What if Town is a success?

[Deleted member 36622]

Few months ago Game Freak announced Town (working title), a JRPG completely unrelated to Pokémon

https://www.gamefreak.co.jp/town/
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To give you some context, despite Pokémon is one of the biggest franchise in video game history, Game Freak is a very small studio with around 100-150 employees (almost indie-ish), and that is one of the reasons why they've never made a Pokémon that is this big AAA project, they couldn't handle it, and they are a bit reluctant on expanding the team (they're hiring people but they want to stay relatively small).

It's definitely not the first time we see Game Freak making a game that isn't Pokémon but i believe this is the first relatively big one, with 3D visuals and possibly GF's first JRPG outside Pokémon. (unsure about that, you may consider some of the smaller games like Quest as RPGs)

Granted i believe this is likely a tech demo for the next Pokémon game, so it probably won't be a big game, but what if it is? What if in its own right, Town is an excellent RPG and it also sells well?

Should Game Freak start to focus on two franchises as a way to inspire developers making something that isn't Pokèmon? Should they give up on Pokémon (given the pressure they felt on making a bigger scale iteration) to focus on this? or should Town just be another of their side-projects with no sequels?

Personally looking at some of their non-Pokémon related artwork, i think it's cool to see them working on different projects and if it is a success, even as a small scale project, i'd consider turning Town into a separate franchise.

PS: It's also worth noting that apparently GF is also going to re-release Giga Wrecker on Switch with the name "Giga Wrecker Alt." (maybe with new contents added)

 

[Noppie]

I doubt their goal for Town is for it to become this big new IP of theirs.

 

[salromano]

Quick correction: Nintendo didn't announce Town. Town is self-published by Game Freak.

 

[Kouriozan]

Heh, I'm still waiting on HarmoKnight 2 so I doubt the side GameFreak games are getting sequel.

 

[Eumi]

Not everything needs to be a franchise.

 

[ILikeFeet]

Town is not a Nintendo game

It probably just a one-off considering it is eshop only

 

[Deleted member 8593]

i hope they keep doing different smaller-scale stuff between Pokémon releases. I don't need them to run two series concurrently.

 

[InspectaDekka]

I doubt it will. I love that Game Freak will every now and then will just make some random one-shot game like Tembo the Badass Elephant and HarmoKnight

 

[sfortunato]

Game Freak is a very small studio with around 100-150 employees (almost indie-ish)

Click to shrink...

A 100-150 employees studio is not "indie-ish" at all, lol

Also, "indie" refers to the fact that they don't have a publisher, rather than how big the studio is.

 

[Deleted member 36622]

Not everything needs to be a franchise.

Click to shrink...

But no other Game Freak game besides Pokémon is a franchise.

A 100-150 employees studio is not "indie-ish" at all, lol

Also, "indie" refers to the fact that they don't have a publisher, rather than how big the studio is.

Click to shrink...

I wouldn't even call it AA since i think most of them are artists.

 

[Deleted member 426]

If it's a success then they should bite the bullet and expand. They should be expanding to help drive change within the Pokemon series anyway (I'm not saying they're not already).

I am one of the few people though that thinks Town looks dreadful. I think the art style is ugly, and it looks a bit like a Wii game with better graphics. Plus it just feels like a tiny RPG. I don't expect it to be a success, but if it's great and I'm wrong; then that's just one more good game for me to play.

 

[ILikeFeet]

Also, why the hell would they ever give up the reins to a 10M+ selling franchise for a game that will be lucky to even see half a million?

 

[kitsuneyo]

I like how Town looks. Let's see if it's good. It sounds like a small game, the announcement mentions it all takes place in one location, so it's not likely to be a huge sales success. Doesn't seem to have much of a gimmick/USP beyond the cute visual style and being the new game from the Pokemon devs.

 

[Deleted member 36622]

Also, why the hell would they ever give up the reins to a 10M+ selling franchise for a game that will be lucky to even see half a million?

Click to shrink...

Agreed that would be really stupid, but every time a new Pokémon comes out (and especially with the last one) there is always a group of people who think Game Freak should give up on Pokémon because they can't make it bigger and better.

That option represents that group who believes GF should lend everything to Nintendo and make something else.

 

[Starlatine]

gamefreak had several other games during these years

that you don't hear about them talks a lot about where they should priorize

 

[Deleted member 2254]

I doubt it will be successful. Hot take if you will but the Pokémon games are mainly successful because it's Pokémon, not because of some crazy quality Game Freak has been showcasing. I don't see a new IP by them exploding, unless word of mouth gets really good and even then I can see it as a cult classic. But let's say I'm completely wrong and Town does end up being successful. Is it going anywhere near Pokémon numbers? No fucking way. So I doubt this game changes a lot: they'll always be spawning Pokémon games for maximum profit and results, and when they have the time, money, ideas and workforce to work on a second game, they'll build something like Town. I don't expect Town to become a franchise, anyhow.

 

[DXB-KNIGHT]

I liked it as it reminded me of FFCC my life as a King but with more meat.

 

[Tempy]

But no other Game Freak game besides Pokémon is a franchise.



I wouldn't even call it AA since i think most of them are artists.

Click to shrink...

GameFreak isn't "very small".

GameFreak isn't "indie".

Almost every studio has an artist majority...

 

[Jaded Alyx]

It'll be a one off.

Like Tembo the Dumbass Elephant

 

[Aleh]

I doubt it will be successful. Hot take if you will but the Pokémon games are mainly successful because it's Pokémon, not because of some crazy quality Game Freak has been showcasing. I don't see a new IP by them exploding, unless word of mouth gets really good and even then I can see it as a cult classic. But let's say I'm completely wrong and Town does end up being successful. Is it going anywhere near Pokémon numbers? No fucking way. So I doubt this game changes a lot: they'll always be spawning Pokémon games for maximum profit and results, and when they have the time, money, ideas and workforce to work on a second game, they'll build something like Town. I don't expect Town to become a franchise, anyhow.

Click to shrink...

Pokémon games are successful because GameFreak has been consistently putting out quality games for over 20 years.

 

[Dyle]

Gamefreak has zero interest in other franchises, see Tembo the Badass Elephant, Drill Dozer, Harmoknight, etc. etc. Town will be no different

 

[daybreak]

There are over 270 people credited on Pokemon Sun & Moon before you even get to the localization and "special thanks" categories. Game Freak is a AAA developer with a large budget and the full support and backing of Nintendo. Having ~140 people directly employed by GameFreak doesn't mean that's all there is working on their games. Creatures Inc., for instance, does a ton of work for the games.

They are nowhere near an "indie" studio and have been hiring plenty.

 

[Serebii]

Town is a self-published download exclusive title for the Nintendo Switch.

I think you have higher expectations of it than should exist.

Also Game Freak does expand, and have bought several studios. They also outsource elements to other companies. For example, Creatures Inc. does much of the 3D modelling for main Pokémon games

But sure, Game Freak will drop the franchise, that they own, that is bigger than Star Wars, because of an eShop title.

 

[Deleted member 36622]

GameFreak isn't "very small".

GameFreak isn't "indie".

Almost every studio has an artist majority...

Click to shrink...

indie-ish is a stretch, but if you consider how big Pokémon is (bigger than GTA, Minecraft, COD, FIFA...), you would think there is a giant studio behind it, and it's not.

In 2019 i know there are still many casual Pokémon fans who don't know this, and that's why they get upset when they don't see the "Pokémon Breath of the Wild", which is something Game Freak alone could never do it as of now without some major change.

 

[SinCityAssassin]

To give you some context, despite Pokémon is the biggest franchise in video game history, Game Freak is a very small studio with around 100-150 employees (almost indie-ish), and that is one of the reasons why they've never made a Pokémon that is this big AAA project, they couldn't handle it, and they are a bit reluctant on expanding the team (they're hiring people but they want to stay relatively small).

Click to shrink...

I can't believe Next Level Games, Good Feel Inc, and maybe possibly if you squint enough Monolith Soft are almost indie level.

 

[Jakenbakin]

I for sure thought they'd quit Pokemon after Tembo the Badass Elephant but here we are.

 

[LunarKnite]

I'd rather have them continue on with making Pocket Card Jockey a franchise.

 

[Tempy]

indie-ish is a stretch, but if you consider how big Pokémon is (bigger than GTA, Minecraft, COD, FIFA...), you would think there is a giant studio behind it, and it's not.

In 2019 i know there are still many casual Pokémon fans who don't know this, and that's why they get upset when they don't see the "Pokémon Breath of the Wild", which is something Game Freak alone couldn't never do it as of now without some major change.

Click to shrink...

Their games aren't like Assassin's Creed where UbiSoft will throw multiple studios and thousands of people on it, but they're absolutely NOT a very small studio.

 

[unicornKnight]

Town is proof that they already expanding. They made Let's Go while a different team has been working on Gen 8 and the same time they have been developing Town.

 

[Dan Thunder]

Just to echo other people. "150" being a small studio. Lol.

 

[SinCityAssassin]

I'd rather have them continue on with making Pocket Card Jockey a franchise.

Click to shrink...

This man speaks the truth.

 

[Serebii]

Town is proof that they already expanding. They made Let's Go while a different team has been working on Gen 8 and the same time they have been developing Town.

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And developing Pokémon Quest

And according to ratings, Giga Wrecker port for Switch

 

[Deleted member 4093]

Then they might make a Town 2

 

[KratosEnergyDrink]

Hot take if you will but the Pokémon games are mainly successful because it's Pokémon, not because of some crazy quality Game Freak has been showcasing.

Click to shrink...

Pokemon is not big because of GameFreak but GameFreak is big because of Pokemon.

Pokemon games always feel a bit underdeveloped and unpolished GameFreak had a successful formula and just stick to it because they feared even a little change could drive customers away.

There had to come another publisher like Niantic that made something different with Pokemon and be very successful to push GameFreak into the future (technically PGo is a mess but it has some good "new" ideas).

Lets Go shows that GameFreak sometimes has trouble to output a decent quality when they go away from their standard formula. The ball throwing mechanism is unnecessary complicated and simply broken in TV mode but nonetheless it is an important part of the game. Why such a thing passed GameFreaks quality control is unbelievable.

 

[Serebii]

There had to come another publisher like Niantic that madr something different with Pokemon and be successful to push GameFreak into the future.

Click to shrink...

Good god no.

 

[Deleted member 36622]

Their games aren't like Assassin's Creed where UbiSoft will throw multiple studios and thousands of people on it, but they're absolutely NOT a very small studio.

Click to shrink...

I can't believe Next Level Games, Good Feel Inc, and maybe possibly if you squint enough Monolith Soft are almost indie level.

Click to shrink...

Just to echo other people. "150" being a small studio. Lol.

Click to shrink...

(-_-")

First of all 100-150 is the entirety of GF, as Game Informer said during their last visit there, there is a group of people at Game Freak who only works on these side projects (for Switch and other platforms), and they are always making other games, so not all of them work on Pokémon.

Then i was trying to put things in context: 100 is not a small studio per se BUT if you consider how big Pokémon is, then it's incredibly small.

How many other IPs are THIS successful and have only 100 people working on the actual games?

 

[Mirage]

Maybe if it does well enough we will get the sequel, City.

 

[Aleh]

Pokemon is not big because of GameFreak but GameFreak is big because of Pokemon.

Pokemon games always feel a bit underdeveloped and unpolished GameFreak had a successful formula and just stick to it because they feared even a little change could drive customers away.

There had to come another publisher like Niantic that made something different with Pokemon and be very successful to push GameFreak into the future (technically PGo is a mess but it has some good "new" ideas).

Lets Go shows that GameFreak sometimes has trouble to output a decent quality when they go away from their standard formula. The ball throwing mechanism is unnecessary complicated and simply broken in TV mode but nonetheless it is an important part of the game. Why such a thing passed GameFreaks quality control is unbelievable.

Click to shrink...

This is 100% unadulterated bs. GF has managed the franchise in a way no other developer would have been able to do. They have changed things up many times to the point you'll never find people agreeing on which Pokémon game is the best, and you'll see both people completely shitting on an entry and people praising it. If Pokémon were developed by SquareEnix, Capcom, Ubisoft, EA or what have you, it would have been no where near as successful or beloved.
To say Niantic showed GameFreak the future is the most ridiculous thing I have heard in a very long time

 

[Tempy]

(-_-")

First of all 100-150 is the entirety of GF, as for example Game Informer said during their last visit there, there is a group of people who only works on these side projects (for Switch and other platforms) so not all of them work on Pokémon.

Then i was trying to put things in context: 100 is not a small studio BUT if you consider how big Pokémon is, then it's incredibly small.

How many other IPs are THIS successful and have only 100 people working on it?

Click to shrink...

You did not specify this in your original post. We're not mind readers. To reiterate: GameFreak is not a "very small" studio.

Also, successful games requiring many developers is a complete misconception.

Another thing to consider is that studios employ outsourcing. In Pokemon's case you not only have to consider GameFreak, but also Creatures and Nintendo internal studios helping out.

 

[Serebii]

How many other IPs are THIS successful and have only 100 people working on the actual games?

Click to shrink...

Again, things aren't as simple as that. Over 300 people worked on Pokémon Sun & Moon

 

[KratosEnergyDrink]

Good god no.

Click to shrink...

Not the future of the franchise, just showing GameFreak that something different could be done with Pokemon and be successful besides GameFreaks standard formula.

I mean GameFreak always seemed to be a angst-driven developer that had this enormous success with one game and feared to change anything after that. Normally such companies would vanish because people get bored of the repeats, but the base concept of Pokemon and the beloved TV show were enough to hold steady sales.

 

[Serebii]

Not the future of the franchise, just showing GameFreak that something different could be done with Pokemon and be successful besides GameFreaks standard formula.

I mean GameFreak always seemed to be a angst-driven developer that had this enormous success with one game and feared to change anything after that. Normally such companies would vanish because people get bored of the repeats, but the base concept of Pokemon and the beloved TV show were enough to hold steady sales.

Click to shrink...

I mean GO is successful, sure, however it's successful in spite of Niantic in my view. The sheer number of problems/errors/fuckups that Niantic keep doing with that is getting ridiculous.

 

[Starlatine]

I mean GO is successful, sure, however it's successful in spite of Niantic in my view. The sheer number of problems/errors/fuckups that Niantic keep doing with that is getting ridiculous.

Click to shrink...

Same could be said of mainline pokemon

 

[808s & Villainy]

It'll just be another side project like the ones they've had in the past. It's success won't mean anything unless it's a MASSIVE success, then they might reconsider

Plus we need a sequel to Screw Breaker/Drill Dozer first anyway

 

[Serebii]

Same could be said of mainline pokemon

Click to shrink...

It could be, sure. I mean the people saying it would be wrong, but sure the same could be said.

I'm not talking about the "They didn't make a Battle Frontier angryface" and questioning decisions like that. I'm talking about game breaking bugs, errors and so forth.

 

[Batatina]

I heard they've been hiring a lot recently so I don't think the games are mutually exclusive.

 

[Arkanim94]

they should just cancel pokemon regardless.

 

[ILikeFeet]

I liked it as it reminded me of FFCC my life as a King but with more meat.

Click to shrink...

this doesn't look to be a town builder like MLaK, but an rpg that takes place in a single town

 

[Serebii]

they should just cancel pokemon regardless.

Click to shrink...

Franchise bigger than Star Wars, but sure they should just can it :)

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

I reckon that it'll be a one off, regardless of how much of a success it turns out to be...

... but hopefully it'll be vindication for Game Freak's own "garage" development strategy and that we'll see future games that follow in its wake (and Harmoknight/Tembo/Pocket Card Jockey/Gigawrecker); perhaps even more of them, with bigger budgets?

Most importantly, I hope that it inspires Nintendo's internal developers (and their other external partners) to take more chances with fresh, new IP of both smaller and larger scale. We desperately need more games like ARMS, Pushmo/Pullblox, Box Boy and Dillon! The next Splatoon is just around the corner, waiting to be found!