Pokemon video game developer Game Freak has recently uploaded a behind the scenes interview on their Youtube channel. The video features both Shigeki Morimoto, the series battle director and Kazumasa Iwao, the director of Pokemon Champions. The two revealed that the Pokemon battle system that we all know could start changing with future entries and that they made Pokemon Champions to to preserve the classic battle system. Here’s what was said:
“I think one of the biggest reasons behind it was that the battle system, the rules for competitive Pokémon battles that we’ve been using throughout the Pokémon series for so long, may gradually start changing as the Pokémon series moves forward.
And when that happens, there are people who have been enjoying the existing style of Pokémon battles for decades, going all the way back to Red and Green, Gold and Silver, and so on. So simply saying, “The battles have changed, so now please go play the new version,” didn’t really feel right either. That was something that had been bothering us at Game Freak for quite a while.
At the same time, we obviously want the series to continue taking on new challenges. But we also didn’t want to neglect the battle system we’ve had up until now. So we thought: maybe it would be good to make one game that carries forward the existing battle system and lets people continue playing it indefinitely. I think that was really the starting point for the development of Pokémon Champions.”
Interesting. I wonder if there’s something big waiting in the wings for us in Winds and Waves i.e. a new battle system. I’m not sure how I’d feel about that given how iconic Pokémon’s battle system is! But at the same time I understand that it probably does limit their creativity.
Honestly I’m shocked that CFG guy hasn’t commented yet he is also very quick to give his two cents with pokemon
And that concerned you why?
I just find it funny that guy always has some bs stuff about pokemon I guess it refreshing not to see him go off about something this time
Give it some time. He’s probably busy with other things.
Yippee! I can pick up the slack for CFG!
Hopefully GameFreak doesn’t hack their way through another main Pokémon gen like the last two gens with some snazzy new half assed, lazy battle system.
It’s very interesting that they continue to used the old battle system from the beginning and now they will evolve the battle system into a brand new style for advanced Pokemon fans since they wanted the franchise to continue moving forward from its RPG genre to Action role playing one.
Hmm I agree that the battle syxtem might be outdated
I imagine they were feeling pressure on how to evolve the game.
Shifting to open world has been a rough transition that has yet to pay off
The gimmicks bolted onto the battle system have been a mixed bag.
They don’t really seem to have the staff to make it more story focused and build off that.
Making notable changes to the battle system itself is probably their attempt to get people back into the series.
Maybe they’ll try to implement something closer to Legend Z-A’s battle system since that was fairly well received.
I think Pokemon Legends Arcesus and legends ZA were trials for Wind and Waves new battle system, and it will be more action rpg oriented first with turn based being the latter focus. Kind of how modern final fantasy and FF7 remake is action rpg with some turn based elements. I think them saying that they made champions for die hards of turn based is another sign of the change of battle system for the next game
I’m not sure I want the battles to change, I don’t even like how they worked in Z-A, but having the option to play like the usual way or like the Z-A way would be a great compromise.
Yea sorry, this will just 100% confirm I am out. 3DS gens had their bumps, but were still good. I have been tapped out since SwSh and nothing has been able to convince me to come back to Pokemon. Maybe they will pull a SquareEnix and do an HD-2D game one day. I’d be into that. Especially if it was a unique adventure in an existing region rather than a remake.
Strongly dislike all the people in here clinging on to the old turn based battle system. It’s been past time that Pokemon modernizes the way it does battles. Various other competitors to Pokemon have tried doing a similar thing and introduced new ideas.
It would be great if the player actually had an input to dodge or defend for the Pokemon. Just generally make the battle system like it would be in real life or like how the anime depicts it. I’m done expecting random chance dodging and having a highly limited 4 move choice turn-based system.
Legends Arceus brought freedom of motion in a battle and Legends ZA built on that and brought real time attacking. But in Pokemon fashion, they gave us restrictions again in the ZA battle system.
The Za battle system allowed the player to dodge only in wild battles/mega battles which was frustrating, and the Pokemon never had input to dodge/parry which would have been amazing if we could have perfect dodge/parry mechanics for the Pokemon. Because reality is, a Pokemon battle is just more dynamic than an antiquated four choice battle system.
Strongly dislike retàrds like yourself who want Pokemon to devolve into a mindless button masher action game.
The only thing GameFreak need to do is make the games harder so people have to actually strategize like they do in the battle frontiers and ROM hacks. There’s nothing wrong with the battle system itself.
Legends Z-As battle system was horrible brainless button mash gameplay with zero strategy. Go and play your ADHD action game slop and leave pokemon alone, spaz.
i agree except thayt za was amazing
with that being said sit down as you alsao count as a r***tard
Don’t go and split the turn-based controls into a spin-off and make the main series another boring button mashing “aCtIoN cOmBaT” game.
Final Fantasy made that same error and that led us to “Devil May Clive” FF16. I really don’t want Pokemon to do the same.
It is bad enough that Pokopia is stuck on “Game Key Card” slop, it is almost like GameFreak WANTS to murder Pokemon in a dark alley.
But pokopia is a good game wtf does it being on a game key card have anything to do with the actual game
Exactly, these retàrds learned NOTHING from the downfall of Final Fantasy, and now want pokemon to suffer the same fate.
I swear to god im surprised these morons are even able to breathe without assistance they’re so braindead.
Even Square know they fucked up, hence why they’ve come crawling back to turn-based RPGs with resonance. Everyone has seen action RPGs for the button mashing slop they are, intelligent cerebral turn-based RPGs have been HUMILIATING them recently with the likes of Persona, SMT, Metaphor and Expedition.
Eat shit action game slop eaters, nobody wants your garbage anymore lmaooo.
Thank God they heard my plea. I was really, really tired of the original formula, and the new battling system is what I most enjoyed about both Pokemon Legends, and what made me bought them, to begin with.
I understand they are experimental, but I hope they find a way to transform the main entries like that, to make people like me play them for fun, and still make them feel robust and interesting enough for people who enjoy competitive.
Chess should really learn a thing or two about real, modern action gameplay.
Bet the dumbasses here also think Fire Emblem should ditch it’s turn-based strategy RPG mechanics it’s built up for over three decades and become action game slop too, yikes.
Some people really need to learn not to inflict their dogshit takes upon the rest of us, it’s embarrassing.
Depends. Some games have huge improvements when they change up their gameplay like sparks of hope, Earthbound, or FF4. But some games in my opinion change their gameplay for the worse. The new final fantasy’s have fun gameplay, but not a ton of substance within fights. But Pokemon games keep having their gameplay formula shaken up, so I don’t know if this will work out for the franchise, but at least it will be different. But I do prefer turn based battles compared to action battles.
I thought that’s what Legends was trying to do? It’s fine if they have another brand in the series that is trying to change the formula, but a lot of people still really enjoy the turn-based gameplay.
What? Why does everything have to stop being turn-based? What is the obsession with action games lately?
Pokemon is the best-selling media franchise on the planet. You know turn-based sells. You already have Legends for other ideas. Why break the tried-and-true mainline games?
the reason: idiots who are failures at life due to no strategy and no capacity for thinking ahead
they just want evertything fast and raect knee jerk like mere animals
You hate Indian gamers? Seems kinda racist, don’t you think?
bro cant read typical indieslop and persona lover
Indian slop? Were you responsible for the trail of tears?
Why are you calling indians slop, you little racist?
They are devolving the RPG system into an ARPG system because people do not have the IQ for turn based RPGs. And you sycophants believe that the same company that can’t make a 30 FPS game with the graphics of a Wii is going to pull some genius game out of their hat. Take a reality check. This is all about profitability and the low propensity of the public.
Thank you for exploring the potential changes to the Pokémon battle system! It’s exciting to think about how Game Freak might innovate. How do you feel these changes could impact strategy in competitive gaming? deadshot
I lost count of how many times Ash told his Pokémon, “Dodge!”. Maybe the games could do something like that? 🤷♂️