The annual Pokémon Day Presents showcase takes place this Tuesday, February 27 in celebration of the sequence’ anniversary. That is the place The Pokémon Firm sometimes declares its subsequent huge sport, and presents updates on its varied stay service initiatives. It’s normally an thrilling day, and it most likely nonetheless can be, nevertheless it’s inconceivable to disclaim that a cloud has been hanging over it for the previous few years, after some tough releases and questionable enterprise selections. 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, shouldn’t be 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. However Palworld remains 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 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 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 effectively. Every of these prospects has its professionals and cons for Pokémon’s legacy within the wake of Palworld’s success. A Black and White remake may attraction to nostalgia, but when it seems to be like Good 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’ greatest concepts, however may fall into the identical open-world pitfalls the sequence 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 considered one of these video games might be nice, however there’s a rising pressure between followers and The Pokémon Firm, because it continues to underdeliver—and that pressure 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 currently seems like a proof of idea. Even Scarlet and Violet’s DLC was like Recreation Freak testing the waters for a greater sport. The Swap has been Pokémon’s “unmet potential” period, with every sport introducing new concepts which are usually shortchanged by technical points and a scarcity 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 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 cut back and prioritize polish and high quality over scale, however that will doubtless be thought-about a reversion to most gamers—so I’d be blissful only a Pokémon sport that may run correctly and look good in movement. Positive, that’s a low bar to set, however Pokémon displaying that it’s studying from Scarlet and Violet’s errors would give long-time followers indicators that they’re being heard. It might probably’t really feel like Pokémon remains to be spinning its wheels after a complete console era of technical messes.
Whether or not you want Palworld or not, the sport has change into new ammunition for detractors. It represents the idyllic notion {that a} Pokémon-esque sport may be made whereas avoiding technical hurdles and with out the backing of essentially the most worthwhile franchise on this planet. Whereas the corporate might need to have a good time how far it’s come on the anniversary of Pokémon Crimson and Inexperienced, to some, Pokémon Day is a day to replicate on how far it’s fallen.
Palworld has virtually as many gamers as the previous few 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 growth lengthy earlier than Palworld blew up, however it is going to 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 might be precisely what some followers need, however no matter occurs on Tuesday, we’ll get a glimpse into the following chapter in Pokémon’s trajectory. It’s by no means been extra essential for The Pokémon Firm to ship one thing particular.