The annual Pokémon Day Presents showcase takes place this Tuesday, February 27 in celebration of the sequence’ anniversary. This is the place The Pokémon Company sometimes broadcasts its subsequent large sport, and gives updates on its varied stay service initiatives. It’s normally an thrilling day, and it most likely nonetheless will likely be, however it’s unimaginable to disclaim that a cloud has been hanging over it for the previous few years, after some tough releases and questionable enterprise choices. Now, with the closely Pokémon-inspired Palworld amassing 25 million gamers in just some quick weeks, there’s a brand new expectation for the king of the monster-tamer franchises.
To be clear, Palworld, regardless of its success, is just not a risk to the cultural cache Pokémon has accrued over 27 years. Even with Pocketpair’s survival sport copying a number of Pokémon designs for its personal monsters, the 2 are very completely different video video games. Palworld isn’t a aggressive RPG with a longtime neighborhood. It isn’t the merchandising phenomenon that may immediate scalpers to principally raid a museum to get a uncommon buying and selling card. But Palworld continues to be a monster-taming sport that doesn’t run at sub-30 frames per second and bugging out on the common like Scarlet and Violet. So some followers who’re fed up with developer Game Freak underdelivering as Pokémon makes the transition to an open-world RPG view it as an arbiter for Pokémon’s eventual downfall.
What can we count on on the Pokémon Presents?
Rumors of a chibi-style Pokémon Black and White remake are circulating, however there are additionally hopes for a brand new open-world Legends sport or a Johto-based Let’s Go entry, as properly. Each of these prospects has its execs and cons for Pokémon’s legacy within the wake of Palworld’s success. A Black and White remake might enchantment to nostalgia, but when it appears to be like like Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, it could be evocative of what’s broadly thought-about one of many worst video games within the sequence. A Legends sport would double down on a few of the sequence’ finest concepts, however might fall into the identical open-world pitfalls the sequence has struggled with on the Switch. New Let’s Go video games may reduce and permit a extra polished expertise, however these video games are divisive, as they catered extra towards the extra informal Pokémon Go neighborhood and shunned these searching for a extra “hardcore” expertise. Any one in every of these video games might be nice, however there’s a rising rigidity between followers and The Pokémon Company, because it continues to underdeliver—and that rigidity has solely been exacerbated by Palworld.
I’ve my very own grievances with the Pokémon video games, primarily as a result of all the pieces launched recently looks like a proof of idea. Even Scarlet and Violet’s DLC was like Game Freak testing the waters for a greater sport. The Switch has been Pokémon’s “unmet potential” period, with every sport introducing new concepts which can be usually shortchanged by technical points and an absence of polish.No matter what The Pokémon Company exhibits subsequent week, I can already see the tweets of side-by-side comparisons to Palworld, showcasing a sport that appears higher.
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The Pokémon neighborhood is constantly divided on what they need subsequent, so it’s unlikely that regardless of the firm exhibits on February 27 will fulfill everybody. The open-world averse participant in me would like to see them reduce and prioritize polish and high quality over scale, however that might doubtless be thought-about a reversion to most gamers—so I’d be completely satisfied only a Pokémon sport that may run correctly and look good in movement. Sure, that’s a low bar to set, however Pokémon exhibiting that it’s studying from Scarlet and Violet’s errors would give long-time followers indicators that they’re being heard. It can’t really feel like Pokémon continues to be spinning its wheels after a complete console era of technical messes.
Whether you want Palworld or not, the sport has grow to be new ammunition for detractors. It represents the idyllic notion {that a} Pokémon-esque sport might be made whereas avoiding technical hurdles and with out the backing of essentially the most worthwhile franchise on this planet. While the corporate might wish to have fun how far it’s come on the anniversary of Pokémon Red and Green, to some, Pokémon Day is a day to replicate on how far it’s fallen.
Palworld has virtually as many gamers as the previous couple of Pokémon video games have bought on Switch, and whereas it isn’t making as a lot cash as a franchise, these numbers aren’t meaningless. Some are taking part in Palworld as a result of it’s on programs they personal, however others are searching for something that may seize the magic the best way Pokémon as soon as did. Whatever The Pokémon Company has within the pipeline was in improvement lengthy earlier than Palworld blew up, however it’ll nonetheless be judged because the Pokémon sport that comes straight after the success of a brand new, main competitor. The subsequent sport might underwhelm, or it could be precisely what some followers need, however no matter occurs on Tuesday, we’ll get a glimpse into the subsequent chapter in Pokémon’s trajectory. It’s by no means been extra essential for The Pokémon Company to ship one thing particular.
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