Following up on the Pokémon Direct on June 5th, Nintendo has revealed more information on Pokémon Sword and Shield at the Nintendo Treehouse Live at E3 event.[prebreak][/prebreak] The showcase revealed a few things, such as the new Pokémon Yamper and Impidimp, as well as other general gameplay.

However, during discussions with Junichi Masuda, he revealed that not every Pokémon is going to be available in Pokémon Sword and Shield. "What that means for Pokémon Sword and Shield is that players will be able to transfer their Pokémon from Pokémon Home, only if they appear in the Galar Pokédex." This means that certain Pokémon will be completely omitted from the game, for the first time in the series' history. Naturally, people are upset about this, leading to a whopping 40,000 dislikes on Nintendo's official upload, compared to the video's 15,000 likes. Part of the frustration comes from the idea that all Pokémon can be transferred to the new Pokémon Home service, and have no way of leaving, leaving them in what is essentially a Pokémon Prison.

In an interview with USgamer, Masuda explained that the reason for omitting Pokémon was down to the "higher fidelity" of the game, as well as the "higher quality animations". He also said that they're looking to keep the battle system balanced, and to allow the new Pokémon to shine.

Junichi Masuda, Producer: There are a couple of different parts to the thinking behind it, but really the biggest reason for it is just the sheer number of Pokemon. We already have well over 800 Pokemon species, and there's going to be more added in these games. And now that they're on the Nintendo Switch, we're creating it with much higher fidelity with higher quality animations. But even more than that, it's coming down to the battle system. We're making sure we can keep everything balanced and give all the Pokemon that appear in the games a chance to shine.

We knew at some point we weren't going to be able to indefinitely keep supporting all of the Pokemon, and we just found that Sword and Shield would probably be a good point to go back and reevaluate what would be the best selection of Pokemon that appeal to the widest audience while keeping into consideration the balance of the battle system. It isn't just going to be all-new Pokemon in the Galar region Pokedex; there's still going to be a lot of favorites that fans will be able to bring over that they've adventured with previously. But yeah, it was pretty much just balancing and getting this optimal selection of Pokemon for the adventure we wanted to provide.

Previously, all Pokémon were available through trades and cross-generation transfers of Pokémon. This meant that each game had a unique set of Pokémon that appear, but the others can be obtained in some form. It's currently unknown how many Pokémon have been cut from Sword and Shield.

You can find a list of Pokémon confirmed for Sword and Shield here.

YouTube Video
USgamer Interview

 

[x65943]

I think it really is just that simple. The engine takes care of the rest.

Let's go was an obviously rushed game. I don't think this says much about SS. I am withholding judgement until we see just what they've done.

 

[Xzi]

Let's go was an obviously rushed game. I don't think this says much about SS. I am withholding judgement until we see just what they've done.

That's the exact same model, though, it's just different shaders applied to gen8.

 

[aofelix]

completely understandable. there are too many pokemon to make the transition in such a short time period to a completely new architecture and platform.

 

[Deleted member 445482]

completely understandable. there are too many pokemon to make the transition in such a short time period to a completely new architecture and platform.

Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu / Eevee

 

[KingBlank]

This is an outrage, Game Freak should just create 800+ unique sets of animations for every single Pokemon. As fans, we are entitled to a series of games that grows in size and scope after every single release. All they need to do is copy-paste the models over, it's really easy, trust me. /s

Yeah, I'm just happy to hear that they are focusing on quality over quantity, this is a good direction for the series.

 

[Jayro]

Old news is old. I've been seeing this news on Facebook for a few days now.

 

[kuwanger]

As fans, we are entitled to a series of games that grows in size and scope after every single release.

Literally that's the defining quality of Pokemon that created fans of the series. Of course, the real solution is to acknowledge that Pokemon can "go extinct" after a while. Maybe Pokemon: Apocalypse to reboot the series? I mean, that worked for X-Men, right?

PS - Never been a Pokemon fan precisely because it was always rooted around gotta catch 'em all and the progressively expanding Pokemon base/abilities to drive more sales. It's good to see it's finally biting them in the ass. The only thing left is when they start offering Pokemon DLC.

 

[VartioArtel]

I do get the rage, but it's ignorant.

People saying "Gotta catch 'em all"? How many did you catch INSIDE THAT GAME? The ones that spawn IN. THAT. GAME. You already caught those others - in the other games! YOU ALREADY CAUGHT THEM ALL!

The national dexes have been optional content for a while now (since I think Gen 4 postgame?). They have no actual purpose other than keeping track if you own EVERY INDIVIDUAL POKEMON.

Beyond porting over pokemon for battle from older gens... what do you need them for? To complete your National Dex? The new PokeBank or whatever the hell it's called (too lazy to look, bad nuff memory not to remember) covers that fetish.

Look, I get it, you guys are mad. But hell, I remember Gen 5 first games being THE EXACT SAME.

Also you got to remember that every Pokemon added is file size. At some point, those Switch carts can't handle all that info. They have to cut the memory cap eventually, and the easiest way to do that? Superfluous pokemon. Cuts down on that many models worth of info and allows them to make more intricate maps, character models, etc.

So as I said, what's there to be angry about? That you can't port older pokemon to the new ones? So what? You can't port your Shiny Charizard (example)? Oh no.

You can't complex your National Dex in-game? Do it in Pokemon Brothel.

You can't get laid? Do it in Pokemon Ba- ...I think I mixed these last two lines up but you get my point!

 

[Spider_Man]

His excuse is retarded almost as bad as when they admitted they cant make games anymore and ha ded matroid 3 to a different studio.

Then here commenses pokemon as fucking dlc.

Nevermind if it can be transferred its still within the game and like every other cash cow pokemon game, you only need the one version and experience how to hack it, and youll have every single pokemon at your disposal.

 

[Deleted User]

Could they, though? Is it as simple as importing models and animations and getting them to work "out of the box"?... Or would there be issues in doing so that would require more QA than just making them from a base? Game development is far from copy and pasting from prior games. Especially on a newer system.

if they use a standard format for the models, and keep the files for the animations which they proven they have since they've reused them dozens of times since x/y, then yes, yes it is that easy. models and animations aren't platform specific

 

[PrincessLillie]

That, and Pokémon is one of the biggest media franchises of all time, they can damn well afford it.

Correction: It is THE biggest and highest-grossing media franchise of all time, at least according to Wikipedia.

I said it in the other thread, I'll say it again: There is no goddamn excuse for this.

 

[graeme122]

From X/Y actually, I believe. The models in the 3DS versions were made to be future-proof, which probably explains why battles run so poorly in the 3DS games.

Is it just pokemon models that are reused, Or is all games since XY made at super high quality buildings and all and then scaled down to the 3DS. So could Sword shield be scaled down to 3DS also.

 

[altorn]

The thing is: they have the models and the animations. This is not an excuse.
Stop defending an incomplete game.

The models? Yes. Animations and special effects? Probably still incomplete.

 

[gman666]

I do get the rage, but it's ignorant.

People saying "Gotta catch 'em all"? How many did you catch INSIDE THAT GAME? The ones that spawn IN. THAT. GAME. You already caught those others - in the other games! YOU ALREADY CAUGHT THEM ALL!

The national dexes have been optional content for a while now (since I think Gen 4 postgame?). They have no actual purpose other than keeping track if you own EVERY INDIVIDUAL POKEMON.

Beyond porting over pokemon for battle from older gens... what do you need them for? To complete your National Dex? The new PokeBank or whatever the hell it's called (too lazy to look, bad nuff memory not to remember) covers that fetish.

Look, I get it, you guys are mad. But hell, I remember Gen 5 first games being THE EXACT SAME.

Also you got to remember that every Pokemon added is file size. At some point, those Switch carts can't handle all that info. They have to cut the memory cap eventually, and the easiest way to do that? Superfluous pokemon. Cuts down on that many models worth of info and allows them to make more intricate maps, character models, etc.

So as I said, what's there to be angry about? That you can't port older pokemon to the new ones? So what? You can't port your Shiny Charizard (example)? Oh no.

Your entire post is pure ignorance... It's not about just catching them all or "Oh no my shiny". People want to be able to experience the entirety of the Pokemon universe. There are a lot of people who have transferred their Pokemon from gen 3 all the way up to Sun and Moon. You can't expect people to just accept a huge feature to be cut and nothing is used to compensate (Gen 3 had Leaf Green and Fire Red). Competitively, this changes a large portion of the meta-game and it will make a lot of Pokemon redundant or just plain unusable. And your argument about file sizes is flawed because these are the exact same Pokemon models from prior games just using different shaders. Also, have you even bothered to look at the "High quality animations" that Masuda is so proud of?.... They're absolute shit

 

[Shubshub]

We have a Hashtag going on Twitter right now so voice your displeasure there
#BringBackNationalDex

 

[VartioArtel]

Your entire post is pure ignorance... It's not about just catching them all or "Oh no my shiny". People want to be able to experience the entirety of the Pokemon universe. There are a lot of people who have transferred there Pokemon from gen 3 all the way up to Sun and Moon. You can't expect people to just accept a huge feature to be cut and nothing is used to compensate (Gen 3 had Leaf Green and Fire Red). Competitively, this changes a large portion of the meta-game and it will make a lot of Pokemon redundant or just plain unusable. And your argument about file sizes is flawed because these are the exact same Pokemon models from prior games just using different shaders. Also, have you even bothered to look at the "High quality animations" that Masuda is so proud of?.... They're absolute shit

You couldn't experience the entire pokemon universe IN ANY POKEMON GAME THUS FAR. That argument is so easy to poke holes in. You can't go to Kanjo Sectors in Gen 3+ games sans FR/LG and LGTH P+E, for example. And transferring pokemon was somehow not a huge deal with LGP+E, which is still extremely popular (although not AS popular).

Each one has been limited to, bar transfers, the pokemon IN THEIR OWN GAME. They've been limited to the REGIONS in their own game. You can still transfer your old pokemon - if they exist INSIDE THAT REGION in Sw&Sh's case. This implies that they more or less will establish a lore-based reasoning (I hope).

To complain about the Pokemon, but not complaining about being unable to visit old regions, etc, is a form of subtle hypocrisy which doesn't even come up considering Gen 2 and HG/SS have proven that they can include multiple regions in one game, and yet nobody has complained about them removing THAT feature, subtle as it is. Nobody complaining about them removing Mega Evolutions AND Z-moves (they said flat out Megamax is replacing M.Evos and Z-Moves, the former being a feature for 2 gens). No, it's for some reason the Pokemon themselves? I don't buy it. It's selective rage over a complete unknown on WHAT pokemon aren't coming, and I wouldn't be shocked if the pokemon not coming are ones you don't care much, if at all, about.

You have your reasons, but in the end, all I see is deflection. You claim I'm ignorant? You are ignorant how many Pokemon AREN'T coming, WHICH aren't coming, and you're raising a hella stink.

 

[guisadop]

Looks like another generation I'm skipping then. Wasn't THAT excited for it already though.

 

[gman666]

You couldn't experience the entire pokemon universe IN ANY POKEMON GAME THUS FAR. That argument is so easy to poke holes in. You can't go to Kanjo Sectors in Gen 3+ games sans FR/LG and LGTH P+E, for example. And transferring pokemon was somehow not a huge deal with LGP+E, which is still extremely popular (although not AS popular).

Each one has been limited to, bar transfers, the pokemon IN THEIR OWN GAME. They've been limited to the REGIONS in their own game. You can still transfer your old pokemon - if they exist INSIDE THAT REGION in Sw&Sh's case. This implies that they more or less will establish a lore-based reasoning (I hope).

To complain about the Pokemon, but not complaining about being unable to visit old regions, etc, is a form of subtle hypocrisy which doesn't even come up considering Gen 2 and HG/SS have proven that they can include multiple regions in one game, and yet nobody has complained about them removing THAT feature, subtle as it is. Nobody complaining about them removing Mega Evolutions AND Z-moves (they said flat out Megamax is replacing M.Evos and Z-Moves, the former being a feature for 2 gens). No, it's for some reason the Pokemon themselves? I don't buy it. It's selective rage over a complete unknown on WHAT pokemon aren't coming, and I wouldn't be shocked if the pokemon not coming are ones you don't care much, if at all, about.

You have your reasons, but in the end, all I see is deflection. You claim I'm ignorant? You are ignorant how many Pokemon AREN'T coming, WHICH aren't coming, and you're raising a hella stink.

Let's go was not a main line Pokemon game and including other regions has been a feature that people have been asking about FOR YEARS. And people have asked about refining Mega Evolutions and Z-Moves since they've been released (Yet Game Freak continues to deny fans). Everything that you just posted only adds to the fact that people have a legit reason to be pissed about the continuously disappointing performance from Game Freak. I didn't mention any of those other facts because that is not what this discussion was about.

 

[TangentingTangerines]

Pokemon Lets Go: Only has 151 Pokemon, still has worse animations than Pokemon Stadium from 2 decades ago.
Pokemon Sword and Shield: "We needed to remove Pokemon in order to have better animations."
Bullshit. Animations still look just as bad as Lets Go from the footage I've seen. Every Pokemon already has standardized animations, one for idle, one for special attack, one for physical attacks, one for appearing from Pokeball, just like in Lets Go, just like in Sun and Moon, just like in ORAS, and just like in X&Y. I wasn't complaining about it up until Lets Go because of just how many Pokemon and how many moves they'd need to animate, but either give us good animation and a limited Pokemon roster, or give us shit animation and the full roster like you've been doing up until Let's Go.

 

[Fugelmir]

It's amazing given the popularity and hysteria that the production values are always so low.