Jirachi: Unlocks the Night Sky's Edge Pokewalker course (only applicable to those of you who plan to use the device).
- HeartGold/ SoulSilver ONLY Groudon and Kyogre: Unlocks Rayquaza within the Embedded Tower. Please note that in order to get Rayquaza to appear, one must have the Jade Orb in-hand; this can only be obtained via the acquisition of a HeartGold Kyogre and a SoulSilver Kyogre and the exhibition of these specific Pokemon to Professor Oak. A pairing of a Generation III Groudon/ Kyogre and a Generation IV Groudon/ Kyogre will not work. More information can be found here: http://www.serebii.net/heartgoldsoulsilver/legends.shtml. (Credit to Excitable Boy for bringing this up)

- The Enigma Stone (Latios/ Latias) event in Pewter City is long passed and completely inaccessible through normal gameplay.

Generation V:

Black/ White:

Main link: http://www.serebii.net/blackwhite/ingameevent.shtml.

- GameStop Celebi: Unlocks a small Zorua event in Castelia City.
- GameStop Raikou, Entei, or Suicune: Unlocks the Zoroark event in Lostlorn Forest.
- Keldeo: Only needed if you wish to see the Secret Sword event.
- Meloetta: Only needed if you wish to see the Relic Song event.
- Genesect: Enables you to obtain one of two different sets of Drives from the P2 Laboratory. (Douse and Chill in White; Shock and Burn in Black).
- Tornadus and Thundurus: If you bring both of the aforementioned Pokemon to the Abundant Shrine, Landorus will appear and challenge you to a battle. Depending on your game version, you will need to trade for one of the two. More information can be found here: http://www.serebii.net/blackwhite/legendary.shtml. (Credit to Excitable Boy for bringing this up)

Black 2/ White 2:

Main link: http://www.serebii.net/black2white2/ingameevent.shtml.

- Victini: Unlocks a small Liberty Garden event.
- Dream Radar Landorus (necessarily caught by you, so this can be done anytime): Receive the Reflecting Mirror at the Abundant Shrine.
- Keldeo: Only needed if you wish to see the Secret Sword event.
- Meloetta: Only needed if you wish to see the Relic Song event
- Genesect: Enables you to obtain one of two different sets of Drives from the P2 Laboratory. (Douse and Chill in White 2; Shock and Burn in Black 2).
 
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IggyKoopaStar

Active Member
Well I personally find this to be hard news for people which prefers to play the older generations, I know I do like to play these once in a while, so it's obviously hard to think that it will be restricted to only Pokemon X and Y. I am one of those people which enjoy Pokemon X & Y online features more though but I know the other online features from the older games will definitely be missed.
 

Archaewok1

Active Member
I'm assuming this means that the GTS system is shutting down?

And really, it's just about the money. If Nintendo can force people to buy X and Y, along with a 2DS or 3DS, then they know they are making money. Apple did something similar by making an operating system update that purposely used more computing power so that the older phones couldn't handle it as well. Or perhaps they think they are simply losing too much money running the servers for these kind of things. But really, how many servers does it take? Is it really that much electricity?
 
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ebevan91

Well-Known Member
Dang, so even evolving a Pokemon by trading will be impossible unless you have 2 DS systems.
 

IggyKoopaStar

Active Member
I'm assuming this means that the GTS system is shutting down?
Actually it's absolutely everything from the Wii and DS online services, and since Generation 4 and 5 are from the DS era, well, they are all included in this. So everyone which still play on the DS won't be able to do anything anymore related to online play by that date...
 

Archaewok1

Active Member
I've heard that you can change your DS settings so that you connect online to different websites. Wouldn't it be possible for someone to set up their own GTS type website/server if they wanted to, as long as people changed their DS settings to go to it?
 

Mr.FusRoDah

Well-Known Member
It is unfortunate, now that Pokewalker Route "Beyond the Sea" will be impossible to access. Trade in HG/SS while you still can in order to get this one. Seriously, the Octillery all hold a Focus Sash and all it takes to access this route is to trade internationally with someone. So what we should do is start a Pidgey chain across the web for HG/SS to get the route.
 

zombiepokemon1

New Member
I've heard that you can change your DS settings so that you connect online to different websites. Wouldn't it be possible for someone to set up their own GTS type website/server if they wanted to, as long as people changed their DS settings to go to it?

It uses Nintendo's own Wifi Server as a base.
 

Earendil

Well-Known Member
It is unfortunate, now that Pokewalker Route "Beyond the Sea" will be impossible to access. Trade in HG/SS while you still can in order to get this one. Seriously, the Octillery all hold a Focus Sash and all it takes to access this route is to trade internationally with someone. So what we should do is start a Pidgey chain across the web for HG/SS to get the route.

That's a great idea, and such an action would be especially helpful to those who find the Pokewalker useful. For those who missed the GameStop event back in 2010, access to Night Sky's Edge would also revolve around trading for a Jirachi before May 20th (I think it was later discovered that you could use any Jirachi to open up access to it, but this would not help individuals without local access to this or other event Pokemon). Something else that would be affected are in-game events unlockable by event and other Pokemon one now needs to trade for (such as Regigigas in Platinum, Arceus in HeartGold, etc.).
 
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Mr.FusRoDah

Well-Known Member
That's a great idea, and such an action would be especially helpful to those who find the Pokewalker useful. For those who missed the GameStop event, access to Night Sky's Edge would also revolve around trading for a Jirachi before May 20th too.

Very true about the Jirachi thing, sure the Pokemon found on that route may not have been too rare, but the items found on it were well worth the effort. I found the Poke-Walker exhilarating (I'm a mountain hiker irl, so getting 10,000 watts was never a problem, 250,000 would be pushing it though) and I have a few of the Pokémon I got from the Pokewalker in my X and Y right now because of my fond memories with getting them. It's a shame they're doing away with all online services, since some of us like to play Gen IV and V still. (I do it for legend-mining for stuff people want in Gen VI).
 

Team Volt Grunt

Pokémon Collector
Pokemon-wise, this doesn't affect me too much. I never really used any of the wifi services in gen 4 or gen 5. Gen 6 is when I really started. I'm just relieved that I traded for event Darkrai and Shaymin when I did.
 

Earendil

Well-Known Member
Very true about the Jirachi thing, sure the Pokemon found on that route may not have been too rare, but the items found on it were well worth the effort. I found the Poke-Walker exhilarating (I'm a mountain hiker irl, so getting 10,000 watts was never a problem, 250,000 would be pushing it though) and I have a few of the Pokémon I got from the Pokewalker in my X and Y right now because of my fond memories with getting them. It's a shame they're doing away with all online services, since some of us like to play Gen IV and V still. (I do it for legend-mining for stuff people want in Gen VI).

I completely agree with you in that respect; I always played with it for the express purpose of acquiring items too. The later (in terms of watts needed, that is) courses especially have many things that are quite useful; my two favorites were always Yellow Forest and Winner's Path. Granted, you can't transfer items between Generations IV and V or V and VI, but things like evolutionary stones are easier enough to acquire in the older games--provided you utilize "methods" like the Pokewalker--that it's a fairly simple procedure to evolve Pokemon in an older title and trade or transfer them forward. I never realized this until later on, but there are a number of Pokemon available in the Pokewalker with moves that are either exclusive, learned much earlier than normal, or would otherwise be obtainable only via a move tutor. That reminds me: things that involve some degree of cross-generation trading--such as agreed-upon move-tutoring, or transferring assistance--will newly be impossible to partake in too.

With regard to your last point, that would definitely be another thing that would be affected, especially for those who only have one DS system. For example, you wouldn't be able to send someone a Pokemon in an older generation in exchange for one in a newer game (which I've actually done from time to time). Broadly speaking, across the currently extant generations the Pokemon games are connected to such an extent that I feel this action is equivalent to the breaking of a continuum.
 
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I honestly feel crushed. I usually get bored of playing games that just came out, and go back to old ones, starting them over, eventually returning to the new ones like X and Y.
Knowing that I can no longer do that in things like Mystery Dungeon really hurts... It does.
I understand cutting off anything Generation Four and under... But Gen. 5? Like, with Dream World, when to really get the most of the game you HAVE to use online connections? It's outrageous.
Anyone feel me...?
 

Mr.FusRoDah

Well-Known Member
If my Pokewalker's batteries weren't dead and I wasn't broke, I would be gathering Bullet Punch Machops right now for breeding purposes. I must say whatever parts of Johto, Kanto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and other unmentioned places these routes take place must have some very unusual yet beneficial effect on the gene pool of some of those Pokémon. Ice Punch Psyduck, Surfing and Flying Pikachus, and the inhabitants of the Winner's Path are prime examples of the benefits I speak of. It seems like you and I are both fans of the exclusives the Pokewalker presents. It's a shame they didn't release the other route map events here in the US. That would have been awesome.
 
If my Pokewalker's batteries weren't dead and I wasn't broke, I would be gathering Bullet Punch Machops right now for breeding purposes. I must say whatever parts of Johto, Kanto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and other unmentioned places these routes take place must have some very unusual yet beneficial effect on the gene pool of some of those Pokémon. Ice Punch Psyduck, Surfing and Flying Pikachus, and the inhabitants of the Winner's Path are prime examples of the benefits I speak of. It seems like you and I are both fans of the exclusives the Pokewalker presents. It's a shame they didn't release the other route map events here in the US. That would have been awesome.
That's actually a good point.
Those maps, were really nice, and it sucks people like us didn't get access to them. I could've used a handful of pokemon from it.
 

Mr.FusRoDah

Well-Known Member
I liked what those maps had to offer: Croagunk, Sableye (being event maps, it's safe to assume you didn't actually have to beat the game to play with these Pokémon), Torchic (Yep, there was a map released in South Korea and Japan where there was a 1% rate of catching a Torchic), and a bounty of valuable items. The fact they never released them here made me sad.
 

Mr.FusRoDah

Well-Known Member
So I have 2 3ds's will i still be able to trade between HG and SS or to HG to black 2?

Yeah, you should be able to. I think this is just for the global link and the battle, trade, and other services Nintendo hosts on their server.
 
Yeah, you should be able to. I think this is just for the global link and the battle, trade, and other services Nintendo hosts on their server.

Basicly everything that makes the game worth playing. We use Pokemon to show them off, to prove that all out hours playing payed off.
If we want a challenge other than the regular AI, it seems all our favorite Pokemon will have to be shipped to Gen. 6...
 

Blaze The Movie Fan

Reviewer and PokéFan
Come on, I wanna be able to still play with my Pokémon Black version online. This is horrible.
 
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