Pokémon is Dying: Sun and Moon are the Series’ Make or Break Titles

It has been quite a ride, hasn’t it? The Pokémon explosion that began with the first release of the ...

[Nitrowolf2]

Before anyone goes up and bring sales into this,because Pokemon has broken records with pratically every new release, the Author is speaking in terms of the games design being the same throughout the series. I agree, I haven't owned a Pokemon game in a long while because of that same old design that makes nearly all games the same with new skins (you know, like how COD is bashed)

Sun and Moon so far is looking to break away from that traditional story telling, and I for one am extremely excited for this

[Abash]

But to say "Pokemon is Dying" when the whole world went bonkers over Pokemon Go just makes the article sound incredibly misinformed. Either way, people have said that the series has been getting stale for years and it still hasn't stopped it from going strong for 20 years now

[mikeslemonade]

Good I hope it dies. Nintendo needs to make a real pokemon game for the home console.

[SweatyFlorida]

yah...if it specifically said "go" was "dying" sure, if you consider "dying" as just slowing down, sure. Didn't bother clicking article either with a title like that if they don't even know the definition of "dying".

[shauzy]

nintendo needs a bump in its portable hardware is all

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

Well to be technical, I wouldn't call that dying, I would say the series is becoming stagnant like COD is (well the most recent COD games have been more refreshing).

[notachance]

gameplay-wise they can't make significant change else the fanbase would riot duh...

unlike CoD where every release is stand-alone, pokemon games is backward compatible in the sense that you can import your pokemon from previous games. As we all know pokemon breeding is serious business, whats with all the IV, EV, min maxing, skill transfer, etc etc.. they have a carefully balanced 'meta' that's transferred between games, that's why they can't ever significantly change the 'complicated rock, paper, scissor' core gameplay

[gintoki777]

Oh no, a series going on for 20+ years is dying. Give me a break... What do you expect amazing innovation in gameplay, great new Pokemon designs, interesting story, etc,etc, etc. Unfortunately you live on planet earth. Nintendo will do what is best for customers to the extent it also best for their profits and will milk Pokemon till the last drop from the cow's utter. I don't know the numbers but Pokemon is most likely huger than ever thanks to the growing population of earth and demographic of people with technology. So the only thing dying here is the op's taste in naming his articles which bring up you should have just stuck to writing an article about the new gym leader formula.

[Jadenkorr021]

@Nitrowolf2 Since you havent picked up and played any in a long while you are not qualified to talk and this subject. Plenty has changed in each iteration. Its really dumb for someone to open their mouth and spew lies and nonsense, and act like they know what they are talking about.

[Nitrowolf2]

I never said I haven't played them. I just said I haven't owned any for a long while. I was simply stating that none of them have really screamed go out and buy me. I usually just borrowed them from my friend or rented at my local rental store.

You mean to tell me that the latest ones before moon and sun don't follow the same story setup? A young trainer starts his journey by capturing pokemon and battling gym leader with a goal of reaching the elite four. all of sudden an organization filled with bad guys threaten the world of pokemon and ur tasked with stopping them.

Every pokemon game has had this exact same plot. You can argue that XY had a different story, and it did, but it still followed that same plot layout. It only fleshed the story out with trainer AZ

Like I stated in the last part of my post, sun and moon looks to be breaking away from that tradition judging from its recent trailer. Gameplay wise, pokemon has always kept it's core design, which is perfectly fine and should stay that way. They've always added changes to it in every new game.

Looking back, this article has a very awful title.

[rjason12]

Yeah, but the difference between COD and Pokemon is that while COD stays and does the same thing every installment, pokemon branches out with its spin-offs to do different stuff. The main series shouldn't change much, I mean look at all the different spin-offs. There's snap, Conquest, Stadium, Colosseum, Pokken tournament, Mystery Dungeon, Dash, Puzzle League, etc, etc.

[CorndogBurglar]

The funny thing is that there are already Pokemon games that break the mold and have different gameplay. It has also been tried multiple times in the past.

I mean, that Pokemon Dungeon game came out recently which is totally different.

Point is, if people don't like the standard Pokemon games there are other options that are also good.

I do like what im seeing with Sun and Moon though. Story telling and graphics are different but its clearly the same Pokemon we love.

[masterfox]

I think the creation of Pokemon from Nintendo traumatized them in the way they think about innovation, for example N64 was groundbreaking but at the same time was the beginning of all problems for Nintendo and if you just think for a bit is also the first time we saw the release of Pokemon!, and since then we haven't seen nothing groundbreaking from them! :O

[Metallox]

:O

[KiwiViper85]

Pokemon is dying?

[Foraoise]

That's not even SORT OF TRUE. LOL

[Shubhendu_Singh]

What fascinating is that this "Pokemon is dying" article shows up when people are crazy over Pokemon Go.

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

If the title of the article is stupid then the entire article is stupid.

No points rewarded.

[Erik7357]

Heard of a NX pokemon title from my friends

[PhoenixUp]

Saying the Pokemon formula hasn't changed is absurd. Each generation provides a slew of new features. To ignore all of them just disproves your point.

You could superficially say any franchise is dying with that flimsy logic.

[Aloy-Boyfriend]

It hasn't changed anything. Yes it has added some new stuff, but it is just to strengthen and/ or fix the same core gameplay. Gameplay has remained the same for over 20 years. I'm not complaining about it, but it has to be acknowledged too.

Black and White was already showing this franchise's age. XY was ok. After Sun and Moon Pokemon needs a reboot

[Name Last Name]

That is your opinion. Gen 5 - Black/White 1 and 2 had the best story in the series. And besides the graphical upgrade, including fully animated pokemon sprites and seasons changing every month. It also made TMs unlimited and introduced Triple battles, Rotation battles, and Hidden Abilities (a gamechanger for the battling community). Not even getting into XY and the repercussions of the Fairy type. Pokemon needs no reboot.

[Wrex369]

"it hasn't changed anything" :P then proceeds to say the opposite. Lmfao abilities, nature's, held items, breeding, Pokemon training(EV values), not to mention the different things that are completely exclusive per generation like Pokemon following you, base buildingg and safaris. Not to mention the changes the meta game constantly has in the OverUsed,Ubers, and UnderUsed categories. They were all good games. People just like saying "oh btw this is bad guys please acknowledge my existence cuz I have a unique opinion" it's not unique, like at all actually. You're another dude who still buys them then gets mad that you best the elite 4 and now have nothing to do. Lmao so wrong, soo very wrong

[mamotte]

Funny thing is, you can say the same pretty much about any new game from any franchise.

"it has added some new stuff, but it is just to strengthen and/ or fix the same core gameplay. "

[Immorals]

I'm replaying gold and loving it, had more playtime than my console In the last week

[Wrex369]

The fact that silver and gold had the origial continent in it really made me fall head over heels for it. It's a helluva game haha

[Dan_scruggs]

Should have been titled. Click me My Blog is Dying.

[kaiserxblue]

Pokemon is dying? What the fuck is that guy even smoking? Seriously....Pokemon is in it's best moment ever since the original 3 games on Gameboy,
Pokemon it's a wolrd phenomenon, in fact thanks to that phone game sales for Sun & Moon has been boosted significantly. The pre order are full.

[Vanfernal]

It's Nintendo... They can literally release THE SAME GAME forever and it will sell well. Pokemon is alive and well. Now Metroid on the other hand...

[zep]

Dying? Im not sure if the person who write that are thinking about the possibilities then can just simple make a game with 3 or more region just like gold and silver and it will sell like hotcakes im sure of it

[ZeekQuattro]

Pokemon Co. is making more money than ever. Yup Pokemon is now doomed and on borrowed time. Sun and Moon isn't going to make or break the franchise as the franchise was never in any danger to begin with. Its going to sell a lot. Nintendo would be smart to bundle the game with the 2DS to bring in Pokemon Go players curious about a real Pokemon game.

[StormLegend]

Black and White we're my last favorite pokemon games. It needs a change now IMO Sun & Moon is looking to be something unique! Just wish it was on console and they didn't do those Z moves.

[3-4-5]

* Nowloading.co...nobody has ever heard of you so you are desperate and trying to make a name for yourself.

Good luck with that.

* Pokemon is "dying"?............ . ....Haha ok.

Back to reality.

[Theyellowflash30]

The Definition of "Click bait"

[feraldrgn]

I would agree, but that's my personal opinion & I know it's not dying.
It's dying "for me" ever since they made it 3D, maybe it's the designs but it just doesn't look as nice as the 2D ones.

[Wrex369]

See I love Pokemon, but I can understand that. The 2D to 3D transition was huge for the series and it almost lost me too, but XY grew on me with the characters and the 3DS 3d effect. It actually was pretty well done, the effect that is. Idk my friends were pretty mixed about it too. So I feel ya.

[mamotte]

If Pokémon games are dying because they repeat the formula time and time again, then COD is dying, Uncharted is dying, Dark Souls is dying, and pretty much every frachise is dying.

[iTechHeads]

Lol

[jakmckratos]

Yup it's dying alright. Can't wait to see it die to the tune of millions of copies sold with a passionate community playing the absolute f*ck outta it this upcoming fall.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Pfft. No.
At BEST, it could be argued that there hasn't been any super drastic changes to the core gameplay of the main line titles, but even in that case, the smaller improvements, like mega evolutions, style competitions, berries, new types, etc etc etc, have done more than enough to keep the series feeling fresh.
And if you want Pokemon games with vastly different gameplay styles?
What the hell do you think spin-offs like Ranger and Pokken are for?

Seriously, this article is laughable.

[Moonman]

Then stop playing it because you sound fatigued with this absurd title. lol

[GrimmyReaper]

No offence but have you seen the numbers?
>160mil revenue and players are actually playing MORE than before, but slightly less players are active at the same time.

I can agree this game (or rather Niantic) is starting to really piss me off but make or break??
Yeah, not very likely. Especially seeing how mainstream pokemon game have actually seen less and less sales over the decade