‘Pokemon: Let’s Go’ Will Probably Be Junichi Masuda’s Last Time Directing a Pokemon Game

One of architects of the Pokemon franchise believes that Pokemon: Let’s Go will be his last time directing a Pokemon game.

Junichi Masuda is one of the faces of the Pokemon franchise, having been involved with the games since Pokemon Red and Green came out over 20 years ago. While Masuda started off as the composer of the soundtrack used in the first games, his role eventually evolved into a director, bringing his vision to games like Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, Pokemon Black and White, and Pokemon X and Y.

Most recently, Masuda is serving as the director of Pokemon: Let’s Go, the upcoming Pokemon games for the Nintendo Switch. And while Masuda took on the role of guiding the Pokemon franchise onto a new console, he believes that this will be his last time directing a Pokemon game.

In a recent interview with Pokemon.com, Masuda discussed his role as director. He noted that he had worked on the base game concept for Pokemon Go and wanted to follow through on his goal of introducing new Pokemon via the mobile game. “I wanted to realize that goal by creating games that could connect with Pokemon Go and feel somewhat similar to it without feeling like we were copying it,” Masuda explained. “Given my involvement in Pokemon Go‘s development, I felt that I was probably the best person to direct these games.”

“But at the same time,” Masuda continued, “It’s important to have the younger generation at Game Freak take over the development of Pokemon as a series. I do believe that this will probably be, in terms of the main Pokemon series that I work as the director.”

Masuda is also one of the main people who approve new Pokemon designs and sits on the Game Freak board of directors, so he’ll still likely make a big impact on the Pokemon franchise in the future. However, Masuda taking a back seat in the development of future Pokemon games is a big sign that change will eventually come to the Pokemon franchise.

Pokemon: Let’s Go will come out on November 16th.