The Pokémon Company has issued a statement following the backlash it received after announcing that one of the previous games' key features won't be included in the upcoming titles "Pokémon Sword and Shield."
Game Freak director and "Pokémon Sword" and "Pokémon Shield" producer Junichi Masuda announced earlier that not every Pokémon from previous games will be included in the upcoming titles. This announcement, as per ComicBook, resulted in massive backlash from the fanbase.
The backlash, according to Polygon, is serious. Fans started calling the game studio "lazy" and "greedy." Fans even demanded via social media that Game Freak should bring back the "National PokeDex," a list of Pokémon that have been featured in every "Pokémon" game from start until "Pokémon Sun" and "Pokémon Moon." Some of them even called the PokeDex controversy "Dexit."
In an attempt to appease the restless fanbase, Masuda released a statement saying that he has "read all your comments and appreciate your love and passion for Pokémon." The game producer said that all of the people at the Pokémon Company are "passionate about Pokémon" and that each and every one of the 800+ Pokémon "are very important" to them.
He said that because of the effort and time they have spent creating and working on the "Pokémon" video games, deciding to limit the number of Pokémon to be included in the new titles was a "very difficult decision" for him. He then made a promise to all "Pokémon" fans:
"I'd like to make one thing clear: even if a specific Pokémon is not available in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, that does not mean it will not appear in future games."
Masuda then ended the note by saying the world of "Pokémon" will continue to "evolve." Players will see more Pokémon in the new region of Galar. They will also face more encounters, more challenges, and will have more adventures to enjoy.
"We are pouring our hearts into these games, and we hope you will look forward to joining us on this new journey," Masuda said.
ComicBook noted that this isn't the kind of reply fans are waiting for. Many fans reportedly wait for the Pokémon Company to announce something like a DLC that will bring all Pokémon from older titles to the new ones, which will be released Nov. 19 this year.
This article was first published in IBTimes US. Permission required for reproduction.
