Update: After the initial confusion mentioned in this article below, with The Pokémon Company's president mentioning that they "don't have any plans" to use the Nintendo Switch online service despite contradicting reports, a new statement has now confirmed that the service will in fact be needed to access online battles and trading. Well, at least that's sorted.
Original Article: Naturally, the reveal of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! has raised just about as many questions as it did answers. There are some things that were pretty clear from the trailer - such as Pokémon GO's catching mechanic being implemented and that the game will take place in the region of Kanto - but some other areas of the games were a little less certain.
Luckily, The Pokémon Company has shared a Q and A online that took place after the reveal press conference in Tokyo. In this Q and A, press got the chance to ask Pokémon president Tsunekazu Ishihara, and GAME FREAK directors Junichi Masuda and Shigeru Ohmori, for some finer details.
During this talk, the creators confirmed that the original 151 Pokémon will be appearing, as well as some Alolan forms of those creatures, and a brand new, never-before-seen Pokémon will be making its debut. They also confirmed that traditional battles with wild Pokémon have been completely scrapped for these titles in favour of the Pokémon GO system, but trainer battles remain.
Q: With Pokémon appearing on the field and the catching gameplay being more similar to Pokémon GO, does that mean there are not any wild Pokémon battles?
Mr. Masuda: With these games, we're really focused on clicking the Joy-Con to throw the Poké Balls to catch Pokémon. We decided to get rid of the wild Pokémon battles to catch them, but we still have Trainer battles with a variety of difficulty where you use your Pokémon in battle.
They also confirmed that wireless trading and battle features will be present - although you'll need two Switch consoles to do this, of course - and briefly mentioned the fact that multiple users will be able to have their own save files with one copy of the game. This is a first for the series.
Q: Now that these games are on Nintendo Switch, it's possible for multiple accounts to use the same device. Can multiple people play the same game? Or will it be similar to the handheld games where you can have only one player per game?
Mr. Ohmori: You can have multiple accounts on the Nintendo Switch, so each account can have its own save file. For example, if you have siblings they can play on their own accounts.
One final answer of note talked about the Nintendo Switch Online service in conjunction with these titles, and despite numerous sources stating otherwise, Mr. Ishihara stated that they "don't have any plans to use this online service right now". The future of online functionalities within Pokémon titles has been a cause of concern for fans of the series since the online subscription was first revealed, but it seems we might not find out how it'll all work until the next core game arrives in 2019.
So, what do you think of all this latest information? Let us know in the comments below, and feel free to give the whole Q and A a read if you're interested.
[source pokemon.com]
Comments 64
Really not keen on the idea of dropping wild Pokemon battles.
I was kind of excited by the idea of a Pokemon Yellow remake, but I can't see the fun in catching Pokemon by simply throwing Pokeballs like the mobile game (which I'm not a fan of).
It's a shame, each time a Pokemon game comes to console, there always has to be some annoying gimmick. This is so close to being a traditional Pokemon game for a home console. I'm still curious, but it just seems so unnecessary. They could still use the motion control aspect for catching, even if they kept battling in.
Really hope the proper Pokemon game coming to Switch next year doesn't make the same change. Half of the challenge in catching Pokemon is battling them to weaken them.
"One final answer of note mentioned that there are no current plans to make use of the upcoming Nintendo Switch Online service in these titles." — other outlets say online battling is a thing and will require the paid Online service.
I’m still interested in these games, but if they underperform after Ultra Sun and Moon, I think Junichi Masuda needs to be outed in favor of a new series director or Tajiri needs to come back.
No Random Battle = Attracting Casual gamers.
Because Casuals tends to get bored easily by Tedious Repetitive Random Battle.
I think that's the reason behind their decision.
@Tsurii @Thisismycomment Yep, I've cleared this up a little now. Other sources have indeed mentioned that online services will be included, and we're not writing that off ourselves, but if Pokémon's president tells us there are no plans then that's what we'll believe for now.
Been a bit up and down with my thoughts on Lets Go. I think catching Pokèmon just by tossing the joy con is going to get boring fast imo. There needs to be a lot more going on in the game, catching Pokèmon is the main hook usually but by simplifying here I can't really see what depth the game is going to offer...
No online battles, trading, and no wild battle encounters is deterring. It seems like a big step backward on a very utilizable console like the 3DS. But here's the thing, I've read numerous reports of there being online functionality, maybe the Pokemon presidents words were translated improperly. Anyways... team Pika! How about you?
@Anti-Matter Throwing Pokéballs at wild Pokémon over and over again is even more boring and repetitive than fighting them. Pokémon GO is the very definition of repetitive and the casuals love that to death.
"multiple users will be able to have their own save files with one copy of the game. This is a first for the series."
Hallelujah. So instead of buying 2 $40 Poekmon games on 3DS we can buy 1 $60 Eevee game on Switch. It means we won't get both games, but it does save my kids a little money. Now I just need to set up a spreadsheet w/ their allotted play times so they dont' fight over the console. Hopefully a proper game log gets implemented into Switch by then.
And if Nitneod wants to bring that dockless Switch over to the US and bundle it with either of these 2 games, well November would be a good time to do that. Might be enough Switch owning parents by then who'll get their kid their own. Not at $300 though. $250 w/ the game might work.
Guys, maybe by saying the games won't use the service, it means a subscription won't be required to play online? I dunno, it's all kinda confusing
To be honest I understand that some might not be too keen on the idea of no wild battles. But consider that this is aimed at a new audience. It's been a good while since pokemon came around and those people are getting older and can keep up with some of the games more advanced and complicated mehanics. Don't get me wrong it's this type of thing that makes Pokemon so good. But the audience has changed and it isn't such a bad thing that game freak are trying to appeal to the young ones again and being a fan of Pokemon GO I think that they should give the general idea of the lets go games a bash. However I do hope that they bring back the old school style of Pokemon in the 2019 release but I wouldn't be suprised if they ultimatley makeep the 2019 game easier in order to encourage the new audience back again. I'm worried it'll become a compromise with making the game easy and enjoyable enough for the new audience and true enough to the original franchise for the oriinalienable audience.
@Anti-Matter @siouxrunner15
Yeah I think despite the bug change in gameplay. I think we should give it a chance tbh.
@thesilverbrick
And that's why the Casual needed to brought by Nintendo first.
They need to be educated first before they get into Serious gaming.
Some gamers were from Casual gamers, with a lot of patiences and practice, now they are Pro gamers that understand how to engage with advanced gameplay.
Since you dont' battle wild Pokemon, you throw balls at them, will there be pay-to-win balls you have to buy for the game, or will there be enough available balls in game to keep players happy?
Somebody should have asked them about DLC, micro-transactions and loot boxes.
@JIMBALIM
Actually, i felt a little bit bored with Repetitive Random Battle.
Sometimes i want to escape from Random battle, if only i can see the wild Pokemons.
The Battle system of Final Fantasy XII was really Perfect for me (You can see the enemies, you can attack them directly, you can run away from them )
@Syrek24
Yo, you were back !
What happened with you last time ?
You suddenly lost from this website...
@LeonBelmontX It's already been confirmed the games for next year do not have any influence from Pokemon Go
Bring on November.
No online is VERY lame.
No online battles is a pretty major let down. But I guess this game's weaker gameplay will at least be a stop-gag until the real ones come out next year. I don't think that anyone has any right to complain if and win Pokemon Switch requires you to have the online service to play online. Why shouldn't it? Every other game is going to and Nintendo has said since the Switch launched that that was going to be a thing.
I have no issue with the wild encounters. There would have been a HUGE issue if trainer battles were handled similarly though.
@Anti-Matter don’t think people are question why random battles are removed, we are wondering why wild Pokémon battles are gone. 2 very different things.
They said they don't have plans to use Nintendo's online, not that there won't be online period.
If online features are mentioned in other sites, that would mean they want to make the online free to use.
It looks like there actually IS ONLINE. It's different than what was in Sun/Moon/etc... But there will be online trading and battling, according to Famitsu.
https://nintendoeverything.com/the-pokemon-company-clarifies-plans-for-online-in-pokemon-lets-go-pikachu-eevee-once-and-for-all/
By not utilising the paid online service I think he's meaning taking advantage of its features like the phone app. It seems there is indeed online battles.
"Mr. Ishihara: They'll actually be different games as all-new Pokémon series entries, kind of like how Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, and then Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, were new games within the main series."
They are still saying they are not spin off games...
Ha! People are going to hate these games without realising what a stroke of genius it is for Nintendo!
I’m wondering if you can have the first and second player link their individual Pokémon Go account to their avatar (so they can both bring their Pokémon Go Pokémon into the game).
@Yosheel Don't have plans "at the moment" So potentially the future holds greatness
@ottospooky how right you are 😆
No online...in any form? ...I guess this wasn't a must-buy after all...
Probably get this for the kids but not sure I will be playing this myself. I probably try it but I like battling wild Pokémon.
All it says is that it won’t use the online service. Nothing about online itself.
So there is no battling/weakening pokemon before throwing your pokeball at them?
This is not casual, this is stupidity. Like Ash stupidity where other trainers have to remind him for 3-4 years he had to weaken the pokemon first like he is some moron.
Why should I care that there isn’t any random Pokémon battles? This isn’t a core game. It is a spinoff of a spinoff. If I want random Pokémon battles then I’ll either wait for the next core game or play one of the 16 previous core games.
I’m not worried that any of these games mechanics bleeding over into the core any more than I’m worried that Pikachu is going to start talking like in Detective Pikachu or that the main character is going to be a human turned into a Pokémon in like in the Mystery Dungeon series.
@Supadav03 I'm a bit confused... What you just stated are not 2 different things.
"don’t think people are question why random battles are removed" = No random pokemon battles.
"we are wondering why wild Pokémon battles are gone" = No random pokemon battles
Pokemon Let's Go has online trading and battling.
@HobbitGamer yeah, I choose bad wording.
Random encounters are gone. This is ok with most. Instead you now run into Pokémon displayed on screen to initiate action instead of it happening randomly when you walk in tall grass. Don’t think many care they changed this.
Once you encounter a wild Pokémon, you cannot fight him (I called this battling wild Pokémon). You instead just catch them like you would when you see a Pokémon in Pokémon Go. This a lot of people are upset about. Why only allow us to fight Pokémon owned by trainers and not Pokémon that live in the overworld?
Idk if I’m explaining clearly...my brain hurts today.
@frogopus sounds like you don’t like random encounters not wild battles. Again, this is where I’m confused. You can do away with random encounters without doing away with the ability to fight wild Pokémon instead of only having the option to catch them, ala Pokémon Go
@LeonBelmontX Half the challenge? I rarely actually use the legendaries, but the challenge is why I bother catching them (aside from Dex). For legendaries (that aren't mandatory catches), it'd be too easy to just kill them in like two hits with the right Pokemon. (but on the really low catch rates, it ends up often reducing to soft-resetting when legendaries Struggle-KO themselves)
@Supadav03 gotchya! Random “blind” encounter as opposed to visible encounter (a la Earthbound). I like that idea, since sometimes I’d do whatever I could to avoid grass/water.
I’m fine with the lack of battling the Pokémon, I think. At least for this title. I’ve got Ultra Moon and I don’t think I’ve gotten past the second or third island. All the different moves and megas and combined with the sheer amount of Pokémon has sort of put itself on my back burner. If there’s a fun story and events in Let’s Go, I think it could help mitigate the lack of battling wilds
Okay, this is why they needed a Direct and the reason why Nintendo started doing them in the first place.
It shouldn't be this hard to say whether it has online or not. Complete fail on the translators and the people asking the questions. It should be two simple questions:
Pretty damn simple.
@HobbitGamer ok, cool. Sounds like your following me now. I just think it’s funny when people lament the fact you can’t fight a wild Pokémon others immediately state how random battles are old JRPG troupe that needs to be gone anyways like they are addressing the same thing.
It has online. This is what happens when you are late on the news.
@Tsurii NLife is always behind lately.
No wild battles? That's a bit of a downside for me tbh
Ick. I still think this will be a lot of fun for the right crowd, but there's a lot of negative news coming out of this Q&A.
@frogopus Monster Hunter x Pokemon. Sounds like something Nintendo would never agree to but seeing the circle of life among Pokemon would be fascinating.
@ryancraddock The Pokémon Company president clarified already: https://nintendoeverything.com/the-pokemon-company-clarifies-plans-for-online-in-pokemon-lets-go-pikachu-eevee-once-and-for-all/
There will be online battling and trading but it'll be more basic without things like Wonder Trade.
In one word 'crap'
No random battles, no online, no voice chat!
@LeonBelmontX Personally, I think the combination of the Pokemon Go-like wild battles and the more traditional trainer battles is going to be a really good balance.
Not only will this game have online battling and trading, it will require a subscription to the Switch online service.
Let's stop spreading misinformation.
Pokemon yellow was my very first pokemon game....my pikachu got to level 100. I wanted Mew so badly i bought an action replay. Didn't knew about the Mew glitch back then
No pokemon battles in the wild is kinda a turn off
@thesilverbrick,
Not that sure,I was never that over the moon with turn based HP battles either.
The mobile market love it or hate it is growing,Nintendo need the Switch to cater to a much larger audience than the core,which is already dominated by Sony and Microsoft.
And we do know that Game Freak are working on a core title,so It's not like this is the only Pokémon game we are going to get on the Switch,the new title has the potential to get more people into the franchise,which can only be a good thing imho.
I've just twigged that Nintendo needs to make a new Advance Wars game with basically this visual look/style and the similarly traditional/classic gameplay the series is loved for--keep the core game basically identical to the rest in the series but just give it the kind of graphical and presentation push that this new Pokemon game has received--PERFECT!
Does this mean I get my Leafeon? Team Eevee!
"During this talk, the creators confirmed that the original 151 Pokémon will be appearing, as well as some Alolan forms of those creatures, and a brand new, never-before-seen Pokémon will be making its debut. They also confirmed that traditional battles with wild Pokémon have been completely scrapped for these titles in favour of the Pokémon GO system, but trainer battles remain.
@LeonBelmontX
Totally agree with everything you said. I was really looking forward to a remake of Pokemon Yellow. Pokemon Go got old really fast once the novelty of it wore off.
I wouldn’t mind the Go style of catching the Pokemon since it will probably work well using the joycons, making you feel like a real Pokemon trainer throwing a Pokeball. But to get rid of wild encounters completely, just seems a bit crazy.
Maybe the game will pleasantly surprise everyone and the other features they have planned will make up for it and it won’t matter. I hope.
Whether they use the system or not, I ain’t paying for Switch online, personally. Paying for what is already free + some NES games I don’t want is still the bigger scam here. Hope they’d find a way around it but I wouldn’t bet on it.
@Tsurii Correction, not using online services. You will probably be able to battle and trade still.
I wonder if these games will get the mystery gift and event pokemon as well, like the core game series does.
@rjejr
The parental control app let's you monitor game usage and set time limits; so that could be useful for you. Unfortunately it doesn't let you control the different accounts yet though.
@CaPPa Thanks. I actually put the Switch Parental Control app on my phone when we got the Switch. Then I was playing - me being the old man dad - and it tried to cut me off. So I set it to no time limit for all of us. My kids are teens now so they kind of do what they want anyway.
It IS better than anything on the Switch though. Not as good as the 3DS log, that 1 I still think is the best, but the mobile app will do in a pinch.
Keep waiting for Ntinedo to bring the Switch up to speed - Netflix, music on the eShop, themes - but they seem content to just charge us for online gaming and making us use our own phones for voice chat. Maybe Switch 2 in 5 or 6 more years will be a complete device and not such a step backwards from 3DS.
Nothing againts the game but I really don't get all of that "they're attracting the casual gamers" talk.
In 2019 everything goes back to normal with new pokemon game so if people don't play the 3ds titles they probably won't play the new game. Also, I'm sceptical about adapting GO wild encounters system. I do agree that random battles aren't perfect (running around the grass and fleeing from pidgeys isn't really that exciting) but this system doesn't make it better or less tedious. They traded unwanted random battles for boring ones where you just throw pokeballs over and over again. And how do we lvl up our pokemon here? If there was more focus on trainer battles which would allow us to gain exp that would be great. Main titles could do that and maybe finally have all the enemy npcs have full 6 pokemon team. But if again we're adapting POGO system and we'll have to catch the same pokemon to lvl up our own then grinding isn't going to be fun or casual friendly. Or maybe there is no progression and all poks are just on the same lvl which isn't that great either.
there better be online play or else!
@thesilverbrick Throwing pokeballs at wild Pokemon is still less tedious than grinding low level Pokemon on Metapods or having to battle a Zubat every five steps. In Go every encounter is optional.
However a big part of Go is the walking around AR experience. It's not that you're battling gyms, it's that the gym is also your local church or your favourite mall and whatnot. Not sure how that translated to a more traditional console setup, with an in-game world instead of the real one.
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