The annual Pokémon Day Presents showcase takes place this Tuesday, February 27 in celebration of the collection’ anniversary. That is the place The Pokémon Firm sometimes publicizes its subsequent massive recreation, and gives updates on its numerous dwell service initiatives. It’s often an thrilling day, and it in all probability nonetheless might be, nevertheless it’s unattainable 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 brief weeks, there’s a brand new expectation for the king of the monster-tamer franchises.
To be clear, Palworld, regardless of its success, will not be a risk to the cultural cache Pokémon has amassed over 28 years. Even with Pocketpair’s survival recreation copying a number of Pokémon designs for its personal monsters, the 2 are very totally 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. However Palworld remains to be a monster-taming recreation 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 Recreation Freak underdelivering as Pokémon makes the transition to an open-world RPG view it as an arbiter for Pokémon’s eventual downfall.
What will we anticipate 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 recreation or a Johto-based Let’s Go entry, as nicely. Every of these potentialities has its execs and cons for Pokémon’s legacy within the wake of Palworld’s success. A Black and White remake might attraction to nostalgia, but when it appears to be like like Sensible Diamond and Shining Pearl, it will be evocative of what’s extensively thought-about one of many worst video games within the collection. A Legends recreation would double down on a number of the collection’ finest concepts, however might fall into the identical open-world pitfalls the collection has struggled with on the Swap. New Let’s Go video games would possibly cut back 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 Firm, 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 every little thing launched these days appears like a proof of idea. Even Scarlet and Violet’s DLC was like Recreation Freak testing the waters for a greater recreation. The Swap has been Pokémon’s “unmet potential” period, with every recreation introducing new concepts which are usually shortchanged by technical points and an absence of polish.It doesn’t matter what The Pokémon Firm exhibits subsequent week, I can already see the tweets of side-by-side comparisons to Palworld, showcasing a recreation that appears higher.
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The Pokémon neighborhood is persistently 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 cut back and prioritize polish and high quality over scale, however that may seemingly be thought-about a reversion to most gamers—so I’d be joyful only a Pokémon recreation that may run correctly and look good in movement. Positive, 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 might’t really feel like Pokémon remains to be spinning its wheels after a whole console era of technical messes.
Whether or not you want Palworld or not, the sport has develop into new ammunition for detractors. It represents the idyllic notion {that a} Pokémon-esque recreation could be made whereas avoiding technical hurdles and with out the backing of essentially the most worthwhile franchise on the earth. Whereas the corporate could wish to rejoice how far it’s come on the anniversary of Pokémon Pink and Inexperienced, to some, Pokémon Day is a day to mirror on how far it’s fallen.
Palworld has virtually as many gamers as the previous couple of Pokémon video games have bought on Swap, and whereas it isn’t making as a lot cash as a franchise, these numbers aren’t meaningless. Some are enjoying Palworld as a result of it’s on techniques they personal, however others are searching for something that may seize the magic the way in which Pokémon as soon as did. No matter The Pokémon Firm has within the pipeline was in improvement lengthy earlier than Palworld blew up, however it would nonetheless be judged because the Pokémon recreation that comes immediately after the success of a brand new, main competitor. The following recreation could 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 Firm to ship one thing particular.
