Does Pokémon REALLY need a full-on reboot (& why/why not)?

[Neoxon]

This question kinda spawned from the reboot thread from not too long ago.....even though the original poster later clarified that they meant something like Black/White's soft reboot. Even after said clarification (& hell, even before the thread went live), I've seen a number of people argue that Pokémon is in desperate need of a reboot. And so I ask this question, does Pokémon need a full-on reboot (not a soft reboot where you only have the new Pokémon until after the main story) that badly? I'd love to hear your opinions on the matter. Also, please state why you believe what you believe &, if you're in favor of completely rebooting the franchise, how you'd go about doing such a reboot.

And one other thing, let's keep it civil. The last thing any of us want is for things to go sideways during such a discussion.

 

[JCW]

I'm ambivalent about a reboot but I want more of a rebalancing or a removal of some things. Scald should have never existed.

 

[TheBeardedOne]

Pokemon needs to change. It's become stale.

I've played the series on and off since it first came out, when my cousin handed me a shareware floppy disc of Pokemon Red and told me I'd love it. That was my introduction to the series, prior to buying Yellow. Somehow I missed the ones that followed and didn't buy another until Pearl, then White and White 2, and eventually Sun.

I haven't played all of the games, but even then I'm bored of the series and its formula and honestly have been for years. I adored it when I was younger and couldn't get enough, but I have a hard time getting invested into them anymore because it's the same thing over and over and over again.

I forced myself to finish Sun. It was so slow, tedious and mostly uninteresting. The characters never shut up, and their mostly unnecessary babbling made the game a lot longer than it needed to be, the same with its love of false endings.

 

[It’s Time To Go]

I don't believe so no, I think Gamefreak could do more to make the single player more engaging, harder (difficulty modes!), less exposition, maybe encourage people to competitive battle more as thats where a lot of the depth of the battle system is, I'd also be down with DLC, better graphics, shaking up a few more conventions (starter types!)

I think these people wanting Pokemon to be Dark Souls/BOTW/Ni No Kuni are essentially asking Pokemon to be a different game than it is. A lot of stuff they ask for has been done in side games already, or done better in other RPG's, and its not Pokemon. Also asking to just be the original 151 is just silly, the franchise has moved on, Kanto is barely the second worst region.

But overall, this franchise sells tens of millions every unit, so what the kind of people on here want, and what sells, apparently don't correlate. Also I'll buy it no matter what.

 

[Deleted member 1413]

Probably not, but it might cause long term damage if their first Hd game is pretty same-y.
I think people should want/expect more ambition from a franchise that sells 10M units constantly

 

[RockmanBN]

I wouldn't care either way. Mainline games are stale though. Once you played one, you've played them all.

 

[Knight613]

What would a full on reboot include entail exactly?

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

why a "full on reboot" for something thats still a multimillion selling game thats also an e-sport, which would benefit more from a bunch of upgrades and fixes rather than throwing it all in the dumpster.
the logic seems to be entirely selfish, like "why isnt this for me"

people just want everything to be for them, whether its calling turn based outdated, or calling fighting games "too hard" and don't give a shit about how unique and captivating some of the mechanics are.

 

[Deleted member 9714]

It doesn't need a reboot. They just need to go back to the "golden age," which was Gen 4 and 5 and realize where they went wrong during 6 and 7.

Removing hundreds of Pokémon that millions of fans love is not the answer.

 

[Neoxon]

Pokemon needs to change. It's become stale.

I've played the series on and off since it first came out, when my cousin handed me a shareware floppy disc of Pokemon Red and told me I'd love it. That was my introduction to the series, prior to buying Yellow. Somehow I missed the ones that followed and didn't buy another until Pearl, then White and White 2, and eventually Sun.

I haven't played all of the games, but even then I'm bored of the series and its formula and honestly have been for years. I adored it when I was younger and couldn't get enough, but I have a hard time getting invested into them anymore because it's the same thing over and over and over again.

I forced myself to finish Sun. It was so slow, tedious and mostly uninteresting. The characters never shut up, and their mostly unnecessary babbling made the game a lot longer than it needed to be, the same with its love of false endings.

Click to shrink...

Going by what you're saying, it sounds more like you want the mainline games to chill with the story & hand-holding than for the series to just completely start over. Of course, your opinion is your opinion, but I'm just trying to interpret what you said.

 

[Leo]

Idk if it needs a reboot, but they definitely have to get their shit together and make a good game. They're not in a very good streak.

 

[Nintendo]

Yes. I won't buy another Pokémon game until they fully overhaul the game.

 

[TheBeardedOne]

Going by what you're saying, it sounds more like you want the mainline games to chill with the story & hand-holding than for the series to just completely start over. Of course, your opinion is your opinion, but I'm just trying to interpret what you said.

Click to shrink...

That's one of my biggest gripes, but I also said it's the same thing over and over again. There's little to no variety. The games have become wordy AND boring. Sun's story was almost unbearable at times.

I beat both of the White games, but bored of them after a while. The second one was a bit of a slog.

Since, I've owned Heart Gold, Y and Omega Ruby, the latter two I got cheap through Craigslist. Heart Gold I got the Pokewalker version on sale on year, tried to get into it, but ended up selling it because it was a collector's item and made money on it. I don't really miss it -- I tried to play it but it was just the same thing.

I finished Sun, then started Omega Ruby to cross it off my backlog, but stopped part-way through and haven't touched it in a good year or more due to lack of interest. I may just trade it and Y in, along with one other game, for a new release. The only thing stopping me is my completionist attitude, which makes me feel like I should beat them before doing so.

 

[Kino]

Yes, a reboot is necessary. All of my cousins love Pokémon but they hate the games, and I know tons of people who have this problem. The games need to incorporate more things to do besides combat because the battles are not the main attraction for this franchise.

 

[KRBM]

"Yes because I want a new BOTW" is probably what most people think.

Spoiler

like me

 

[Atheerios]

No. And thankfully I don't expect we'll ever see something like that from Game Freak.

 

[Neoxon]

What would a full on reboot include entail exactly?

Click to shrink...

That's entirely based on you. But it'd be further than the extent of Gen 5's soft reboot. While I personally just want a few changes here & there, I'm more curious about the opinions of other people on the subject (hence the creation of this thread).

 

[Spring-Loaded]

For a full-on reboot, I'd want for the player to choose what kind of profession they grow into (Pokémon researcher, photographer, trainer, farmer, doctor, gym leader/manager or whatever), in a game filled with quaint slice-of-life experiences. Each "class" would still revolve around encountering Pokémon, but in various ways. I always found the trainer/battling-focused approach in the series somewhat limiting considering how much else is going on in all Pokémon media aside from battles.

There's so much more to the Pokémon universe that I'd want to experience through the games themselves.

 

[Sesha]

If a full reboot means starting from scratch with the amount of Pokemon/going gen 1 only, and/or moving away from turn-based combat? Then no, absolutely not.

If it's a reimagining of campaign progression, w/ an original premise (ie not about a 10 year going on a journey to be the Pokemon master and defeating regional leaders along the away and champions at the end), or a different approach to storytelling, then I guess that could be interesting.

 

[Deleted member 1839]

I stopped at D/P so I never played B/W. How was it a soft reboot?

 

[It’s Time To Go]

I stopped at D/P so I never played B/W. How was it a soft reboot?

Click to shrink...

They cut off all the old Pokemon for the whole of the single player till you beat the elite 4, so you have to play with the new Pokemon.

 

[Megatron]

I don't know how you could ever say a franchise that sells over 10 million copies every time NEEDS to be changed, but I would like it to.

 

[Deleted member 37151]

I think Pokemon has become increasingly insular and difficult to work out for new fans. It's also leaned ever more heavily into anime storytelling, to its detriment. So a reboot would be good from that perspective.

However, the current fans it has is a huge tent. You could keep making games for them and keep selling millions of copies. You don't want to alienate these people.

It's not as simple as doing a 'BoTW', which people keep suggesting in the other thread. Zelda fans were ready for that in a way Pokemon fans aren't. Post Skyward Sword it was difficult to see a direction for future Zeldas. The fans seem much more on board for the current state of Pokemon. It also has a competitive scene which Zelda doesn't.

I do think there is an interesting direction they could take it with the collection element. Finding the Pokemon in their habitat on an open world map etc. But it probably wouldn't be worth alienating current players to do it.

I have realised that Pokemon just isn't for me and if they tried to make it for me I think it would sell significantly less.

 

[Kyzer]

As a big fan and even someone who thinks most suggestions for reboot are terrible, I do think the games could do with a serious refresh. Even if that comes down to a much more perfected version of what we already have combined with new features

 

[Kyzon Xin]

I just want the battle system rebooted stylistically. Dynamic camera angles, Pokemon actually making contact with each other, etc.

 

[Mega Man Zero]

I think it has strayed too far from the originals with the focus on story. I played through Moon and Ultra Sun and felt like the games were about Lilly and her family and not me as a Pokemon trainer. The game wasn't about my journey anymore. They need to get back to that. The core of Pokemon gameplay. Collecting, raising, trading, battling, and being the very best, like no one ever was.

I would love for the series to break away from the player funneling, Dragon Quest-lite design, and do something with a lot more freedom and exploration, but first they need to fix the mess they've made with the horrible focus on stories.

 

[capnjazz]

I wouldn't mind a full on reboot if you didn't pander to the dumbass genwunners but I think the game is at a fine spot where it's at. I only really care about competitive battling so the story is really irrelevant to me.

 

[Deleted member 1839]

They cut off all the old Pokemon for the whole of the single player till you beat the elite 4, so you have to play with the new Pokemon.

Click to shrink...

Oh. Yeah I would prefer something like this than a full on reboot of the series.

 

[Eumi]

The series sells incredibly well and is popular with an extremely broad demographic.

There is no case to be made that the series needs a reboot. Just people who demand that a game cater to what they want and nothing else.

 

[Neoxon]

I stopped at D/P so I never played B/W. How was it a soft reboot?

Click to shrink...

Black/White & especially Black 2/White 2 are regarded by many as the best in the series from what I've seen, & I personally got a lot of enjoyment out of both sets of games. It really brought back the feeling of Gen 1 in terms of finding new Pokémon everywhere you look.....at least for the main story.

 

[Pedrix]

A reboot maaaaybe could work for new players and/or people that stopped playing long ago
But the vast majority of the community will simply riot if Pokemon Co. tosses away hundreds of pokemons and fucks up the pokemon bank

I mean, people have been faifthfully storing their pokemon since RSE
I'd really cry if I lose my old pal Blaziken.

 

[Dark Ninja]

I think GameFreak needs outside help. They need the other dev teams to lend a hand and suggest ideas. They don't HAVE to make any changes though their current formula is still selling.

 

[Seppala]

I think the serier needs some kind of shake-up. Not something that changes everything that Pokémon is but do something about its cores and re-examening them.

Sure, the series has changed over time but over all it's still pretty much the same. I've played every game in the main series (not the follow-ups like B/W 2 and USUM and not every remake) but the last game I finnished was Diamond.

They are not different enough for me. I really hope they do something new for Pokémon on Swicth and what I reallyu want to change is how you hunt and catch Pokémon.

No more random encounters, I want to see real Pokémon in the world, wandering around so that I can choose when I want to approach a Pokémon I want to catch or battle. Hunting Pokémons like the three legendary dogs from Gold/Silver or Latios/Latias from Ruby and Sapphire would be so much more fun If you actually could spot them in the world.

As for the battles, they're fine even though it would be exciting to see them try a real time battle system but I don't know exactly how that would work. I like that Pokémon is turn-based and maybe they could do so the different elements actually complement eachother in battle. If I use a water attack on a Pokémon a electric attack would do higher damage right after so that you could build combos. Maybe. I don't know.

And I also would like to be able to catch every Pokémon in the games without having to play older games to be able to obtain them. Every Pokémon should be catchable within the games (games as in the two versions, there has to be a reason for trade).

And scrap the concoluted story, go back to basics. The goal is to be the best Pokémon trainer, the world doesn't have to be on brink of extinction.

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

I just want the battle system rebooted stylistically. Dynamic camera angles, Pokemon actually making contact with each other, etc.

Click to shrink...

thats near impossible to do with a lot of moves, like wrap. Youd need specific animations for hundreds of Pokemon and they're just not going to do that.
That and moves like horn drill you're going to have a glancing version like the anime at best because they're not going to show that kind of "contact"

 

[diverit]

A reboot would be great, particularly if it means more consistency. Regional variants are cool, but limited. The same goes for stone, trade, and mega evolutions.

 

[Ashflow]

More "soft reboots" like Black/White is perfectly fine by me. The only thing I do think needs a reboot is the trend of adding mechanics and then not supporting them at all in later games (mega pokemon, various battle types, probably z moves and Alolan/regional pokemon, etc).

 

[Diamond0892]

Yes, a reboot is necessary. All of my cousins love Pokémon but they hate the games, and I know tons of people who have this problem. The games need to incorporate more things to do besides combat because the battles are not the main attraction for this franchise.

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I'm not asking this in any "derogative" way, but... is Pokemon GO the only Pokemon game that your cousins have played up until now? I'm saying this because precisely, I have a 6-years-old cousin who knows about Pokemon from Pokémon GO, and when she comes home and ask me to play Pokemon in the 3DS, she is only interested in moving around and finding Pokémon, but not actually fighting them.

And honestly, I think that, in terms of gameplay, the mainline games shouldn't change. It's true that Game Freak should add other interesting things to do in the games, but the "core" of the games are always catching, trading and battling, and they have built a vast battling system with moves, effects, etc... all based in the concept of "turn-based RPG", so I don't think they will change that. Besides, I think that, if they were to make a new game with a new batling system, why not making it a spin-off and leave the mainline games as they are?

 

[HPH]

I really liked Pokemon Sun and I look forward to an evolution of that game and previous Pokemon games. There's no need for a drastic departure in my opinion.

 

[Bedameister]

I would be totally hyped by a reboot and drastic changes.
But I would also love the shit out of a regular new Gen or Gen 4 remake.
Just please no Gen 1 Remake, enough with the nostalgia.

 

[Deleted member 426]

I'm ambivalent about a reboot but I want more of a rebalancing or a removal of some things. Scald should have never existed.

Click to shrink...

Same, I think I'd be excited for a Switch Pokemon anyway, but I'd be more excited for a reboot (although it's more of a risk). So I feel like I want both approaches at the same time.

 

[Ms. Virion]

I don't mind an overhaul of the series as long as that doesn't mean getting rid of the existing pokemon. Most of my favorites come way after Gen 1, and I don't know if I'd bother to stick with the franchise if it meant losing them.

 

[Brawly Likes to Brawl]

Idk if it needs a reboot, but they definitely have to get their shit together and make a good game. They're not in a very good streak.

Click to shrink...

This. The 3ds era of the mainseries has been such a crapshoot for me.

 

[Justicus]

why a "full on reboot" for something thats still a multimillion selling game thats also an e-sport, which would benefit more from a bunch of upgrades and fixes rather than throwing it all in the dumpster.
the logic seems to be entirely selfish, like "why isnt this for me"

people just want everything to be for them, whether its calling turn based outdated, or calling fighting games "too hard" and don't give a shit about how unique and captivating some of the mechanics are.

Click to shrink...

Well what's wrong with that? I stopped playing after gold and silver and the more Pokemon they introduce the less interested I am. Don't we play video games to enjoy ourselves? If a reboot of any sort is going to make me enjoy the series, why would I have the slightest concern for what anyone else wants? By hat logic your being selfish by trying to deprive people from going back to the 151. You can't please everyone nor should you try.

 

[Wiggles]

Yes, for me personally. I last played the series properly in Pokemon Yellow when I was a kid. I tried XY on 3DS and could not get into it at all. To me it was in a weird state of simultaneously being stuck in the past while also being too advanced for me to get into it. The top-down perspective with turn-based battling didn't feel like it had evolved much since the Game Boy days. On the flip-side, I felt completely out of my depth that 151 Pokemon had grown to over 700.

The rumors of a Breath of the Wild-style "here's how you always imagined the series world turn out" reboot, with just 151 Pokemon again, has me excited. I really buy into it happening as well. For the first proper console Pokemon game (in a sense), i'm expecting them to go really big with an open world and a fully 3D camera.

Some folk might say "but they had HD-ready models in Pokemon 3DS, they'll re-use them". I don't think that holds water at all (after all, people also said the same thing about Super Mario Galaxy having "HD textures" meaning it would get an HD remaster on Wii U). I think what we're looking at with these so called HD-ready Pokemon is just very good modelling that still happens to look pretty good in HD. That's been ancient news for plenty of games in the emulation scene for a while, hardly proof of anything.

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

Well what's wrong with that? I stopped playing after gold and silver and the more Pokemon they introduce the less interested I am. Don't we play video games to enjoy ourselves? If a reboot of any sort is going to make me enjoy the series, why would I have the slightest concern for what anyone else wants? By hat logic your being selfish by trying to deprive people from going back to the 151. You can't please everyone nor should you try.

Click to shrink...

If you dont enjoy the pokemon battle system as it is, then pokemon simply isnt for you. The same way asking for smash bros to be rebooted because you don't like it is ridiculous.
There are things you can improve on significantly without destroying what is in essence the identity and soul of the gameplay and franchise.

 

[Professor Beef]

You already linked a thread that can continue discussion.