Topic: Is Pokémon Coming To An End?

I've been chatting to some of my friends over the past couple of days, and we've all come to the same surprising conclusion: despite all being enormous Pokémon fans, we're beginning to think that the series could be reaching the end of its life. At least for now.

The thing is, and this is something I think we've all suspected for a while, the series is getting stale. Let's not forget, the core game hasn't changed at all in nearly 20 years. They keep coming up with gimmicks to keep the formula fresh, some good (Mega Evolution), some bad (Pokéathlon), but it's just over-saturating the series. When Pokémon tries to do several slightly new things, like in Gens 5 and 6, several people aren't fans of it, yet we all clamour for a, well, evolution in the series. Let's not forget that the overall quality of the series, both the main games and the spinoffs, is getting gradually worse and less magical, and you've got a series that no-one knows what to do with, not even Game Freak themselves.

Basically, it might be time for the series to retire for a bit while it is ahead. That's just my opinion, though - what do you guys think about this matter? What would you like to see the series do?

I think pokemon is at it's strongest now than it has been in over 10 years.

The issue is that old school fans (like you and myself I assume) are stale of the same old formula.

So no, pokemon is not coming to an end (as it's a massive cash cow), but it may be outgrowing older fans.

Sales data says otherwise...by like 100 miles.

I think it's the same for me, I haven't even been finishing up the main story in recent games.

I've been playing since the beginning and own at least one version from each generation plus the "extra" game (yellow, crystal, emerald, etc.).
However I was actually thinking of quitting after Black/White, but hearing that it was a sequel rather than a "Grey version" that would be roughly the same game, I ended up buying White 2. I also ended up getting X and Y, although I haven't finished Y yet, I didn't choose English for either version so that may be why. I chose Japanese for X and Korean for Y, but I know next to nothing of Korean (I just wanted one of my Pokémon to have a Korean name).
And since generation 3 was my favourite I got Omega Ruby, but I just haven't gotten around to finishing it for some reason. I don't see myself getting a new main series game for awhile, but I hope there are changes that can get me excited again for the series in the future.

Since it is still very popular I think it is just getting stale with older fans, my cousin and I played through the generations together ever since Crystal, but he had quit after Black. He may get Alpha Saphire eventually though since that was our favourite generation though.

The sales aren't bad by any means, but the games don't reach the numbers they used to.

RB - 31.37
GS - 23.10
RS - 15.85
DP - 18.21
BW - 15.08
XY - 12.75
(Sales in millions. Source)

It's a franchise that will continue to bring new people in, as well as keep old people just because they were fans of the previous games. I stopped playing Pokémon a while ago once I realised that there were much better alternatives; namely SMT and DQM.

Don't get me wrong; Pokémon Crystal and Emerald are some of my favourite games of all time, but GameFreak managed to make a series that was ahead of its time, and then do absolutely nothing with it so much that its actually now behind the times. There's just better franchises you could be playing that do the same things but sooooooo much better.

Gen 5 is my least favorite, and even though it introduced Mega Evolutions X/Y was pretty bland. However Omega Ruby is the best Pokemon game I've played yet and I've been playing since Red. The formula may have gotten "stale" after Gen 4 but I think it is improving again.

However while I doubt the series will end since it's a cash cow, I often wonder what Game Freak will do to keep it fresh. They can't just add another 100 Pokemon every couple of years, eventually they have to stop and find new ways to make the new versions interesting. I think expanding the main series to other platforms like Wii U and Nintendo's new mobile program, or using amiibo cards would be good ways to shake things up.

I hope they stop at 1,000 Pokemon, but I think it's unlikely.

Well, we're near-identical in that respect! In another unpopular opinion of mine, I hated Generation 5. I consider it by far the worst generation for several reasons (but that's a story for another day) and, like yokokazuo over there, nearly quit after playing it. Black 2 still holds recognition for being the only Pokémon game I ever gave up on due to boredom. However, while X and Y was a semi-return to form, it still wasn't perfect. I've been playing since Ruby and recently bought Omega Ruby and loved it to all heck. I guess it was that that reminded me of how the series used to be. But, maybe we're just getting jaded and cynical. It's a massive seller, so of course it's gonna carry on. But should it...?

Nintendo has really yet to announce a new main line Pokémon game and that might have to do with Gamefreak working with Sega on that new project. I, in all honesty, want to see a 3DS version of Fire Red and Leaf Green, with New 3DS features like 3D everywhere and no frame drops for battles due to the better hardware. Then take a break from the main line series for a few years until the next portable comes out.

I, personally, feel like they should've taken a break after Generation 4, really. Black and White didn't need to come out on the DS, seeing as the 3DS was only one year away (and Black and White 2 came out during the 3DS era, remember). They were rushed onto the DS, but tried to do too much with the inferior software, and came off much worse as a result. Let's hope they don't make the same mistake twice.

Pokemon is an evergreen title. XY sold faster than most previous games if I recall correctly. DP took 9 years (holy **** how has it been that long already?) to sell that many copies. XY's 12.75 was after only a few months. Pokemon is doing better than it has in years.

Lol no.

Y'all have to remember, every Pokemon is some kid's first one. It may be the end of Pokemon for you, if you are starting to find the series stale, but it isn't the end of the entire series.

Yeah, Pokemon is going extinct...the battles were in reality unhealthy for the Pokemon. So unhealthy that even the ghosts are dying.

Nintendo won't kill Pokemon until they've created every single one as an Amiibo and then again in gold and silver!

The issue is how Game Freak is going to reach its target audience. Kids aren't really playing Pokemon as much as they used to because more of them are starting to shift from Nintendo to mobile, so Nintendo and Game Freak have to figure out a way to get that audience back (and the DeNA partnership and entrance into the mobile market is probably going to play a part in this). If they fail at reaching out to mobile correctly, Pokemon may become niche or even completely unprofitable.

@Amiibo See though, with the younger players starting to leave the series, that wouldn't be good. If the younger players aren't buying Pokemon, and the older players aren't buying Pokemon, who is? The series would have no audience left, and it would certainly die then.

Yo-kai Watch is beating it but that's like saying COD sells more than AC...

Its not

1./15. [3DS] Yo-kai Watch 2: Shin Uchi - 7.275 / 2.581.192 (-30%)
18./23. [3DS] Pokemon Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire - 8.709 / 2.587.345 (-13%)

(That was last week sales)

Even if it is, that isn't really saying much in this context. Remember, very few people outside of Japan have even heard of it, let alone know what it is. As has been proven many times in the past, Japanese trends do not translate to Western trends.

That being said, Pokémon is being outsold in places now as kids seem to be losing interest, especially in my humble UK. Over here, it feels like pretty much no-one plays Nintendo at all, let alone kids, as the majority of them are more interested in Other Formats and mobile games. This is coming from someone who has been working with kids for a while. It truly is sad times.