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Tsunekazu Ishihara talks Pokémon on Switch (ToyoKeizai Online Interview)

JoeM86

Member
Found this in my daily Internet browse

http://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/158522?page=3

――ポケモンはスイッチとどう関わっていく?

これまで、ポケモンは完全な携帯ゲーム機向けとして開発してきた。家でのプレーからつなぎ目なく、外で友達とポケモンの交換やバトルをして遊べるのが携帯ゲームのよいところだ。一方、スイッチは「外に持ち出せる家庭用ゲーム機」ということで、携帯機とは少し性質が違う。画面が少し大きくて、スペックも高い。

そのため、ポケモンをスイッチへ出すとしたら、これまで通りのやり方ではいけない。私たちはポケモン本編以外にも、格闘ゲームの『ポッ拳』やダンジョンRPGの『不思議のダンジョン』などの派生タイトルを作っている。それらの中で、スイッチに適合しやすいものから順番に対応していこうと考えている。申し訳ないが、今の時点では「今度これが出ます」と言えない状況だ。

First he mentions at how Pokémon has traditionally been on a portable device for battle & trade with friends outside rather than on a home console but notes how Switch is a home machine that can be taken out, which makes it slightly different to a portable machine with bigger size and stronger technical specifications.

He went on to say that if Pokémon is to come to the Switch, they have to change how they make Pokémon due to the nature of the Switch. Due to this, the main games won't be the same as before. In addition to this, as the Pokémon Company is also in charge of spin-offs such as Pokkén Tournament and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, they would be suitable to the Switch as well, but at the time they cannot confirm any particular title for the Nintendo Switch

Feel free to correct my translation. I've had a couple of people look at it so should be the basic jist of it.

Edit: Direct translation from StreetsAhead
Q: How will Pokemon be handled on the Switch?

Until now we've developed Pokemon exclusively for portable games consoles. With no connection to home-play, a pro for portable consoles has been trading and battling with friends on the go. The Switch, however, being a portable home console, has some different qualities compared to portables. The screen is bigger, the specs are higher.

Because of that, if we are to release Pokemon on the Switch, we cannot go about software the way we have been so far. Apart from mainline Pokemon games, we also develop spin-off titles like Pokken Tournament, a fighting game, and Mystery Dungeon, a dungeon crawler. From among those titles, I am thinking it is a good idea to support, in turn, the ones that make sense for the hardware. My apologies but at this time, however, I am not in a position to announce anything specific.

Interesting stuff for sure
 

Coffinhal

Member
So what about Pokémon Stars? False rumour? They'd change the formula? Are they going to continue on the 3DS for the time being?
 
He went on to say that if Pokémon is to come to the Switch, they have to change how they make Pokémon. Due to this, the main games won't be the same as before. In addition to this, as the Pokémon Company is also in charge of spin-offs such as Pokkén Tournament and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, they would be suitable to the Switch as well, but at the time they cannot confirm any particular title for the Nintendo Switch

Because now they're in HD!
 

Zalman

Member
I think he named the main series, Pokkén and Mystery Dungeon for a reason. I expect all those to come to Switch.
 

hoserx

Member
It means "fuck we have to make an engine that is capable of looking and running well now." I can't wait!
 

Zalman

Member
An idea I've had for some time regarding main series on Switch: I'd love if they included a multiplayer mode similar to Pokémon Stadium. Two players each take a Joy-Con, choose their own team (either from the player's own boxes or rental) and battle on the same screen. I think that could be cool.
 
I wonder how they'll change the main series due to the "nature of the Switch" when it's just a tablet (i.e a portable console) you can connect on your TV via a dock with an HDMI port.
 

jon bones

hot hot hanuman-on-man action
Lemme get dat MMO. Local handheld versus battles or something for when people are on the move, and a big ass MMO for when you have WiFi.

People are going to flip their shit if the next Pokemon game is just on the 3DS again.

As they should, it would be a waste of the series potential that has been lying their for a decade.
 

JoeM86

Member
We all know what needs to be on the Switch

hETzWfZ.gif


It was one of the best looking 3DS games, and it ended with To Be Continued. Give me part 2 :(

How is this mid generation? It's not like XY got a 3rd release, or even a sequel like B2/W2. This gen could easily be over with just SM

You do know Gen 6 had Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, right?

It's very unlikely this generation would be over in a year with just Sun & Moon. That just makes no sense and doesn't make sense with all the marketing, other avenues (anime, TCG, movies etc. and everything we have going on.
 

Aleh

Member
I wouldn't want the first mainline title on Switch to be just a third version of SM, that would definitely not make full use of the new hardware capabilities. I'm not sure how they're gonna handle this, but I'd prefer the first game on it to be Gen 8, then followed by DPP remakes
 

PSFan

Member
Personally I expect Stars this/next year on the Switch followed by the Diamond/Pearl remakes on 3DS (maybe ported to Switch like Stars?) and then hopefully Generation 8 will be full Switch.

3DS already had its remakes (ORAS). If there's a Diamond/Pearl remake, it will be Switch or the next handheld if there is one.
 

Cartho

Member
If they don't get proper mainline pokemon games on Switch it would be the single most stupid thing imaginable. All of this "it was designed to be played on a handheld for trading and battling" is 100% crap. I expect most people trade and battle with the internet now anyway, which can be done from your home.

Pokemon Stars, upscaled to higher resolutions on Switch would sell gangbusters.
 

Iadien

Guarantee I'm going to screw up this post? Yeah.
I don't understand why Nintendo wouldn't already be on this. A mainline Pokemon game would sell so many Switch units.
 
Someone talk me back in to believing Stars is real because this makes it sound like they've only just started thinking about Pokémon on switch
 

JoeM86

Member
If they don't get proper mainline pokemon games on Switch it would be the single most stupid thing imaginable. All of this "it was designed to be played on a handheld for trading and battling" is 100% crap. I expect most people trade and battle with the internet now anyway, which can be done from your home. .

It isn't 100% crap at all. Just because you don't do it doesn't mean it's not a major thing.

Besides, Switch allows for that now anyway so I don't understand your point.
 

Aleh

Member
All of this "it was designed to be played on a handheld for trading and battling" is 100% crap.

Good thing the Switch IS a handheld... it's still baffling they see it differently from a 3DS just because you can dock it
 

salromano

Member
Did a quick translation in case anyone wants a quote.

"So far, we've developed Pokemon for completely portable game systems. A good thing about portable games is that you can go seamlessly from playing at home to playing outside to trade and battle with your friends. On the other hand, since Switch is 'a home console that you can take outside,' it is a little bit different from a portable system. The screen is a little bit bigger and the specs are also high.

"Because of that, if we happen to release Pokemon on Switch, we won't do it the way we've done it so far. Other than the main Pokemon games, we're making derivative titles like the fighting game Pokken and the dungeon RPG Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. Among them, we plan to support Switch in turn from those that are easily compatible. I apologize, but at this point I can't say 'this time we'll be releasing this.'"
 
Did a quick translation in case anyone wants a quote.
A good thing about portable games is that you can go seamlessly from playing at home to playing outside to trade and battle with your friends.

Wasn't this one of the main points of the Switch? GameFreak bullshitting again.

Heck, the Superbowl commercial is basically that with Zelda, seamless change between handheld and home console.
 

jonno394

Member
Did a quick translation in case anyone wants a quote.

"Because of that we're gonna keep pushing crap spin off games to switch and keep mainline on 3DS and wait for Nintendo to make a new dedicated handheld which is weaker than The Switch so that we don't have to do as much work to get a "next gen" title running or force Nintendo to allow us to make a pokemon game that is only playable in handheld mode"
 

Pagusas

Elden Member
F*****, is he setting up for disappointment with the next Pokemon game being a 3DS exclusive? Sure sounds like it. I could see it being the 3DS's swan song and the switch only getting shitty side games.
 
Fuck. I was thinking something was already being worked on. Guy is talking like they're still figuring it out. Wack as hell.

I hate Nintendo-related interviews. Always disappointed.

If they don't get proper mainline pokemon games on Switch it would be the single most stupid thing imaginable. All of this "it was designed to be played on a handheld for trading and battling" is 100% crap. I expect most people trade and battle with the internet now anyway, which can be done from your home.

Pokemon Stars, upscaled to higher resolutions on Switch would sell gangbusters.

Agreed. That's a crock of shit. No reason why you can't do it at home or on the go with the switch.
 
Even if Stars isn't real, I'd be delighted with a Mystery Dungeon game on the Switch sooner rather than later. I sunk tonnes of time into Super Mystery Dungeon last year.
 
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