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The End of Third versions?

Red and Blue

Well-Known Member
Aside from Zygarde, I'm not sure what other plot points needed to be resolved in Kalos. Feels like a complete region to me
 

Karxrida

Lost in the Waves
However, Game Freak these days have probably decided to move on from the third version games especially as two games earns them more money than one.
Again, just because third versions make less money than paired versions does not mean they lack in profit. Third versions still sold millions of copies.

Aside from Zygarde, I'm not sure what other plot points needed to be resolved in Kalos. Feels like a complete region to me
There's a huge empty space south of the starting town that just screams "to be expanded in Z".
 
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Bolt the Cat

Bringing the Thunder
Yeah, I cannot call Kalos complete by any means, there's so much that's been unresolved that's just begging for another game. There's an entire section of Kalos referenced (Southern Kalos) that we don't really get to explore. There's several plot elements that aren't properly explained or utilized (Xerneas/Yveltal/Zygarde's connection to the Kalos region and its lore, Eternal Flower Floette and the significance of its flower, what the Anistar Sundial really is, the locked doors in the Power Plant, where the train station in Couriway Town goes, Lysandre's fate, Malva's role in Team Flare), and they never really gave it a region specific feature (they mentioned Rhyhorn Racing, but we never actually get to participate). Kalos needs to be fleshed out more than any other region after its first game, I don't care how they end up doing it, but I want to see Kalos again. If they leave it as it is in XY then we can't really trust Game Freak's standards of quality anymore, as this could easily be the new normal and lead to more mediocre generation debut games. I don't care if they phase out third versions after that, but for the love of Arceus just finish what they started in XY.
 

Cutty

Forever now
There must be good reasons of why GF were not releasing Z (if it existed at all). It seems like many fans were screaming for it. It'd rake a lot of profit.
Unless they care about quality more(?). Rethinking about it, it's basically only the story plot that's incomplete in Gen VI, and it's not that important. People will forget about it once S&M are out.
 

RedJirachi

Veteran member
As said, they always came off as a "we need to make you spend even more money on what's essentially the same thing"
 

Alexander18

Dragon Pokemon fan
As said, they always came off as a "we need to make you spend even more money on what's essentially the same thing"

I don't believe third versions are the same thing. I believe they are unique in their own way and are an improvement from the first pair.
 

RedJirachi

Veteran member
I don't believe third versions are the same thing. I believe they are unique in their own way and are an improvement from the first pair.

Same region, almost the same plot, a minor change in Pokemon catchable...yeah, same thing
 

Alexander18

Dragon Pokemon fan
Same region, almost the same plot, a minor change in Pokemon catchable...yeah, same thing

Not to me. Both Platinum and Emerald explores their mascots story unlike their previous games. Third versions have similar things to the first pair because they are the expanded version but they are far from being the same thing or being pointless.
 

Silver Bolt

Undying flames
I don't really care a whole lot either way. If we get a third version, nice, if not, that's fine as well. I'm not losing sleep over losing the third versions, even if I enjoyed them a lot.
 

Samayouru

Rabid Dusclops Fan
I don't really care a whole lot either way. If we get a third version, nice, if not, that's fine as well. I'm not losing sleep over losing the third versions, even if I enjoyed them a lot.

That's basically how I feel about it. While I like third versions of games a lot (in fact my favourite Pokemon game in the whole series is Platinum), it won't affect how I feel about the games if we never get a third version ever again. Granted, I do miss third games, but it's not essential to the series as a whole imo.
 

Creyk

Well-Known Member
If they stop making them they should make the base games richer and a more full experience.
 

malcolm_n

Pokemon Collector
If they stop making them they should make the base games richer and a more full experience.
Agreed. So far, the third versions of each gen have been there to bring in new tech as we transition to another gen. Also, they've usually taken each story a step further. I was surprised to see that we didn't get Z, considering all of the stuff still centered on it, but it looks like they'll make good on at least Zygarde in Sun and Moon.

If they did a third for S/M, what would it be, do you think? Star?
 

yuoke

Treasure huntin'
Agreed. So far, the third versions of each gen have been there to bring in new tech as we transition to another gen. Also, they've usually taken each story a step further. I was surprised to see that we didn't get Z, considering all of the stuff still centered on it, but it looks like they'll make good on at least Zygarde in Sun and Moon.

If they did a third for S/M, what would it be, do you think? Star?

:p The Sun is a star. If they did it would probably be eclipse or something.
 

Emperor Empoleon

Honor of Kalos
The 3rd Edition games and BW Sequels were an opportunity to improve upon the quality of each Region, and include new ideas that couldn't be a part of the originals. There are some things that they won't be able to do out of the gate, because of development time. Off the top of my head, I see these games in the same manner that I do the Final Mix Editions of the Kingdom Hearts series. I remember Tetsuya Nomura speaking at least once about features such as Organization rematches that he wanted to put in the original release of II, but couldn't due to said limitations. This is why I actually liked the follow-up games, because with the base game already built they could focus on making it even better. From Emerald onward they were significantly better than their counterparts in terms of gameplay value and general polish.

I can't imagine a Hoenn Region without the Rayquaza mythology, or Sinnoh without the Distortion World. And seeing the aftermath of our efforts in Unova made the Region feel all the more complete and satisfying to me. Then of course there's things like the Battle Frontier, PWT, Join Avenue, Medal Rally, and a myriad of other fun features that breath life into otherwise short lived installments. Or the PokeDex expansions that gave them greater variety of species to choose from. It's not necessarily a cynical cash grab. Those games don't even sell as well as their counterparts, and they never have. I like to think that the creators more so wanted to make a better game.

So I would miss the 3rd Edition games and sequels. Because it may very mean that future Regions won't be as polished or as rich as games like Emerald, Platinum, or BW2. Kalos is a fine example of that in my opinion. Shallow content and poor story-telling were among the criticisms of the Region, and a sequel might have changed that. Of course there is also DLC as an option to expand instead, but they've spoken against that.
 
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Gamefreak is in a weird place right now. I couldn't exactly say if that's a good thing or not, but even without the release of Pokemon Z, Gen 6 still managed to capture the hearts of many.

That being said, I do hope that they release a third version this next gen.
 

Pokemon Power

Well-Known Member
I predict that there will be a Delta Episode-style post story featuring Zygarde in Sun and Moon. Then the next games released will be Sun and Moon 2. Then following the Generation VIII main pair's release, Diamond and Pearl remakes.
 
It doesn't seem like third games of a generation are the "trend" any more, I doubt there'll be a third version to Sun and Moon.
I personally don't really mind, Black and White 2 were a bit of surprise, but I'm glad they decided to continue the storyline, rather than just revamping and sprucing up the original game.
 

gliscor&yanmega

Well-Known Member
So now that Gen 7 started without a Pokémon Z or another B2/W2 situation does this mean GF won`t do third versions anymore as of Gen 7 or is this just a onetime thing?

Well, since Gen 5 they have been making it a point to do unexpected things. Getting a sequel and no remake in Gen 5, getting no third installment in Gen 6. They may try something else in Gen 7 to continue shaking things up.
 
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