Thoughts on the Upcoming Pokemon Switch Game?

[PrinceOfFacade]

Yeah, that's not even close to what I said.

I never said new Let's Go games weren't likely, and I never said that Black and White 2 had any direct bearing on Let's Go. The point was that sometimes Game Freak experiments, is successful with the experiment, and doesn't follow up on the experiment. Yes, they are two scenarios with different circumstances, but the fundamental point is still the same. Not all experiments, successful or not, become fully realized.

The point you keep missing is the fact that Masuda stated that this was a plan of his. He wants to create multiple series, and Let's GO is the start. That's what was in the interview.

Are truly going to insist that Masuda would abruptly throw away this plan, even after its success? You have to remember that these things are planned years in advance. Let's GO didn't just spring up out of nowhere. Thus, the plan for future titles won't either. It is all well planned.

 

[Bguy7]

Are truly going to insist that Masuda would abruptly throw away this plan, even after its success? You have to remember that these things are planned years in advance. Let's GO didn't just spring up out of nowhere. Thus, the plan for future titles won't either. It is all well planned.

No, I'm not. I just don't feel comfortable assuming that it's a given. Plans can fall through or change. It's simply that there's more factors in play than how well the games the sold, and all of them are factors that we have absolutely no idea about. The games have sold well, opening the possibility, but not ensuring the possibility.

This is admittedly heavy speculation, but I would point out that it seems somewhat obvious that some type of "Z Version" was also planned, but cancelled. While this is an extreme comparison, the fact remains that plans don't always pan out.

 

[Orphalesion]

In all subdivisions of the entertainment industry even projects with high creative support and considerable fan hype/demand sometimes just don't pan out for a variety of reasons.
There's a high possibility for more let's go games, but not a guaranty. Someone earlier in this thread mentioned the factor of GO becoming more obscure...and well, it is already obscure when compared to some years back, so it's likely to become more so as time progresses.. That is a factor (though I'd also say the series could survive without GO)

And another factor...as much as I'm personally not a fan of the yellow thing...what other Pokemon has the widespread popularity and recognition factor (also among non-Pokemon fans) that Pikachu has? Gen 2 might be able to sell Marill, but does anybody really think Plusle and Minum could cut it? Not that Gen 3 doesn't have cute mons that could easily fill the partner Pokemon slot, but none that would rake in causal players and non-Pokemon fans (by which I mean people who haven't played Pokemon since they were kids) like Pikachu can. And if one of the top priorities of Let's Go is to bring in lapsed and new fans and milk nostalgia, then it's gonna run into problems eventually.

 

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

Why would they need to use starters from those regions? Couldn't they just make "Let's Go Pikachu, to Johto!", "Let's Go Eevee, to Johto!", "Let's Go Pikachu, to Hoenn!", "Let's Go Eevee, to Hoenn!" and so on? Heck, they could even make a third version for Kanto if they want to, something like Let's Go Vulpix. Nothing even says the next instalment would already have to be in the next region.

 

[Orphalesion]

Why would they need to use starters from those regions? Couldn't they just make "Let's Go Pikachu, to Johto!", "Let's Go Eevee, to Johto!", "Let's Go Pikachu, to Hoenn!", "Let's Go Eevee, to Hoenn!" and so on?

That's what I'm thinking as well, hence why I can imagine a "Let's Go Pikachu 2" and so on.

 

[MidnightMelody]

Have we ever had a Direct without Pokemon in some way. I'm not talking main series but spin off or VC or whatever. I would actually be down for a Pokemon TCG video game. I think one did come out years ago but it would be cool to have a modern take on it. I'm all for spinoffs today as long as it is not some stupid phone game like we have been getting sadly.

Pokemon Rumble would be amazing like the old Digimon Rumble games

What I didn't really say before was that Let's Go is an entirely new concept for Pokémon, and there's just no way to know how Game Freak moves forward with it. That's the important thing to keep in mind when speculating its future.

I'm guessing how popular GO is will be a deciding factor. I can't see it going past Gen 2 personally since at that point it might as well take over the normal remakes of the series.

I can also see LGPE having been a one time thing just to lure GO people in for gen 8. Either way I'm ok since while I supported LGPE I would not be sad to not seen it move forward.

 

[BCVM22]

I would imagine there have been countless Directs over the years that didn’t incorporate Pokémon in some fashion.

Pokémon is ubiquitous within Nintendo’s stable but they can’t present what doesn’t exist and even Pokémon doesn’t necessarily have something to show 4-5 times a year every year.

 

[Bguy7]

Why would they need to use starters from those regions? Couldn't they just make "Let's Go Pikachu, to Johto!", "Let's Go Eevee, to Johto!", "Let's Go Pikachu, to Hoenn!", "Let's Go Eevee, to Hoenn!" and so on? Heck, they could even make a third version for Kanto if they want to, something like Let's Go Vulpix. Nothing even says the next instalment would already have to be in the next region.

They could, I suppose. All I can comment on that is a personal opinion. I think I would grow tired of having the same starter in every game, especially when it's such a major part of the game.

 

[lemoncatpower]

They could, I suppose. All I can comment on that is a personal opinion. I think I would grow tired of having the same starter in every game, especially when it's such a major part of the game.

Agreed here. They could just make Let’s Go Pokémon Johto and they could let you choose from a few Pokémon at best.

 

[Prof. SALTY]

Agreed here. They could just make Let’s Go Pokémon Johto and they could let you choose from a few Pokémon at best.

That'd be interesting. Have a lineup of cute first form pokemon as starters. Maybe all the babies.

 

[PrinceOfFacade]

I would like to take the time right now to point out something very interesting about Let's GO (I don't think I have yet).

Though it was likely unintentional, Pokémon Let's GO is actually the series first open world game. Or, well, kinda. lol

Perhaps the best feature of the game is its open environment, which is obtained after completing the second gym. Due to the removal of HMs, travelling became far easier, and since the Secret Techniques aren't bound to gyms like HMs once were, you can travel literally anywhere whenever you want. All you need is the require Secret Technique, all of which are easy to obtain. I'm we've all by now seen stories of players taking down harder gyms earlier in the game, such as that one player who defeated Blaine after Misty. The amount of freedom I had in Let's GO was everything I could have possibly wanted. Unlike Sun and Moon, I wasn't walking in a straight line. I was going wherever I wanted, playing missions whenever I wanted. Truly, it was very reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto, which has non-mandatory story missions. Being able to play missions whenever I wanted in Let's GO was also heavily refreshing. Not once did I ever feel I was being forced to do anything. This is what I hope for with Gen 8.

I do know it's likely Game Freak didn't explicitly intend on Let's GO having such grand openness, but I do hope they recognized it, and plan on incorporating such openness into the next game. Since Masuda did state the next core series RPG will be "open world-ish," I'm hoping this is the case. After Let's GO I cannot go back to linear gameplay. Open environment or GTFO!