Pokémon Presents 2024

[Shtinamin_]

burninmylight said:

Shtinamin_ said:

The main reason Game Freak was kicking and screaming to start a new generation was due to Creatures Inc. pushing for the newest anime. But I think with Pokémon Horizons, Creatures Inc will let Game Freak be able to rest a bit longer. 

So do you assume that Legends Z-A will release Nov 2025? I personally think Jan 2025 (like Legends Arceus).

Sorry, when I said they are dragged kicking and screaming into each new generation, I meant console generation, not Pokemon generation. There is a history of GF making big mainline Pokemon games one of, if not the last hurrah of a dying console when a new one is either right around the corner or already on the street and could have used the boost that those games could have given them. And I'm certain there's nothing Nintendo can do about it.

If Nintendo had more control of the IP and Game Freak, do you think it would have let B2W2 come out exclusively for the original DS in 2012 while the 3DS was struggling to find footing, the Wii U wasn't out yet and the Wii was a dead console walking?

In my original post, I forgot to mention that Crystal came out for the GBC back in Dec. 2000 in Japan and July-Nov. 2001 everywhere else, while the GBA came out in March-June 2001. Emerald came out in September 2004 in Japan, May-Oct. 2005 everywhere else, while the DS came out in November 2004 in North America, Dec. 2004-March 2005 everywhere else.

Imagine if Crystal was a GBA launch window game, Emerald was a DS launch window game, B2W2 came out within 3DS' first year, and USUM possibly getting souped up Switch ports or being moved there entirely within its first year.

Yep they do. I think it’s because when Game Freak finish their generation they “immediately” get to work on the next generation. By the time that happens they already have an idea on what console it will be on. The answer is: the one that’s available. Once they’ve made that decision they don’t backtrack because they don’t have the time, resources, nor ability to put it onto the newest console.

Let’s look at each scenario then

Game Freak	Game Developed	Game Released	Total Time	Total Time	Console/Handheld Released	Console/Handhled Started Development	Nintendo
Crystal	Nov 1999	Dec 2000	1 year	3 years	Mar 2001	1996, 1998	GBA
Emerald	Nov 2002	Sept 2004	2 year	2 years	Sept 2004	Mid 2002	DS
Black 2/White 2	Sept 2010	Jun 2012	1.5 year	1.5 years	Feb 2011	Late 2009	3DS
USUM	Nov 2016	Nov 2017	1 year	3.5 years	Mar 2017	Late 2013	Switch
Legends Z-A	2022? (I assume so based on when Legends Arceus was released)	2025	3 years?	4 years	2025 (Rumored)	2021? (During Switch Pro Rumors)	Successor (NX)

Now looking at this we can see a pattern. Game Freak starts to develop a game near the same time as Nintendo starts to develop their console/handheld (with a variable of ±1 year, Switch looks to be an outlier due to WiiU failure). This leads me to think a couple of ideas. 

1. Nintendo doesn't share hardware information with Game Freak until the dev kits roll out (which is around 1 year before the console/handheld is released). If this wasnt the case (Nintendo gives Game Freak "confidential" hardware info) then we should of seen USUM release on Switch, and Black 2/White 2 on the 3DS.
2. Game Freak has already set their mind to release on a console/handheld and won't deviate
3. Both 1 & 2
4. None of the above

Nintendo holds 33% shares in The Pokémon Company, same with Game Freak and Creatures Inc. All three are determining the future of Pokémon. Creatures forces Game Freak to push for new generations whenever a new tv series is releasing or a new card deck line comes (though I think gen 9-10 will be more relaxed). For me it looks like that these game releases on the "older" hardware is Game Freak saying, "Our last generation starter game wasn't what we wanted it to be so here is the "Extended Version" with all the content we wanted the game to originally have. But we couldn't due to time constraints. Please accept our apology by buying our "3rd version"." Then Nintendo sees that those "Extended versions" aren't selling as well as expected and tell Game Freak to stop. Hence why we are seeing DLC for gen 8-9. Otherwise we'd be getting Pokémon Crown (Calyrex), Pokémon Teal (Ogerpon). Game Freak looks like its at the bottom of the totem pole and can't win no matter what it does.

And yes, if all those titles were put onto the successor of their release console, then we could have a totally different situation than we have now. Game Freak would probably be selling 3rd versions instead of DLC, they also could have been seen as a respectable company (instead of embarrassing like with giving poorer quality games over the Switch's life), and longer anime seasons? Who knows.

Also you still didnt answer my question:

So do you assume that Legends Z-A will release Nov 2025?