I Don’t Mind Pokemon Sword And Shield Not Having Every Pokemon In The Game

Pokémon Sword and Shield has come with a great amount of hype since it has been announced for the Nintendo Switch. Finally, we’d be getting a core Pokémon game for Nintendo’s main console. But when Game Freak and Junichi Masuda announced that you could only transfer old Pokémon found in the Galar Pokédex, fans were livid. What would happen to the competitive scene? What happened to the concept of “Gotta Catch ‘Em All”?

I, for one, don’t mind the cuts in the Pokémon lineup. It takes a lot for the developers of Sword and Shield to not only make over 1,000 3-D models of Pokémon for the core game, but to properly balance the game. How obscene would it be to have to spend that much time just trying to add every Pokémon model to Sword and Shield? It would not be fair to the developers of the game(s) to have to go through strenuous amounts of work every day.

Fans can talk about delaying the game(s). However, that would mean other side projects would be delayed, such as the movies and side games accompanying the current generation. At this point, it would be tedious just to try and delay a game you’ve committed to releasing before the end of the year. Also, let’s be honest with ourselves. This was bound to happen, with the number creeping up higher and higher with every passing generation. Who’s to say that Game Freak and Nintendo can’t add a feature and add Pokémon from particular generations as DLC later on?

Are there downsides to this? Absolutely. Enthusiasts of the Pokémon catching niche will be turned off by this and they’ve already shown their displeasure. The competitive scene also seems incomplete, despite the desperate need for balance in the series. These issues have risen and may turn off some hardcore fans. However, will these fans look into other issues such as a repetitive plot or a need for an open world Pokémon game?

This may seem unpopular at first, with some justifiable reasons to accompany the outrage. However, looking at this issue from a different light will help ease the pain for many distraught Pokémon fans.