pokemon red and blue It was released on February 27, 1996 in Japan for Game Boy. This was the start of the pokemon saga, which would become a titanic franchise. It ended up expanding beyond video games with the anime, the movies, the card game, and the massive amount of merchandising. Despite its success, the installments of recent years have received various criticisms. However, they continue to have a good number of sales. Reviewing their history and analyzing the changes they have had, perhaps some conclusions can be drawn.
The beginning of the Pokémon saga: Pokémon Red and Blue
Satoshi Tajiri came up with the idea of Pokémon because when he was little he liked to collect insects. It is clear that the premise of collecting creatures has been, is, and will always be important to the saga. In this sense, Cable Link was very important for pokemon red and blue because that way it was possible to trade Pokémon together with your friends. In this way, the idea of making two versions also arose to force players to exchange exclusive Pokémon from the other version. This got a lot of attention.
Also, something that worked very well was when the existence of Pokémon number 151 became known: Mew. A mysterious Pokémon that gave rise to many rumors at a time when people barely used the Internet. On the other hand, there were certain interesting aspects that were also liked and made the game complex at the time. Not knowing how to evolve a Pokémon or other issues that players had to discover made Pokémon adventures unique experiences.
Pokémon Yellow: the response to a fan phenomenon that was emerging
The premise of collecting Pokémon worked very well in products other than games. So the merchandising sales were spectacular. It is not surprising that the animated series released on April 1, 1997, a year after the launch of Pokemon Red and Blue. In a way, the animated series perfected the way to see the Pokémon, since it was unknown how they moved and interacted due to the lack of animation in the original game.
pokemon yellow introduced elements of the anime. It is undeniable that everything that came apart from video games has contributed to a large extent to Pokémon having a very strong fan phenomenon. In addition to giving more life to the Pokémon and its entire universe. And for the first time colors were added with the Game Boy Color.
In the following years they replicated the same premises for the games of the pokemon saga. After pokemon yellowthe following games of the pokemon saga They consisted of replicating that structure that was so successful with some improvements and the inclusion of more Pokémon. that’s how it was Pokémon Gold and Silver. Nevertheless, Pokémon Gold and Silver It added many striking improvements that would continue and mark how the following video games would be, such as the nature of the Pokémon, as well as something very important and that continues to work great today: the shiny form of the Pokémon. The Shiny form was impossible in the Game Boy due to console limitations.
Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS: a new stage for the Pokémon saga
Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald gave way to the third generation of the pokemon saga. Leaving aside that the structure is the same, here there was a notable change in graphics, colors and sound for the jump to a new console. On the other hand, there were some interesting new ideas, such as the introduction of double fights or the importance of weather in battles. There were also remakes of pokemon red and blue for Game Boy Advance.
All the games of the pokemon saga in Game Boy Advance They were, in short, a success in sales. In fact, the three best-selling titles in the Game Boy Advance It was the Pokémon video games. Its difficulty was tuned more for new users than veterans.
For the Nintendo DS he came out Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. Once again, the same structure is followed, but with technical innovations, such as wi-fi connectivity. Despite not innovating much in the gameplay and structure of the pokemon sagathey would still get a similar amount of sales to Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. And since the remakes of Pokémon Red and Blue sold very well, they repeated the same strategy again, this time making a remake of Pokemon Gold and Silver.
At this point it becomes clear that from Game Freak y The Pokémon Company He had found the keys to success. His way of working and the structure of the games, since sales were always maintained.
In pokemon black and white for Nintendo DS there were several changes with more animations in the fighting, but the most striking of all is that it was the first to have a sequel with pokemon black and white 2
The jump to the Nintendo 3DS
Although Pokemon X/Y It had the same structure as all the previous games in the Pokémon saga, however it included certain changes that made the product look new, such as mega evolution or the Fairy type. As well as improved graphics and fantastic 3D. And, of course, they repeated the strategy that worked so well for them: make a remake again, this time. Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
On the other hand, Pokemon sun and moon It would probably be the one that would have the most changes. The video game press gave it good reviews, agreeing that they changed the formula while maintaining the base and essence of the game. pokemon saga. I would go out later Pokémon Ultrasol y Ultraluna.
Pokémon GO and Pokémon Let’s GO Eevee/Pikachu: a good way to attract new players
The game of Pokémon GO helped attract new players with simpler and more accessible mechanics, which would later be carried over to Pokémon Let’s GO Eevee/Pikachu to take them to pokemon saga.
Between the level of difficulty of the Pokémon video games and this type of strategy, you can see the interest in reaching the new generations and attracting more people. And, at the same time, there is also the interest in keeping those more veteran or nostalgic users with remakes and small novelties. Although pokemon sword and shield brought many novelties, such as Dinamax mechanics, the true innovation in the saga would come with Pokemon Scarlet and Purple.
Pokémon Scarlet and Purple: a new starting point for the Pokémon saga?
Until Pokemon Scarlet and Purple they did not include gameplay improvements. Here we are offered a truly open and non-linear world, being able to go as we please and follow the order we want. Already in Pokemon Legends: Arceus there was a renewal of that classic formula that has worked so well for the pokemon saga. Everything indicates that this is going to be the direction that the following deliveries will follow.
What then are the keys and strategies of the franchise?
As we have been able to observe by analyzing the pokemon saga, have maintained and continue to maintain the same classic formula as always. Which means it’s a structure that works very well. The first players who felt that magic by collecting Pokémon, getting them all and being the best, probably the following generations felt it with the rest of the games. It is not surprising that they wanted to focus on the new generations of young people to try to convey the same sensations to them.
Many users criticize that the pokemon saga It has lowered its difficulty quite a bit. And probably this adaptation of the difficulty is due to the fact that it has become a mass product or, to be more precise, it has evolved to be the most successful franchise in the world since the first installments. Therefore, it is not only about targeting a child audience, but directly trying to make it as accessible as possible. In addition, the Pokémon formula has managed to maintain itself over the years without hardly changing.
On the other hand, this franchise has known how to combine video games well with anime, card games and all merchandising in general. In fact, the games are not exactly what gives the franchise the most money. In a certain way, it could be said that the video game saga is the main engine of everything that moves the rest: the series, the card game and the merchandising. This could partly explain the undeniable over-exploitation of Pokémon and the lack of development time between games, since the biggest benefits come from elsewhere.
The latter requires further explanation. Despite the fact that the higher income of The Pokémon Company Coming from merchandising, video games are also an important factor because they will determine what the other products will be like: an anime inspired by Paldea, Sprigatito plushies, cards from the Scarlet and Purple expansion, etc. The last known fiscal year of the company is May 28, 2022, showing the following results:
The Pokémon Company made a net profit of just over 300 million euros in the past year, more than double its previous record. pic.twitter.com/lLzJNDMwCo
— Oscar Lemaire (@oscarlemaire) May 30, 2022
The Pokémon franchise has done nothing but increase since 2017. Although the real boom has been in 2021 and 2022. A time where video games like Pokémon Unite y Pokemon Legends: Arceus. The benefits of The Pokémon Company following the release of Pokemon Scarlet and Purple, the region of which is yet to be exploited in the series, the card game, the supposed DLC, etc. Despite the criticism, scarlet and purple accumulated 20.61 million copies sold during the first six weeks, becoming the fourth best-selling installment of the pokemon saga.
The exponential growth in 2016 has its probable explanation in the arrival of Pokémon GO, For example. Although it also coincides with the release of Pokemon sun and moonbut this one, although it had a good reception and positive reviews, was not above other video games in the series in sales. Nintendo 3DS as Pokemon X/Y. It is clear that they managed to attract many users again and keep many despite the subsequent decline. In the meantime, the incredible rise that was experienced in 2021 and 2022 is worth studying and we are clearly looking at a new fever for the pokemon saga.
What do you think of the evolution of the pokemon saga? Do you think this franchise has been treated well since The Pokémon Company?
