The hype surrounding the next two Pokémon games, Pokémon Sword and Shield, took a nosedive recently after it was confirmed by Nintendo that the two titles will feature just a fraction of the usual number of catchable critters.
During the Nintendo Treehouse: Live events showcased at E3 2019 last month it became clear that the two games won’t feature all of the Pokémon from the series, instead having only the new Galar region pocket monsters. It was also confirmed that it won’t be possible to trade other Pokémon from different titles.
Interestingly, it’s yet to be revealed just how many Pokémon will be available to capture in Pokémon Sword and Shield, but even Mega Evolutions and Z-Moves won’t feature in the titles.
The news caused huge upset for longstanding fans of the Pokémon franchise, with lots of people even claiming they’ll be boycotting the games following the reveal.
With such a huge backlash on their hands, it was only a matter of time before Game Freak issued a statement on the issues.
Coming from head of Game Freak, Junichi Masuda, the official statement says that Game Freak has heard the concerns of fans – but has no plans to implement any changes.
“Thank you to all of our fans for caring so deeply about Pokémon. Recently, I shared the news that some Pokémon cannot be transferred to Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield. I’ve read all your comments and appreciate your love and passion for Pokémon,” writes Masuda.
“Just like all of you, we are passionate about Pokémon and each and every one of them is very important to us. After so many years of developing the Pokémon video games, this was a very difficult decision for me. I’d like to make one thing clear: even if a specific Pokémon is not available in Pokémon Swordand Pokémon Shield, that does not mean it will not appear in future games.
“The world of Pokémon continues to evolve. The Galar region offers new Pokémon to encounter, Trainers to battle, and adventures to embark on. We are pouring our hearts into these games, and we hope you will look forward to joining us on this new journey.”
Although incredibly disheartening, it’s important to not judge the game until we get to play it…right?
Pokémon Sword & Shield will be released for the Nintendo Switch on November 15, 2019.
Featured Image Credit: Nintendo