Despite easily being some of the most anticipated Switch games since the console launch, Pokemon Sword and Shield have attracted their fair share of backlash. This is primarily due to producer Junichi Masuda announcing that Pokemon from previous games could only be transferred to Pokemon Sword and Shield if they existed in that region. For National Dex fans who want to catch ’em all, this was a pretty big blow.
With the games scheduled to release next month, VG247 spoke to Masuda recently about the same. It asked if the response from fans provided any pause for thought and whether this was the only way forward in the future. Masuda responded, “It’s not necessarily that it’s made us rethink things per se, but what we are always looking at for the future is what we can do to make the most interesting game possible and make a more enjoyable, richer experience for the fans.
“For example, when we add new moves and abilities we create a deeper experience for everyone to enjoy. This time around we can also give people a greater attachment to the Pokemon that are in the game, which is something we think is very important. So we definitely – we don’t have regrets about what we’ve done.
“In terms of having Pokemon that you had in previous games, we do have Pokemon Home that’s coming out – and that’s another place where everyone can gather all their Pokemon from previous games and enjoy a different way of playing with them there.”
It may not be the response that fans are looking for but that’s the current direction. Masuda did mention that Pokemon that couldn’t make it to Pokemon Sword and Shield would appear in “different regions in future games.” Again though, we’ll have to wait and see how that approach plays out in the long-term.
Pokemon Sword and Shield will release on November 15th for Nintendo Switch. Stay tuned for more details on the titles in the coming weeks.