Pokemon Developer Hopes to Make More Non-Pokemon Games
Since 1996, Game Freak has been known primarily as the developer behind the Pokemon series. The franchise takes up the majority of the studio's time, but between releases, Game Freak occasionally develops games like Tembo the Badass Elephant and Giga Wrecker. Following the Apple Arcade release of Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On, director Masao Taya told Axios that Game Freak is committed to making more games that aren't Pokemon. As the Pokemon games have become more demanding in terms of development, however, Game Freak has had to get creative to keep making new games on the side.
"We believe that it is very important for the studio to continue making and releasing titles outside of the Pokémon series," Taya told Axios. "In recent years, the resources needed for game development have grown and grown, so Development Department One has been trying out a style of development where it works with external studios."
It will be interesting to see what Game Freak does next! The studio's non-Pokemon games have been a mixed bag in terms of reception, but working closely with other teams could help in that regard. It could also potentially lead to sequels to some of the studio's more well-regarded games. It's been nearly 18 years since the release of Drill Dozer, and fans of the Game Boy Advance game probably wouldn't mind seeing a follow-up!
The resources required to make Pokemon games have been a hot topic over the last year. While Pokemon Legends: Arceus received strong praise, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's buggy release has resulted in many fans questioning whether the franchise's release schedule is too much for Game Freak, and if there should be a longer wait between new games. Nintendo has pledged that fixes are on the way to improve Scarlet and Violet's performance, but that likely won't make a difference when it comes to the overall discussion. Hopefully Game Freak will be given the amount of breathing room to maintain the quality of the Pokemon franchise, while also having time to work on other projects!
Are you hoping to see more non-Pokemon games from Game Freak? What existing game would you like to see them revisit next? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!