Junichi Masuda talks about Pokemon Let's Go major changes, graphics, more

[Atheerios]

Edit:

Incorporating elements from Pokemon GO is quite ground-breaking; it must've taken a lot of courage to make that kind of decision.

Masuda: It was a daunting task we took upon ourselves, for sure. There was considerable debate within the team concerning the absence of wild Pokemon battles. Up until this point I had been steadfast in defending the mechanic as the series director; this time, though, I felt like we should try to change things up a bit. Personally, I've always felt that the weakening and capturing mechanic is a bit like fishing – there are people that aren't fans of that kind of strategy, though. To that end – as I mentioned before – I wanted to make these games more enjoyable for a wider audience of fans. As such, we simplified the mechanics. Until now, catching Pokemon has been vaguely reminiscent of fishing, whereas I'd liken the new mechanic to catching bugs with a net. I have to wonder if people will enjoy that sort of straightforward mechanic more so than the previous mechanic

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Please check the full interview here:
https://nintendoeverything.com/poke...the-graphics-major-changes-go-mechanics-more/

Looks like some of the original info posted below is inaccurate.

Original post:

This is my own translation from a Spanish Pokémon website that has posted some details from the recent Famitsu interview (so excuse me if there are some grammar mistakes). Also while writing this post Joe Merrick from Serebii tweeted some details so I'm also using some of his translations.

• The main reason why Pokémon Let's Go doesn't have wild battles is to make it similar to Pokémon GO.
  [*]However, that's not the only reason. Masuda thinks that the classic catching mechanics may be too difficult for some players, so they wanted to simplify the captures by introducing the GO mechanics.
• (Above information may be wrong, please check Nintendo Everything)
• This was a controversial decision even at Game Freak, but Masuda says that as he is the director it's "his responsibility".
• They need to keep trying new things for Pokémon or the gameplay will stale.
• They intend to continue experimenting with new gameplay styles and some of them may also generate the same kind of controversial discussions.
• They are open/listening to feedback, both positive and negative, for consideration for the future.
• When asked about the graphical style of Let's Go, Masuda responded that he chose the style to be more fantasy like, not realistic, and so parents could more instantly recognise it as Pokémon, and a safe game, at a glance when peering in to check on their kids from another room.
• Pokémon CP are different in LGPE and in GO. A Pokémon with the same CP number in both games will be stronger in GO.
• This time the person in charge of the music is Shota Kageyama. They decided to use classical instruments with the goal to relax players while listening and create the vision of a peaceful world.
• Alola forms won't appear in the wild in LGPE, however there may be a way to obtain them without Pokémon GO...

[Mod Edit: Title changed by request of OP]

 

[AzureFlame]

I'm speechless.

 

[Eggiem]

Too difficult? My 5yo self and all his kindergarden friends disagree.

 

[Cybersai]

Pokemon has seriously jumped the shark.

Most of us played the original games when we were kids, how is it we played these games just fine as kids and now they have to be dumbed down for today's generation? The series is one step away from being the last straw that breaks the camels back.

 

[Deleted member 23212]

Well, I'm fine with them doing it for this game, considering that it's a spin-off and not part of the main series.

 

[Serebii]

Do note that my translation is rough and I'm awaiting my professional translators to get on, but it's the weekend

 

[enkaisu]

Lol you literally just attack it 2 or 3 times and use a pokéball it's not hard

 

[Meffer]

Pressing a few buttons and managing health is TOO hard for some people. Jesus christ.

We all must've been fucking geniuses when we played Pokemon back then.

 

[Atheerios]

Well, I'm fine with them doing it for this game, considering that it's a spin-off and not part of the main series.

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It's officially part of the main series. But let's not start this here please. Go to this thread if you want to discuss about that: https://www.resetera.com/threads/ye...ee-are-part-of-the-core-pokémon-series.55484/

 

[takriel]

Translation: "I think kids are too stupid to catch Pokemon"

 

[Poppy]

i know we all get a bit overdramatic about gamefreak but it really does seem like they just think kids are really goddamn stupid lately

 

[Tidalwaves]

Still waiting for the game after before reacting.

 

[Xaszatm]

Well...this will go over well....

 

[Deleted member 34949]

Masuda thinks that the classic catching mechanics may be too difficult for some players, so they wanted to simplify the captures by introducing the GO mechanics.

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Isn't there a tutorial for this in literally every core game

 

[Derrick01]

Too difficult? A small child could figure it out before. If you need to change the gameplay so it doesn't get stale you don't dumb it down even more, that just speeds up the process of getting stale.

 

[XenodudeX]

Yeah. I'm skipping this. Hopefully gen 8 will be for me.

 

[The Great Khali]

Pokémon getting stale?

How about being more ambitious, give me a sprawling world to discover with full camera controls.

 

[808s & Villainy]

When asked about the graphical style of Let's Go, Masuda responded that he chose the style to be more fantasy like, not realistic, and so parents could more instantly recognise it as Pokémon, and a safe game, at a glance when peering in to check on their kids from another room.

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For fuck's sake Masuda, it's Pokemon. The game is as bright and kid friendly as possible in every way. Even if they continued the art style of SuMo I don't think any parent would mistake it for something inappropriate. Where does he get these ideas from?!

 

[Cybersai]

Did they remove the puzzles in Silph co, Celadon underground, the rock strength puzzles in caves, the burned mansion in Cinnibar, etc?

If they remove the puzzles or dumb them down it really will be the last straw that breaks the camels back.

 

[Mysterio79]

As much as this forum lives in a hardcore bubble, Gamefreak are obviously chasing a much wider casual market here.

This goes back to DS and Wii days where Nintendo would simultaneously release a huge core and casual game back to back to see explosive synergistic hardware sales growth hitting multipliers with multiple demographics buying in.

Smash and Pokemon Let's Go represent these titles and I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Let's Go bury the next core Pokemon release in terms of sales.

 

[MatrixMan.exe]

So how did tens of millions of 90's kids get on with it just fine? I'm lost.

 

[DrArchon]

Yeah, it's clearly too difficult for kids to learn. That's why Pokemon never took off with small children when it first came out. Only skilled adults like Pokemon games. Everyone knows this.

 

[Deleted member 23212]

It's officially part of the main series. But let's not start this here please. Go to this thread if you want to discuss about that: https://www.resetera.com/threads/ye...ee-are-part-of-the-core-pokémon-series.55484/

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It actually has a huge importance in the discussion, because they have already said that a traditional Pokémon is coming out next year, so I don't see what the issue is with experimenting for this game.

 

[RockmanBN]

I feel like they assume all kids nowadays will jump ship if they fail anything once.

 

[Big One]

I'm starting to believe Masuda is genuinely incompetent at his job. He's constantly worried about criticism for his decisions.

If you're worried about getting criticisms then why in the fuck would you do controversial things in the first place? What's the point?

"We're willing to listen to feedback both positive and negative."

Uhh...dude, your company is developing a game for next year as well. Get your shit together.

 

[enkaisu]

We're never gonna get older looking protags like the BW and XY games again, are we? Otherwise moms might think it's too hardcore for lil Timmy or Samantha.

 

[Imitatio]

Too... difficult? What? Are they trying to get embryos to play this?

 

[LinkStrikesBack]

The series peaked early in terms of sales and I'm not convinced the repeated dumbing down of all mechanics outside of the backend competitive battle stuff helped stem that for the last twenty years, so uh, I can't agree with that.

I very much doubt it was Pokémon being too complex to catch that was holding rby back, anyway...

 

[Deleted member 31092]

Gen VII is our last hope.

 

[Kaz Mk II]

Uh huh.

But you're still gonna give everyone an unskippable tutorial on catching Pokemon in gen 8. And have no difficulty options so that the first few hours are dull as fuck.

I'm happy that they're experimenting. Just wish they'd think about adding options to thier games that can appeal to long time fans too. I mean the fact that Lets Go is basically remaking Kanto automatically makes it appeal to a lot of older fans.

 

[Grexeno]

"Also this will be how you catch Pokemon in Gen 8."

 

[Blackleg-sanji1]

Does he not expect kids to play gen 8?

 

[RochHoch]

Fuck off Masuda.

How can someone be so ridiculously out of touch with the product that their company has been making for over 20 years? This is just mind-boggling levels of ignorance right here.

 

[Deleted member 249]

As someone who is mad excited for LGP/E, please stop talking Masuda.

 

[Deleted member 4037]

... how? Its not exactly rocket science

 

[MGPanda]

I wasn't as outraged as everybody was, thought the game looked amazing and I'm still definetely getting it, but good lord, hopefully they'll patch out the gym dude that forces you to have a Pokémon stronger against the gym type. Like what, if I enter the gym with a Nidoran with double kick I won't be able to fight Brock just because he's not water or grass? That's absolute bullshit, even the youngest audiences can get the typing charts without it being forced like that.

 

[JINX]

 

[Aleh]

The most interesting part for me is the bit about the graphical style. It means Gen 8 really will look a lot better in my opinion.

 

[NeonZ]

I really hope Pokemon Let's Go underperforms, otherwise the Pokemon series could be setting itself up to fall quite badly in the future.

 

[Big One]

I wasn't as outraged as everybody was, thought the game looked amazing and I'm still definetely getting it, but good lord, hopefully they'll patch out the gym dude that forces you to have a Pokémon stronger against the gym type. Like what, if I enter the gym with a Nidoran with double kick I won't be able to fight Brock just because he's not water or grass? That's absolute bullshit, even the youngest audiences can get the typing charts without it being forced like that.

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They aren't going to patch that out and yes you have to have the specific types listed there to enter the Gym.

If you don't like what the game has to offer, don't buy it. Nobody is obligated to buy these games.

 

[Brawly Likes to Brawl]

Uh huh.

But you're still gonna give everyone an unskippable tutorial on catching Pokemon in gen 8. And have no difficulty options so that the first few hours are dull as fuck.

I'm happy that they're experimenting. Just wish they'd think about adding options to thier games that can appeal to long time fans too. I mean the fact that Lets Go is basically remaking Kanto automatically makes it appeal to a lot of older fans.

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Don't forget the endless unskippable cutscenes starring boring characters you don't care about.

 

[Gobias-Ind]

It appears that the fishing minigame has also changed and now you waggle the worm.

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Ha hell yeah ya do.

Game sounds perfect, looking forward to everyone buying the piss out of it.

 

[diablogg]

If he actually said traditional catching was too difficult for some people I truly don't know what to say other than that is extremely out of touch with reality. My 5 year old brother stumbled through Pokemon Gold as a kid with extremely minimal help from me (I remember he brickwalled at Whitneys Gym versus the Miltank hehehe.)

 

[Deleted member 197]

Another thing about graphics that he mentions is that the 2019 game will have more "elaborate" graphics than Let's GO.

Wonder if it will be an actual big jump.

 

[Majukun]

I agree, lower the hp of a pokèmon and then select a ball from the inventory..way too many complicated steps for our fleeble human minds

 

[Izayoi]

I'm becoming genuinely worried about the future of the series, at this point.

 

[Davey Cakes]

Pokemon hasn't really gotten more complex on the most fundamental level over the years so I disagree that it's necessary to dumb down the experience. Then again, I was ten-years-old when I first played Pokemon in 1998. Maybe the audience is for kids even younger than that.

 

[AzureFlame]

I really hope Pokemon Let's Go underperforms, otherwise the Pokemon series could be setting itself up to fall quite badly in the future.

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That's what I'm hoping for as well.

 

[Revali]

I have no idea why Game Freak continues to act like kids nowadays dislike games that they'll have difficulty mastering straight away. The biggest games for kids this decade have been Minecraft, Fortnite, and perhaps GTA V (despite the rating). Minecraft offered practically no instruction to help new players and became one of the biggest games of all time, Fortnite has a strong community of skilled players, and GTA is GTA.

 

[808s & Villainy]

The series peaked early in terms of sales and I'm not convinced the repeated dumbing down of all mechanics outside of the backend competitive battle stuff helped stem that for the last twenty years, so uh, I can't agree with that.

I very much doubt it was Pokémon being too complex to catch that was holding rby back, anyway...

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The problem is that he's trying to expand into a younger audience instead of realizing the series has more potential expanding into an older one. Kids.Will.Always.Buy.Pokemon.
Adults are the ones who have to be convinced. Attracting them makes more sense