We all remember the whirlwind of a release that was Pokemon Violet and Scarlet. The anticipation was high and people were excited to see where the series would go after Pokemon Arceus was released. However, fans were disappointed with the weak display of graphics, game-breaking bugs, and overall questionable gameplay mechanics that didn’t make much sense for certain parts of the game. The glitches and bugs alone were so bad and complaints from fans were so loud that Nintendo issued an apology and promised that fixes were underway for the game.
It’s no surprise why fans were so upset about the bugs and graphics. Nintendo owns one of the highest-grossing forms of media and entertainment in the world, Pokemon. Furthermore, Nintendo is the highest-grossing company in Japan. Yet somehow, their new mainline Pokemon games looked and played worse than mobile games that started with far less budget, such as Genshin Impact. However, thanks to the fans, Gamefreak seems to be stepping up its game and Nintendo seems to be cooperating by cutting them more slack. So, what have Gamefreak and Nintendo been up to that led us to make such an assumption?
Trusting the Heart of The Cards?
No, we’re not talking about Yu-Gi-Oh’s heart of the cards, but instead about the Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) and how it plays a significant role in determining what’s going on with the release schedule. For the longest time, the mainline Pokemon games were usually in synch to be released alongside the new trading cards that featured the new Pokemon of those games. This is for marketing purposes. However, it’s been clear for over a decade that if you knew a release date for a new set of cards, you’d also know that the game that featured the debut of those Pokemon was either two weeks before or after the cards’ release date.
The most recent set of cards just had an estimate for their release date revealed. The new Z-A-themed Pokemon cards will be released sometime in the summer or fall of 2025. This means we can assume that Pokemon Legends: Z-A is more than likely going to release in the latter half of 2025, and possibly closer to the holidays. It’s unfortunate, but there has been a shortage of Pokemon content as of late.
What does this mean for Gamefreak and Nintendo listening to their fans? It means mainline titles aren’t being rushed out like they were in 2022 with Arceus followed by Scarlet and Violet at the end of the year. They are finally spacing out their release schedule and giving more development effort to quality over quantity. It was this scrunched release schedule that had fans thinking that development quality was being thrown out the window.
The Hunt for New and Experienced Talent
Following the criticism of Scarlet and Violet, the company is now seeking to expand its workforce and fill it with more experienced individuals. Gamefreak recently released a statement that they are recruiting for new talent. The list for the new hiring post is extensive. There are openings from programmers to planners to back office positions. And at the end of this month on August 30, there will be a free online information session on recruitment.
Anyone can join this session regardless of experience, but Gamefreak made it clear in the post that they are actively looking for people who have 3 plus years of experience to fill management and leadership roles. The fact that Gamefreak is expanding its workforce and seeking talented leaders at this particular time on August 2024, tells us one thing; Pokemon Legends: Z-A will not be released until the end of next year, the holiday of 2025. Of course, this is just assuming that all of this newly, to-be-hired talent is specifically for that game.
Final Thoughts
Gamefreak and Nintendo are well aware that their latest works in the mainline Pokemon Series were lacking. The fans let them know they were lacking, and through the power of memes and social media, it seems that they are finally listening. Production schedules have been spaced out to allow more time to focus on improving overall quality. Job advertisements for many roles have been revealed, the majority of them being leadership and management positions. The timing of hiring so much talent suggests that we should expect to see the next mainline game in the series released around the holiday of 2025.
The overall future for the mainline entry of Pokemon games looks hopeful because the release schedule concern has been appropriately handled. And why shouldn’t the future look promising? With Pokemon being the most valuable media franchise on the face of the Earth, it should go without saying that Gamefreak and Nintendo had to have learned from their mistakes. The loyal fans who helped make that achievement possible deserve a great game. One that isn’t plagued by performance issues, made with graphics worse than mobile games, or riddled with absurd mechanics and story design. 2025’s Pokemon Z-A may yet be the Pokemon game that fans have been waiting for and expecting.
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