Let's Go New Masuda Interview about Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee

I really don't like that interview.

Not because of anything to do with Let's Go specifically, but rather it really shines a light on Masuda's priorties.

 

Interesting, want to elaborate?

 

It's mostly because Masuda is huge on "but the kids!!" (as you can clearly get that vibe from this interview) and he's the main reason why recent Pokémon games have been really hand-holdey. SM have been marketed more towards people getting into Pokémon for the first time and GO players than the actual core series that have been with the franchise for years, and it's pretty self-evident how childlike XY is.

Check out this very interesting tidbit in the interview in regards to making Pokémon more open world:

and check out the very next paragraph:

He basically says that he's afraid of Pokémon becoming too complicated of a game to be more open world, which would put people off. Personally speaking, I think that's a load of crap otherwise Mario and Zelda wouldn't have sold anywhere near where they have, but whatever. I wouldn't say SMO is unapproachable, but who knows really. But I digress. Open-world Pokémon is an entire debate in itself.

I think the more juicy (and relevant) tidbits are here:

As a business strategy, there's nothing wrong with catering to the children as a demographic. The big problem here is when you alter your product to be so "child-friendly" to the point where it starts to put off the more veteran, older audience. The normal response to this would be "but Pokémon is a children's game duh", but I mean... Masuda just said it's meant for everyone... so why is he having such strong influence on continually (pardon my bluntness here) dumbing down the games for the sake of appeasing kids?

My general thing is: Pokémon is not a complicated game. It never was. The hardest thing about Pokémon is memorizing the type chart and even that isn't difficult, because a lot of it is logical. Water beats Fire, Fire beats Grass, Grass beats Rock. Rock beats Flying. It's when you start unnecessarily changing the overall dynamics of Pokémon games based on an assumpion -- or even that fear -- that Pokémon games would no longer be as simple to get into to the point that you refuse to just change the status quo that it starts to become a bit silly.

I feel like this explains why Game Freak is so intent on remaining in their comfort zone for so long because stepping outside of it would mean taking risks and they're afraid that risk would lead to pushing people away when in actuality it could mean attracting more people instead.

/endrant

 

You have a good point here, Azalea...

I just wanted to point that out .w.

 

i have no idea what you're talking about

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cant believe i missed something like that rip....

 

...Am I the only one that is actually kinda excited about these features? It may be more focused towards kids, but apparently so was Pokémon Go, and Sun/Moon, and those games were still enjoyable. Pokémon is, and always has been, a franchise marketed towards kids that adults still enjoy. We shouldn't just expect Pokémon to change its format because it's something that we've grown out of.
I'm excited to see the old gym leaders again. Those guys were always my favorite.

 

The fact that these games are targeted specifically towards "the kids" only opens up the doors for more exciting and difficult main series gen 8 games!