Summary
- The Pokemon Company is considering making adjustments to its release schedule following fan backlash towards recent games.
- The accelerated release schedule for Pokemon games has led to criticism from fans, who feel it may be affecting the quality of the games.
- While no official confirmation has been made, a change in Pokemon's release cycle could be welcomed by fans who have been critical of the franchise's newest games.
A new interview from The Pokemon Company suggests Pokemon may be considering making adjustments to its release schedule, following fan backlash towards recent releases. The monster-catching franchise's meteoric rise to one of gaming's most iconic series has come with an expedited timeline for the games, especially over the past few years. 2022 saw the release of two high-profile games within the same calendar year with Pokemon Legends: Arceus launching in January and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet in November. Now, the publisher could be considering changes for its future releases.
The deluge of new Pokemon games has seen several recent entries subject to greater criticism from the franchise's passionate fans. Both Pokemon Sword and Shield and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet saw negative feedback from fans with many feeling the accelerated release schedule for the games may be hindering their quality. Scarlet and Violet saw heavy fan backlash due to performance issues with the games' launch with many reporting frame rate issues, a poor online experience, and other issues. Now, The Pokemon Company could be taking Scarlet and Violet's troubled launch to heart.
During a recent interview with ComicBook, The Pokemon Company COO's Takato Utsunomiya discussed the heightened release schedule and changes the publisher is considering internally. Utsunomiya discussed The Pokemon Company's typical steady release schedule with the company regularly releasing new products "on a fixed cadence" throughout the years. The executive would reveal the publisher is seeing increased conversations about how it can continue with its typical pace, while "ensuring quality products are being introduced." Utsunomiya would not directly confirm any release schedule shifts within the interview.
A change to Pokemon's typical release cycle would likely be a welcome shift from many fans who have been critical of the quality of the franchise's newest games. Recent years have not only seen two new generations launch for the franchise, but also major spinoffs including Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and the previously mentioned Legends: Arceus. The Pokemon Company has also increasingly partnered with other developers for spinoffs like Pokemon Unite and Pokemon Sleep.
While Pokemon would not directly confirm any changes to its release schedule, the franchise has already set itself up for a busy schedule in the coming months. The Teal Mask, the first half of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC, is set to launch next month with The Indigo Disk planned for next year. Rumors have also swirled about potential Pokemon Black and White remakes in recent months, expected to be revealed in the near future. A change in Pokemon's release schedule could prove beneficial not only for the developers, but fans of the franchise as well.
Source: ComicBook