Another thing to note is that a new generation of Pokemon always tends to come out every three years. The only times where it didn't was when they delayed Generation 2, and skipped 2015. While they could skip 2025 and go on to 2026, I just feel like Gamefreak rather make something else that celebrates the big anniversary coming up.
Do you mean 2005 here? There were 3 years between Pokemon X/Y (2013) and Sun/Moon (2016).
IDK, personally it feels way too early for Gen 10 given Legends Z-A this year. I know we got BDSP, PLA and SV in quick succession, but I pin a lot of that to BDSP being apparently last-minute and the pandemic affecting timelines somewhat. It seems rather weird to me that they'd go basically 3 years without a major release (outside of DLC) just to have 2 mainline titles in the same year.
Then again, I denied we were getting Gen 9 this time in 2022 and we saw what happened there so...shrugs.
Honestly more than anything I just want TPCI / Game Freak to be less predictable in their schedule. Just...ditch the whole "generations" thing entirely.
I wonder whether TPC would move out of the way of GTA6, if so that could explain choosing Summer for Legends Z-A over the normal November Pokemon slot.
@Grumblevolcano That seems way too cautious, especially for a big-hitter on a console that's not even getting GTA6. Sure, launching the same week probably isn't a smart move...but if every company were so nervous about launching remotely close to GTA6 we'd have nothing released all autumn. GTA5 and Pokemon X/Y were released only a month apart.
@Grumblevolcano
If any game could go up against the GTA6 launch, it's Pokemon.
Fairly different target demographics, being on a console that's not even getting GTA6 (at first)... I think it would be fine, really.
I think Pokemon Company's bigger calculation is how they want to play ZA's launch around the Switch 2. I think Switch 2 is hitting in June sooooo... do you want ZA coming out amongst a couple big Switch 2 exclusives with the console launch? I would think that's the bigger concern.
@Buizel What I have in mind is Mario takes over September and October on the Switch 2 side of things because of the anniversary. Meanwhile on the Take Two side of things you have Borderlands 4 on September 23rd suggesting that GTA6 on track for Fall 2025 would mean November which makes the Pokemon situation different from 2013.
So if TPC are fine launching within like 1-2 weeks of GTA6 then November's fine for Legends Z-A but if they're not then they may choose to release in like August.
@Grumblevolcano Fair, it's all just a big juggling act really. I'm tempted to agree with @rallydefault in that I believe the bigger consideration from Nintendo to be how it all fits in with their Switch 2 strategy. There's only so much they can plan around GTA6, and they've got their own consoles and schedules to worry about.
If Nintendo are to go as all-in with the Switch 2 launch as they did with the Switch in 2017, it's looking like 2025 will be a wild year.
@Buizel I thought that it was 4 years with Sun and Moon, but I forgot X and Y were 2013 and not 2012.
As for Gamefreak's past game and its reception, I don't think that'll stop them from releasing Gen 10 this year. Gamefreak made it clear in previous comments that they have no intents on delaying any of their games, and that they're going to find other methods to help aid production. At least from what I recall back a bit after Scarlet and Violet first released.
I also don't think they're putting Z-A in summer just for the Switch 2. Especially given that at this point it's pretty much a given that Z-A is only for the original switch. Just like Black 2 and White 2, or Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. I think if they're releasing it in the Summer, then that means there's going to be something later in the year.
"It is fate. Many have tried, yet none have ever managed to escape it's flow."
@IceClimbers Ahh. So two times. I still feel like there's less of a chance of that happening for Gen 10. The only evidence that really supports it being delayed for a year is the anniversary coming up next year- which Gamefreak could do something else for. Something like making another Kanto game, or making a DLC for Gen 10 that focuses on celebrating the other entries in the series.
"It is fate. Many have tried, yet none have ever managed to escape it's flow."
@IceClimbers Ahh. So two times. I still feel like there's less of a chance of that happening for Gen 10. The only evidence that really supports it being delayed for a year is the anniversary coming up next year.
The anniversary and the logic of waiting for Switch 2 (with enough units sold to be worthy of a new Pokemon) and the outcry of gen 9 being put out too fast. And not wanting two Pokemon games in the second half of 2025 eating into each other's sales. And potentially Nintendo having too packed a schedule in Fall so GF and Nintendo not wanting to eat onto each other's sales. There are plenty of reasons even if you think Game Freak may not care about some of them.
@FishyS I mean Gamefreak made it clear they're not going to budge on their release schedule just because of people being upset over the game quality. As for Z-A, it wouldn't really eat into the sales of Gen 10. Especially given that Z-A aims for a different target demographic. PLA didn't eat into Gen 9's sales, and Gen 9 didn't eat into PLA's sales. Z-A is probably going to release in the first half of the year, within May or June if I had to guess.
"It is fate. Many have tried, yet none have ever managed to escape it's flow."
Especially given that Z-A aims for a different target demographic. PLA didn't eat into Gen 9's sales, and Gen 9 didn't eat into PLA's sales.
They're both considered mainstream Pokemon games according to GF; I suppose the first Legends game was targeting a slightly older audience but there was a lot of overlap.
As for gen 9 versus PLA, gen 9 was out a full 10 months after PLA. In your hypothetical schedule it would be more like 4-6 months (4 if you believe the leaks). I realize they did that exact thing with Brilliant Diamond and Arceus; it felt weirdly close at the time and probably lowered Arceus sales somewhat but clearly not massively.
Regardless, we'll presumably find out later this week.
@FishyS They are both mainline games, yes. The thing to remember though is that PLA is more for the "hardcore" gaming audience while the main generation games are made for casual players and families.
Also yeah, they did the same thing with BDSP. The thing with BDSP though was that it was confirmed the game was produced because Gamefreak was scared that people wouldn't like PLA over a pure Diamond and Pearl remake.
As for Gen 10, I can see it working out to where Gamefreak teases Generation 10 at the end of the Presents, but doesn't give more info on it until Z-A launches. They did this with PLA and BDSP, where PLA was rarely focused on until after BDSP released.
"It is fate. Many have tried, yet none have ever managed to escape it's flow."
@FishyS They are both mainline games, yes. The thing to remember though is that PLA is more for the "hardcore" gaming audience while the main generation games are made for casual players and families.
Ehhh the core Pokemon games aren't really that different, hardcore gamers can still enjoy the core games without much issue (maybe for the 3DS games, you might've been able to make this argument then, but they've done a better job of making the games more hardcore friendly again with the Switch games). There's really not much of a difference in terms of target demographics and design philosophy between the two. The only differences are that LA's gameplay loop was mostly focused on catching (probably because it was a smaller roster of Pokemon, and they've stated that they like to incentivize multiple captures of the same species when the roster is smaller) and that LA is a series of 5 overworld areas instead of one open world (likely because they were still easing into open world and the transition occurred gradually over the course of Gen 8, and with Z-A taking place in Lumiose that difference is highly unlikely to carry over). BDSP and LA worked because it was marketed from the very beginning as two different takes on Sinnoh remakes, and both of them were more in opposition to each other for cannibalization to be a significant concern. Z-A and Gen 10 would be unlikely to have such a distinction.
As for Gen 10, I can see it working out to where Gamefreak teases Generation 10 at the end of the Presents, but doesn't give more info on it until Z-A launches. They did this with PLA and BDSP, where PLA was rarely focused on until after BDSP released.
False. BDSP and LA were marketed relatively equally throughout 2021. Both were revealed at the Pokemon Day Presents, then both got a more detailed overview in the August Presents, then they both got new trailers in September and October as well. We've already broken from the pattern that BDSP and LA set here, by that schedule Gen 10 should've been announced alongside Z-A in 2024.
@VoidofLight Gen 4 was four years (DP in 2006, BW in 2010).
As was Gen 3 (2002-06).
Really the 3-year cycle has only been going since gen 5. Tbf, that is a lot of generations in succession, so a good reason to believe they'll do it again...but IDK, I still feel a Legends game and Gen 10 in the same year is a bit too much at once for the reasons I gave previously. I'm tempted to say maybe Gen 10 will be teased before Legends Z-A, but I don't think we'll get much detail until after its launch, and I'm not convinced we'll have a release until 2026.
3pm UK time has passed so that eliminates tomorrow regarding Direct chances. At this point, the only chance left for a February general Direct is if they used Pokemon Day as a big final sendoff for Switch 1 where Pokemon Presents reveals the final Switch 1 Pokemon stuff and then a Direct later on in the day revealed the final Switch 1 non-Pokemon stuff.
@Grumblevolcano Yeah a February Direct seems almost out of the question now. I would've liked to see a Pokemon Presents + Nintendo Direct Mini similar to the partner/indie we got in August, but I don't think that'll happen at this point. Maybe Pokemon Presents, potential Mar10 Day presentation, and Kirby Planet Robobot Deluxe could carry the rest of Switch 1 for now?
@Bolt_Strike I still think if Z-A releases in early Summer and Gen 10 releases in late 2025 there would be no cannibalization, but I guess we'll see in a few days. I wouldn't be surprised if Gen 10 is next year, but I also won't be surprised if Gen 10 is this Winter. We saw how Gamefreak didn't let PLA stop them from dropping Gen 9 in the same year (even though PLA was released in January). Just wouldn't be surprised if it was the same situation here, just with the games being a slight bit closer.
"It is fate. Many have tried, yet none have ever managed to escape it's flow."
@Grumblevolcano This pretty much means no Direct, the overview trailers are typically the last trailer for the game and they likely would've saved a trailer for the game for a Direct if there was going to be one. I still think we could get a mini at some point, but I think last June was our last big general Direct for Switch before Switch 2.
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Topic: Next Nintendo Direct?
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