First 'Pokemon GO Invitational Tournament' to Be Held at Worlds, Apply to Play!

How interesting! I'm sure there are several people who will be excited about this!
 
An interesting idea, to say the least.

Having the possibility of facing two of Pokémon's godfathers in Masuda and Morimoto would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
 
I know I'm late to this, but I've seen some concern for this event, but I really don't think this is marking some kind of "beginning of the end" for Pokemon, where the only thing that matters is GO. It's likely going to be just how they handle it with Pokken, where it's more of just a side thing compared to the VGC and TCG events.
 
I know I'm late to this, but I've seen some concern for this event, but I really don't think this is marking some kind of "beginning of the end" for Pokemon, where the only thing that matters is GO. It's likely going to be just how they handle it with Pokken, where it's more of just a side thing compared to the VGC and TCG events.

I want to believe this but I play a lot of Pokemon games, even the mobile games and there has been a huge emphasis on making the games as casual as possible. Pokemon Duel is being shut down when its their third most profitable mobile game behind Pokemon Shuffle and Pokemon GO and ahead of the many other mobile game, of which Pokemon Duel is the most competitive. If you look at Pokemon Masters, it looks like another tap fest. We also have the main series games becoming more casual with GO mechanics being put into the game. In Sword and Shield, we have huge Pokemon as a mechanic so there is no way a reasonable person would think that Dynamax and Gigantamax aren't inspired by GO's Raid Battles, which are in Sword and Shield so for me personally, hearing that Pokemon GO is going to be at World Championships is a huge cause for concern, considering how Pokemon GO has negatively affected Pokemon as a whole.

Pokemon removing Pokemon from the game to be added later on seems like a very mobile game thing to do. If you look at it like that, you can see that GO has way too much influence on Pokemon.
 
I want to believe this but I play a lot of Pokemon games, even the mobile games and there has been a huge emphasis on making the games as casual as possible. Pokemon Duel is being shut down when its their third most profitable mobile game behind Pokemon Shuffle and Pokemon GO and ahead of the many other mobile game, of which Pokemon Duel is the most competitive. If you look at Pokemon Masters, it looks like another tap fest. We also have the main series games becoming more casual with GO mechanics being put into the game. In Sword and Shield, we have huge Pokemon as a mechanic so there is no way a reasonable person would think that Dynamax and Gigantamax aren't inspired by GO's Raid Battles, which are in Sword and Shield so for me personally, hearing that Pokemon GO is going to be at World Championships is a huge cause for concern, considering how Pokemon GO has negatively affected Pokemon as a whole.

Pokemon removing Pokemon from the game to be added later on seems like a very mobile game thing to do. If you look at it like that, you can see that GO has way too much influence on Pokemon.
Hearing Duel was getting shut down was honestly pretty disappointing. I never played it but it always seemed cool (and that it was reviving the TFG spiritiually). Shuffle ending new content and becoming automated sucked too, I was (and still am) huge on Shuffle, having played it since day 1.

Now while I'm not horribly worried about this situation per se, I will definitely say that I do have some concern about GO's influence on Pokemon. Don't get me wrong, I've been playing GO for a while and I really like it, it's great pastime when I'm out of things to do, but I'm still concerned.. I think it's more of that they have no real idea how to appease to their fans when they have SO many who are into different things. And I see what they're trying to do in that they want to appeal to everyone, but what was then the point of Let's Go if we're getting mechanics from GO in a mainline game? I think my main concern is less its presence at worlds, but more the tone-deaf direction they're taking Pokemon. The idea of PoGo at worlds is cool in concept, but I agree with that I don't want the games to be 100% influenced on it, so it'd be nice if it stays a side thing.

I think the biggest concern right now for me is how they're taking their mainline games in terms of quality. Less Pokemon, mediocre graphics, mechanics that are just throwing out already existing parts of the game for "let's make it big", the list goes on. The influence that GO has on the games, which I do agree is getting to be a bigger issue, is really just one part of this whole mess. They really need to get their act together if they expect me to buy a full price console game.
 
The battle system in Pokémon GO leaves a lot to be desired since all you're really doing is playing Fruit Ninja with little to no strategy involved let alone the fact that the mobile app itself is already a safety hazard in public communities which is one of the reasons why texting while driving should be outlawed nationwide yet Congress says that it isn't their problem by allowing the States to decide. As far as VGC is concerned I probably wouldn't be surprised If TPCi decided to discontinue it given how toxic the meta for Ultra Sun & Moon was prior to Sword & Shield while not everyone has $300 to drop on a Nintendo Switch just to play Sword & Shield when they're much better off playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. There's also the Nintendo Switch Lite, though you're only saving $100 for a $60 console game that doesn't justify the price tag it warrants.

I would've thought that Game Freak as well as Creatures Inc. would at least try to embrace the mobile gaming market with Pokémon. Instead they've been keeping their distance by either focusing on other IP's such as Town or by allowing other game developers such as Niantic to take the reigns of the Pokémon video game franchise for themselves. They're gambling on the prospect that Sword & Shield will inevitably fail in favor of Pokémon GO and other Pokémon mobile games in order to save themselves as a company since apparently they're unable to hire the personnel needed to get the job done. So I'm guessing that TPCi makes most of the profits while Game Freak and Creatures Inc. only gets a lump sum of money to help finance themselves. Speaking of Pokémon Duel I'm guessing it didn't gain as much traction as Pokémon Showdown?
 
Hearing Duel was getting shut down was honestly pretty disappointing. I never played it but it always seemed cool (and that it was reviving the TFG spiritiually). Shuffle ending new content and becoming automated sucked too, I was (and still am) huge on Shuffle, having played it since day 1.

Now while I'm not horribly worried about this situation per se, I will definitely say that I do have some concern about GO's influence on Pokemon. Don't get me wrong, I've been playing GO for a while and I really like it, it's great pastime when I'm out of things to do, but I'm still concerned.. I think it's more of that they have no real idea how to appease to their fans when they have SO many who are into different things. And I see what they're trying to do in that they want to appeal to everyone, but what was then the point of Let's Go if we're getting mechanics from GO in a mainline game? I think my main concern is less its presence at worlds, but more the tone-deaf direction they're taking Pokemon. The idea of PoGo at worlds is cool in concept, but I agree with that I don't want the games to be 100% influenced on it, so it'd be nice if it stays a side thing.

I think the biggest concern right now for me is how they're taking their mainline games in terms of quality. Less Pokemon, mediocre graphics, mechanics that are just throwing out already existing parts of the game for "let's make it big", the list goes on. The influence that GO has on the games, which I do agree is getting to be a bigger issue, is really just one part of this whole mess. They really need to get their act together if they expect me to buy a full price console game.

I honestly believe they are doing it because they know they can get away with it. I don't think they are trying to make a bad product but I do think they know they don't have to give it their all. I honestly don't have much faith in Pokemon right now. They have done a lot to hurt me this year.

The battle system in Pokémon GO leaves a lot to be desired since all you're really doing is playing Fruit Ninja with little to no strategy involved let alone the fact that the mobile app itself is already a safety hazard in public communities which is one of the reasons why texting while driving should be outlawed nationwide yet Congress says that it isn't their problem by allowing the States to decide. As far as VGC is concerned I probably wouldn't be surprised If TPCi decided to discontinue it given how toxic the meta for Ultra Sun & Moon was prior to Sword & Shield while not everyone has $300 to drop on a Nintendo Switch just to play Sword & Shield when they're much better off playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. There's also the Nintendo Switch Lite, though you're only saving $100 for a $60 console game that doesn't justify the price tag it warrants.
I would've thought that Game Freak as well as Creatures Inc. would at least try to embrace the mobile gaming market with Pokémon. Instead they've been keeping their distance by either focusing on other IP's such as Town or by allowing other game developers such as Niantic to take the reigns of the Pokémon video game franchise for themselves. They're gambling on the prospect that Sword & Shield will inevitably fail in favor of Pokémon GO and other Pokémon mobile games in order to save themselves as a company since apparently they're unable to hire the personnel needed to get the job done. So I'm guessing that TPCi makes most of the profits while Game Freak and Creatures Inc. only gets a lump sum of money to help finance themselves. Speaking of Pokémon Duel I'm guessing it didn't gain as much traction as Pokémon Showdown?

Pokemon Duel made 21 million dollars. Their top three mobile games are Pokemon GO at 2.1b, Pokemon Shuffle at 21.6m and Pokemon Duel at 21.3m. They are killing Duel off because of Pokemon Masters.
 
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Pokemon Duel made 21 million dollars. Their top three mobile games are Pokemon GO at 2.1b, Pokemon Shuffle at 21.6m and Pokemon Duel at 21.3m. They are killing Duel off because of Pokemon Masters.
It's either that or TPCi doesn't want a competitive scene for the Pokémon video games anymore because apparently it goes against their core philosophy of the franchise being casual at heart as we're not their target demographic anymore. Discontinuing VGC events with the release of Sword & Shield would be a telltale sign of this though we should have more information as to whether If TPCi will make the decision to axe VGC by next year. It really all boils down to player turnout and how many people show up to play Sword & Shield competitively compared to how well the Pokémon GO Invitational Tournament does at Worlds.
 
I honestly believe they are doing it because they know they can get away with it. I don't think they are trying to make a bad product but I do think they know they don't have to give it their all. I honestly don't have much faith in Pokemon right now. They have done a lot to hurt me this year.
I think it's kinda been that case since Sun and Moon. Gen 5 felt like the last time they really put ALL their effort into their games and made something absolutely fantastic. The stretch from Platinum to BW2 is what I consider Pokemon's golden age. While I loved gen 6, I could understand its faults due to them getting their footing into 3DS technology. They were still great games anyways, XY is in my top 5 despite the lackluster postgame. But where gen 6 faltered, it made up for in a lot of really cool features, like soaring, the best online system the series has had, Megas, etc. They weren't perfect but they were pretty solid entries. (And gen 6 had some of my favorite designs in the series anyways)

Then Sun and Moon threw it all away. It just felt like for every step forward gen 6 took, gen 7 took 2 steps back. Festival Plaza? Horrible. Alola? Lackluster region for over half of it (the third island is a jumbled mess). We got a more solid way of moving in 3D, but Sun and Moon, as a WHOLE just felt so much lesser. And then came Ultra, and while sure, it fixed a few things, it was NOT substantial enough to be considered a good sister version. It didn't fix SM's issues like Platinum did to DP, or Emerald and Crystal to their versions, and it didn't build on what was already amazing like BW2 did.

I think SM's faults are in part because of Ohmori's lack of either experience or talent as a director (I'm leaning more toward experience, but if he keeps proving himself wrong that part of me that thinks he might just be bad could come to fruition), and because GF just is starting to put less and less effort in their games, like you said. SwSh is taking that but going even WORSE with it. At least people are finally making a big deal out of it, as they should. I hope one day they take a note from the devs of the new Animal Crossing, or Luigi's Mansion. They're getting a lot of good press because of how healthy their development cycle is on those games, and I think people are noticing, and its drumming up excitement for the games.

But as it stands, GF knows they'll sell Pokemon. They know people will eat it up, and there's not much to be done. I just hope people continue to push for better games in the series. We're going to a sixty dollar price tag, and yet we're getting less than even the most lackluster of $40 Pokemon games. There's something to be said for that. I could forgive XY for being rough around the edges, but with that game at least I could have all my Pokemon, and it was their FIRST game on the 3DS. This is their second on the switch, yet it's somehow even worse in quality than Let's Go.

The solution is so simple, just delay the game, or hire more staff. But nope, gotta hit that deadline. It just puts GF in a bad spotlight, especially when you have so many other releases coming out, like Luigi's Mansion, AC, or even that new Fire Emblem that just came out looking better than it. They're more than capable of making really solid games, but they need to get their act together. It'd probably make them more money they did, anyways.
 
It wouldn't matter If people tried to push for better games in the Pokémon main series when they only exist to sell merchandise. This is the standard Pokémon business model: Release two versions of the same game, both versions are basically identical just ever so slightly different, then make a couple of Pokémon exclusive to one version so the super fans go out and buy two copies of what is effectively the same game. Next thing would be to put out a TV show that's targeted towards children as it works a lot like how 80's action cartoons were really just ads for toys. Kids will want to watch the show and go out to buy merchandise and the people that go out and play the games will want to go out and buy merchandise. Then the following year you're going to need another game to come out so we make one from a few years ago with modern "technology" cause trust me it won't take as much time to develop as a full release. Then release more merchandise to capitalize on that nostalgia factor.

The year after that you're going to need another game so re-release the games from two years ago with slightly different content by keeping the TV show chugging along as people will come back and buy more merchandise. Then the year after that remake an even older game, split it into two versions, and hope that some people will buy it twice. Once again you can capitalize on nostalgia, summer merchandise, and maybe bring in a new audience. Then the next year release two new games with brand new Pokémon to start the cycle over again. The amount of money this franchise has made could easily cover the cost to make bigger, better, real games but the reality is that they don't need to since they have a core devoted fanbase in a simple yet addictive gameplay style. Why try harder than you really need to when you know people will still buy the games regardless? They're going to sell 15 million units whether or not features are being added in or taken out.

So just invest in the least amount of money into development to ensure the most bang for your buck. Now I want to clarify that this is a call for people to boycott the main series If they want better games because it won't work. Pokémon's main source of revenue comes from merchandise, the main series games exist to promote said merchandise, and losing a fraction of the audience just because they didn't put in the National Dex means absolutely nothing in their grand scheme of merchandising. You need to understand the whole reality of this situation. Your hype, anticipation, loyalty, and adulation means nothing to Nintendo and Game Freak since they don't care If you've waited three years for a new main series entry. In the eyes of a brand based on merchandising the end goal isn't ensuring every gamer is happy, it's to sell (say it with me now) MERCHANDISE!

If your main focus was on game development you'd put more money into it but they don't so I have to assume it's just fair to sell toys. If you're someone whose potentially looking into buying Sword & Shield then you probably don't see a moral dilemma by voting with your wallet If you don't deprive yourself as someone whose "sending a message" when in reality nobody's listening. If they were listening they would've already delayed the games by now yet they chose not to because they already know that they'll sell because the Pokémon franchise is more than just the main series games even though that's what helped grow the franchise in the first place. Game Freak is losing influence with the Pokémon Company because they know that Pokémon is much better off as a Gatcha mobile game or at least that's what they assume with Town being their fail safe IP in case things go south for Sword & Shield.
 
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