Hello everyone. I know that I didn't do as much of my plans as I hoped, but I will still give you something that I've been meaning to address for a while.
Earlier this month, not long after the Pokémon Direct presentation was streamed, an article was posted online entitled "15 reasons why Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon will be Terrible." For the sake of argument, I thought I would try something different and fact-check this article on each of its points. I will not be addressing the author by name. Now is not the time to get angry, that comes later. I will also be offering counterpoints for reasons that are more subjective than others. Here we go.
15. Running on Sun and Moon's Engine
Quote: "As a game franchise grows, each installment should have improvements over the last one. The first of these is a graphical upgrade. Look at most big franchises and you'll see how the graphics have gotten better over time. Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon don't have this benefit. Instead, the games look the same as Sun and Moon because they are running off of the same engine."
This is the first point brought up and I already feel like the author doesn't really understand how graphical limitations work. This won't be the last time I'll mention this, but it also seems to denigrate the hard work Game Freak has put into the series since the transition to 3D began in Generation VI (with elements of it being set up in Generation V). On top of that, the argument doesn't make a whole lot of sense when developers often can work with similar assets over a period of time before a whole new set of tools can be implemented. This is a highly subjective viewpoint, but I submit that the Sun and Moon engine will be the standard for some time; and I think the potential it has to be used in other mainline games is intriguing.
14. Still on 3DS
Quote: "Now that the [Nintendo] Switch is a thing, it would be entirely possible to have gorgeous graphics yet keep the classic experience alive; but for some reason, Game Freak decided to make Ultra Sun and Moon on the 3DS. This console is already going out of style ever since the Switch launched, so it's perplexing that such a big franchise would still be coming out on it."
This is kind of right, but mostly wrong. Game Freak is developing for the Switch, but the company has only fairly recently hired people to work with the architecture of the console. On top of that, the Switch has only shipped about 3 million units so far worldwide (it only fairly recently cracked the 1 million mark in Japan); compared to the 3DS officially passing 66 million worldwide. So, it's not at all perplexing to develop for a system which has a larger install base right now until all the kinks are worked out for the Switch. This won't be the last time I'll address this point either, so keep that in mind.
13. No New Pokémon
Quote: "There are several problems with Game Freak releasing enhanced versions of their main games. One of them is that there will be no new Pokémon."
Wrong. In the presentation, Junichi Masuda (a figure who has been a key part of the series since the beginning) outright says there will be Pokémon that were not present in the previous installments of Generation VII. While the author does admit that Marshadow and the Ultra Beasts will play a role in the game, the claim is also made that the games are enhanced versions rather than direct sequels set in the same fictional universe. The direct will come up again in this list, and there will be more statements that suggest that the author wasn't paying too much attention to it.
12. Uninteresting Story
Quote: "Very seldom does Game Freak create interesting stories for the Pokémon series. However, Sun and Moon proved they still had it in them. Those games presented something interesting that we could also invest in. It was a refreshing change of pace. Unfortunately, traveling through the same region again will only make it more difficult for them to create a unique story. Game Freak stated in their announcement that Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon would have a different story than their predecessors, but that doesn't mean that it will be good."
Again, this is a fairly subjective assumption to make. Not only is this claim in itself a point of contention, it's a rather bad idea to say this under faulty to no evidence. Even though the author does express interest in continuing the Ultra Beast plot, it's immediately dismissed as "wishful thinking." Still, it would have at least been more interesting to see speculation about the matter rather than continuing to denigrate games that aren't coming out till November for another 11 bullet points.
11. Not Enough New Content
Quote: "There could very well end up being a painful lack of new content."
There is no strong evidence for or against this claim, so I'm just going to move on to the next point.
10. Won't Bring Over Sun and Moon Players
Quote: "Based on what we've seen, these titles are going to function very similarly to Sun and Moon. As an owner of Pokémon Sun, I'm simply not convinced that I need these games."
Another subjective statement at best. While many people had mixed feelings toward the news, most people I've talked to are still interested in these sequels. These aren't really spinoff titles either: main entries tend to be the biggest draw no matter the generation. It's also somewhat implied that the author can't distinguish between "needs" and "wants." Examples: I "need" to eat dinner, so I "want" to have a pizza. I "want" to wear my favorite outfit today, since I "need" to avoid getting arrested for indecency. Therefore: even though I may not "need" these games, you bet your bottom dollars I "want" to get my preorders paid off by November. I may be on vacation, but I do like to put my English major to good use all the same.
9. Roaming Legendaries
Quote: "One of the easiest ways to bring in Legendary Pokémon from past games is to let them roam around the region."
That's interesting, considering this idea has its own entry on the series' page for the scrappy mechanic. Most people I've talked to haven't really missed it either, and it's more common that Legendaries are given as event DLC instead. Barring any more memes online and fodder for VG Cats or Awkward Zombie, I don't see roaming legendaries making a comeback anytime soon outside the Virtual Console releases of Gold and Silver.
8. Only New Forms
Quote: "Ever since Pokémon Platinum, Game Freak has gotten into the habit of justifying enhanced versions of their own main games by creating a new form for the Legendary Pokémon in question. Giratina went through it, Kyurem went through it, and Groudon and Kyogre went through it. As they go down the list, it seems that Solgaleo and Lunala are the new guinea pigs."
Yet again, this could go either way. The author assumes this is rationale for not being any new legendary Pokémon and that the redesigned legendaries will not excite people; when in fact, many people are interested in the new forms for Solgaleo and Lunala. Also, just because Game Freak hasn't announced anything new yet, doesn't mean they won't at all.
7. No Partner Pokémon
Quote: "While this has yet to be confirmed or denied, I strongly believe that Game Freak will not bring back the partner Pokémon mechanic from Heart Gold and Soul Silver into Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. While there were initial plans to include it in Sun and Moon, a revelation that was discovered thanks to some dataminers, it seems that it was left out due to hardware restrictions."
Partially correct, as some of the walking animations can be viewed on YouTube such as this one.
However, the writer not only seems to answer his own question on the matter; but I find the idea that people would hate a pair of unreleased games over such a trivial feature to be absurd. It's like complaining that Breath of the Wild doesn't have a partner chiming in all the time.
6. Doesn't Bode Well for the Future
Rather than quote the author like I have before, I shall simply state that the "gut reaction" at the time of the article's posting was proven false by Nintendo's E3 conference a week later by an announcement from Tsunekazu Ishihara, another individual who has been a big part of the series since beginning. The Nintendo Switch entry is, again, in development; and we can expect to see it in some capacity in 2018. Again, I somehow don't see a series which has sold over 200 million copies collectively as "not boding well."
5. Defied Expectations (Negatively)
Again, I will forgo any more quotes from the author in favor of stating that the reaction has been more mixed than outright negative. The author also suggests that going for the Switch instead of the 3DS will "greatly hurt sales," which doesn't make sense when the Switch has only been on the market for 3 months and only has a fraction of the install base the 3DS has built in 6 years. It has also been confirmed that the 3DS will be supported past 2018, carrying the portable torch of the original DS and the Game Boy line (something to think about when it celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2019).
4. Holiday Release
Now we're really getting into some of the juicy stuff. The author suggested that the Holiday release pattern will harm the games, when such a prospect has never really harmed them at all. The claim is also made that Super Mario Odyssey will be "competing" with the game in November, though this was written before E3 revealed that it would be releasing on October 27. Still, I find odd that two of Nintendo's biggest names would be "competing" despite being released on different platforms and different genres. Even with the date being shared with other highly-anticipated releases such as the 2017 version of "Star Wars Battlefront II" and the film "Justice League," I highly doubt this will harm sales in any way. Remember, this is one year to the day that its seniors came out; and Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the following week. So, this release pattern won't be a problem at all. Heck, my closest Gamestop and Walmart always make sure to have enough copies to go around; and that's not even getting into people who will preload the game from eShop from the comfort of their own home. Birthdays, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Life Day, whatever you're into: I will definitely be doing the Wonder Trade Celebration again to celebrate (not sure what I'll breed in Ultra Sun/Moon yet, but I'll see).
3. Marketing for Kids
Here is something that really rustles a few Jimmies. I mentioned earlier the author didn't seem to be paying too much attention to the direct despite basing the whole article on it. The author seemed to be under the impression that Game Freak was alienating its older fanbase in favor of targeting children. While the series has always been targeting children, I am once again going to play Darkrai's advocate and suggest that the opposite could also be true. Much like other Nintendo franchises such as Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda, the Pokémon series has seen an increasing effort to not only attract its older fans but also appeal to a new generation of fans. To this day, I am among many folks that grew up with the original installments that are excited for new material and also the next generation of kids playing with Poké Balls in public. It's really not all that different than how other multimedia franchises such as Star Wars or the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been able to attract everyone from 8 to 80 to everyone in between. Just because a series is marketed to children doesn't mean it can't be profitable from teenagers, adults and young adults. I'm just saying.
2. Riding On Sun and Moon Hype
This is basically not all that different from how marketing works in a nutshell. If the public has a taste of something they like, they're obviously going to want more. The video game industry in particular does this all the time. This year also marks the milestones of other big series such as Mortal Kombat and Kirby (probably going to so some of Stars/Right Back at Ya for the 25th anniversary of Kirby's Dream Land in August, but that's not important right now).
1. Nothing New
Now we arrive at the cherry on top of this sundae of how not to write about video games. The author goes to the hackneyed well of comparing the games to series such as Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty. Last I checked, Game Freak didn't develop games like that. Not with Pokémon, and definitely not with other IPs they've done such as Quinty/Mendel Palace, Pulseman, HarmoKnight and most recently Tembo. Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of Assassin's Creed and may be interested in the back to basics approach of WWII, but that's not important right now. What is important is this belief is not only tired, it's also factually inaccurate. Game Freak shouldn't "throw their history out the door" because of this article. Rather, they should embrace it; as I have embraced my fandom of it.
I know it's late, but I just thought I would get this off my chest. I know the term "fake news" may get tossed around a lot these days, but I still believe that knowledge and facts are the best weapons I have against ignorance and inaccurate information, and I intend to keep using them. Right now, I am going to bed so I can keep playing the next Global Mission while I wait for these games. See you, space cowboy.
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