No one can deny that Pokemon GO is a resounding success. It’s currently the fastest grossing game ever, beating out Clash Royale despite only being available in three countries so far. The game is estimated to have reeled in over a million dollars in revenue daily, and it has enraptured people across the globe. Pokemon GO is, after all, a glimpse of the Pokemon adventure we as gamers have clamored for years to see. But what does this success mean for Pokemon Sun and Moon?
Honestly, I doubt that Pokemon GO will have a major effect on Sun and Moon. The games will be out four months from now, so the final products are already reaching their final stages. Game Freak would most likely avoid overhauling their latest works in order to keep to the deadline. That being said, the Pokemon games after Sun and Moon would be impacted the most by Pokemon GO. Here are some of the ways that the Pokemon franchise could change due to Pokemon GO. Keep in mind that these are all my personal opinions. I’m a journalist, not a fortune-teller.
Best Case Scenarios
Social Media Integration
After ten hours of chain fishing, you’ve finally encountered a shiny Feebas! Congratulations! Before you catch it, though, you make sure to take a screenshot. Since the 8th Gen Pokemon games allow users to connect their Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and Google+ accounts, you can share your excitement with the world with ease! After training your new catch, you can livestream your shiny Milotic’s final battle against the Champion on Twitch.tv!
Real World Battles
Since people loved Pokemon GO’s gyms, 8th Gen Pokemon battles also feature special locations to do battle with elite trainers in your area. Being a full-fledged Pokemon game, you get to pick and train your team to suit your needs as you take on the Gym leaders at your local museum, park, or university! It also helps that the NEW “new” 3DS can come with 4G/LTE cellular data packages to stay connected on the go. That way, you can keep on battling and training without having to hunt for a hotspot.
Could-Be-Worse Scenarios
Increased Emphasis on Online Play at the Cost of Offline Play
While it is fun to play 8th Gen Pokemon in the city, things get a little less exciting in rural areas and for solo gamers. Since development went overboard on all of the new Internet-friendly features, your friend has noticed that the game’s story seems off. Characters are introduced but quickly forgotten, the “Team Bad Guy” is more of a Team Rocket clone than Team Plasma was in Black/White 2, and the Elite Four was kind of a pushover. It was almost as if the developers wanted to rush people through the game so they could play online without any limits.
Still No Console Version
Remember when people speculated that Game Freak was going to make a follow-up to Sun and Moon for the Nintendo NX? It was supposedly going to be open-world and feature every Pokemon ever released! Yeah, it would have been great, but Pokemon GO pretty much cemented the idea that Pokemon has to be something easy to carry around and take from place to place. After all, you can’t take your NX with you everywhere like you can your phone!
Worst Case Scenarios
Microtransactions
Nintendo used to be pretty relaxed on microtransactions. Pokemon Rumble World, for example, would give you a spending limit in case you got a bit impatient. Nowadays, it seems like every game they release has some sort of cash grab function built in. And Pokemon is the worst, charging you for extra features, DLC, and premium currency. I’d try going online, but every battle I get is with some punk who shelled out for stat-boosters and shiny Pokemon.
Rise in Pokemon-Related Accidents
Things used to be simple. I would turn on my Game Boy Advance, skip through Pokemon LeafGreen’s opening cutscene, and figure out how to read Braille on that one door in the Sevii Islands. Once Pokemon GO came out, people started spending more time running around and finding the nearest Gym. Then the accidents started happening. Customers kept going into stores only to catch Clefairy. Drivers who attempted to balance their NEW “new” 3DS devices became the leading cause of automobile crashes. The Google Play and Apple App stores were shut down completely due to the fact that everyone played Pokemon and nothing else. Sony and Microsoft sold their companies to Nintendo, who grew into a megacorporation that slowly acquired every major games developer until only they could publish games. Of course, the only thing they made was Pokemon, Pokemon Merchandise, Pokemon insurance, Pokemon Gym Certification exams… The whole world has become addicted to Pokemon. But hey, at least we have great legs!
And those are what I think “might” happen to the Pokemon franchise in the future. If you’ve thought of something else that I didn’t, feel free to comment below!
