Pokemon Director Explains Pokemon Sword and Shield's Missing Pokemon

Game Freak director Junichi Masuda has given another explanation why some Pokemon won't appear in Pokemon Sword and Shield. Earlier this year, Masuda made the shocking announcement that not every Pokemon will be transferable with Pokemon Sword and Shield - making them the first Pokemon games since Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire that wouldn't allow transfers of Pokemon from past games. At the time Masuda noted that the decision came down to time constraints, as many Pokemon models needed re-done for the new Pokemon games. In an interview posted today by Game Informer, Masuda gave a different explanation for why certain Pokemon won't appear in the game.

"Up until now, we've been proud we've been able to include so many Pokemon in the games, but as a result of that, there's actually been quite a few features or gameplay ideas that we've had to abandon in the past," Masuda said. "Going forward, thinking about the future of Pokemon, we want to prioritize all those new gameplay ideas, new ways to enjoy the game, and want to challenge ourselves at Game Freak to create new ways to enjoy the game. That's really what drove the decision for this new direction."

Masuda also stressed that Pokemon missing from Pokemon Sword and Shield would return in future iterations of the game, and that all Pokemon would have a permanent home in the upcoming Pokemon Home app. "You can look forward to seeing Pokemon that don't appear in these games appearing in different regions in future games. I think Pokemon Home, for a lot of players, will serve as a launching pad to gather them all there and then embark on future adventures." He also noted that Pokemon Home was being designed as the place for all your Pokemon moving forward.

Pokemon Sword and Shield will be released on November 15th.