Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are great, but the future of Pokemon games is concerning Leave a comment
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet arrived in the hands of eager fans and keen Pokemon trainers almost two weeks ago. It sold 10 million copies within three days of release, making it the fastest-selling Pokemon game of all time. That said, there’s simply no argument about the abysmal state that the game launched in, and players ought to be more concerned about the future of their favourite franchise.
Pokemon is the highest-grossing franchise globally. With multiple TV series, rafts of films, near-annual video game releases, and a trading card game – all packed with cute pocket monsters – it makes sense that Pokemon dominates the markets in practically every country on earth. A franchise conceived in 1996, Pokemon has also been one of the best games for connecting generations; I can bond with 30-year-olds and 4-year-olds alike over just how cute Pikachu is, or that heart-wrenching time Ash was turned to stone. The way this franchise can bring different people together is, honestly, magical.
I love Pokemon. I have loved Pokemon for years. But Pokemon Scarlet and Violet concerns me more than any other Pokemon release in the series 26-year history. Pokemon Sword and Shield was far from a fun time, but it performed well and plenty of people loved it. Ultimately, I don’t expect to click with every Pokemon game in existence, and that’s okay. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet – with fresh, innovative gameplay in a vibrant open-world that runs at 5fps, with horrendous pop-in, and Pokemon falling through the floor mid-battle – is a different case altogether.
