Pokémon Sword & Shield producer Junichi Masuda took to the official Pokémon website to issue a statement regarding the controversy surrounding the upcoming games’ National Pokédex. Despite the outcry from fans, Game Freak does not plan on changing its position.
During the week of E3 2019, Masuda delivered the news that it won’t be possible to "catch 'em all" in Pokémon Sword & Shield. For the first time, not all Pokémon will be able to be transferred into the latest entry of the mainline series. The news came as quite a shock for some fans who have been transferring their favorite Pokémon between generations of games. Game Freak has yet to comment on which Pokémon will make the cut in Pokémon Sword & Shield, leaving many to worry about whether or not they will have to leave their favorite Pokémon behind.
Masuda attempted to assuage these fears in a statement made on Pokémon’s website yesterday. He thanked the passionate fans of Pokémon for making their voices heard and assured them that this was no easy decision for him or Game Freak. He also mentioned that just because some Pokémon won’t be included this time doesn’t mean that they are gone forever; they could still appear in future Pokèmon games.
The exclusion of some Pokémon in Pokémon Sword & Shield was far from the only news about the upcoming Nintendo Switch entries. Earlier in June, Nintendo hosted a Nintendo Direct devoted to the UK-inspired region of Galar. For starters, it will include free-roam spaces called Wild Areas, which can contain different Pokémon depending on what weather effects are in play. On a larger scale, Pokémon Sword & Shield will introduce the Dynamax mechanic, which allows Pokémon to become monstrous versions of themselves with extra powerful moves once per battle. In that same vein, Pokemon Sword & Shield will also include Max Raid battles, where up to four Trainers can work together to take down and capture Dynamax Pokémon just like in Pokémon GO.
Game Freak deserves credit for being as transparent as possible with its dedicated fanbase, but also unwavering in its vision. It may be hard to imagine a world of Pokémon where you can’t "catch ‘em all," but it was also hard to imagine that Pokêmon games would ever come to home consoles. The people at Game Freak have spent years creating a modern entry in one of the most beloved series in video games, and it's set to become a reality this November. With all that we know about Pokémon Sword & Shield, there looks to be enough new features and creatures to help longtime fans let go of the past and get sucked into a whole new world of Pokémon.
Source: The Pokémon Company