With rumors of morale being at an all-time low inside of Game Freak and an overall climate of tension among the fanbase, I wanted to share a sentiment. A sentiment that sometimes we just forget to share because we take things as granted and because we always expect the more for people we love the most. A simple sentiment that is shared by millions : I love you Game Freak.
Of course, I and many, won't agree with all of your design decisions. Sometimes, we are disappointed, we don't understand, we would have changed some aspects of your games. Sometimes even, we are angry...
However, there is something that nobody will take aways from you : your games are special.
I have been there since the begining, at the height of the Pokemon craze when your designs and games took the world by storm. I remember trading my Pokemon in my school and hearing stories about how to catch Mew. I remember growing up but still struggling with a Miltank, a Kingdra and an icey cave. I remember taking the Johto League with my overleveled Pidgeot. I remember climbing the Mt Silver :
I remember receiving my copy of Ruby, discovering this whole new region of Hoenn, wondering if it was possible to combine attacks during Double Battles... I remember needing a guide to decipher how to get the Regi's and learning what was Braille in the process. I remember leveling my Charizard to Lv100 on Green Leaf and being awestruck by how many HP my Chansey had. I remember spending countless hours drawing the Hoenn Pokemon of my Emerald guide with my cousins despite drawing very badly. I remember asking my grandmother to bring my game to a Fnac Store abroad to get Deoxys...
I remember playing Diamond on my DS, Cynthia as the first woman champion Pokemon Champion and the toughest in the franchise. I remember the wifi battling with friends I was losing contact with, I remember being clueless on what was Spiritomb weaknesses before learning that he had none... I remember playing Platinum and the world of distorsion... I remember playing HeartGold and being floored by its visual style. I remember putting the pedometer in my shoes before sports...
I also remember feeling burned out, by Pokemon and videogames in general. Life moved on so I guess it was just a matter of time. Maybe your games were only special for a time...
However, suddenly, I felt it again : this urge to come back to some of my favorite world. To come back to this cozyness and charm the series always had and will always have :
So I came back to Black and from it I remember N, its conception of the world and the place Pokemon should have, I remember being impressed by the animated sprites. I remember the Pokemon League not going down as expected...
I remember X/Y, I was in France at the time, all Pokemon were in 3D now ! I remember the great designs, Pokemon Amie and the YSS. I remember winning some online battles and losing a lot. Then a year later, OR/AS, to relive my found memories of gen 3. The game's new ending that resonated so much with me. So yeah, I remember going to space and saving the world...
2016, Pokemon Go of course, the fever was spreading everywhere. I remember being lukewarm on the new destination for S/M but then being charmed by the new creatures and the cast of characters. I remember not needing an HM slave anymore, loving the guardians and the special vibe of Alola. I remember the Totem fights and the Team Skull...
And now Shield just around the corner :
Waiting on the jury's verdict
After 20 years, why am I always coming back ? There are games with bigger scope, more complex storyline and better graphics out there. Why are millions of people pouring hundreds of hours into your games ?
Because, it feels like home, because you created a world that feels always accessible for people of all origins and all ages. A world of charm and wonder. A world of friendliness and love. Because, maybe, you put your hearts and souls into these games and in response so are we. Because it is a way out from the cynical world we live in...
I won't tell you that your games are perfect : they are not. Nonetheless, for all the reasons cited above, I love your games, their charm and simply you, who are making this world alive.
Thank you.
Of course, I and many, won't agree with all of your design decisions. Sometimes, we are disappointed, we don't understand, we would have changed some aspects of your games. Sometimes even, we are angry...
However, there is something that nobody will take aways from you : your games are special.
I have been there since the begining, at the height of the Pokemon craze when your designs and games took the world by storm. I remember trading my Pokemon in my school and hearing stories about how to catch Mew. I remember growing up but still struggling with a Miltank, a Kingdra and an icey cave. I remember taking the Johto League with my overleveled Pidgeot. I remember climbing the Mt Silver :
I remember receiving my copy of Ruby, discovering this whole new region of Hoenn, wondering if it was possible to combine attacks during Double Battles... I remember needing a guide to decipher how to get the Regi's and learning what was Braille in the process. I remember leveling my Charizard to Lv100 on Green Leaf and being awestruck by how many HP my Chansey had. I remember spending countless hours drawing the Hoenn Pokemon of my Emerald guide with my cousins despite drawing very badly. I remember asking my grandmother to bring my game to a Fnac Store abroad to get Deoxys...
I remember playing Diamond on my DS, Cynthia as the first woman champion Pokemon Champion and the toughest in the franchise. I remember the wifi battling with friends I was losing contact with, I remember being clueless on what was Spiritomb weaknesses before learning that he had none... I remember playing Platinum and the world of distorsion... I remember playing HeartGold and being floored by its visual style. I remember putting the pedometer in my shoes before sports...
I also remember feeling burned out, by Pokemon and videogames in general. Life moved on so I guess it was just a matter of time. Maybe your games were only special for a time...
However, suddenly, I felt it again : this urge to come back to some of my favorite world. To come back to this cozyness and charm the series always had and will always have :
So I came back to Black and from it I remember N, its conception of the world and the place Pokemon should have, I remember being impressed by the animated sprites. I remember the Pokemon League not going down as expected...
I remember X/Y, I was in France at the time, all Pokemon were in 3D now ! I remember the great designs, Pokemon Amie and the YSS. I remember winning some online battles and losing a lot. Then a year later, OR/AS, to relive my found memories of gen 3. The game's new ending that resonated so much with me. So yeah, I remember going to space and saving the world...
2016, Pokemon Go of course, the fever was spreading everywhere. I remember being lukewarm on the new destination for S/M but then being charmed by the new creatures and the cast of characters. I remember not needing an HM slave anymore, loving the guardians and the special vibe of Alola. I remember the Totem fights and the Team Skull...
And now Shield just around the corner :
Waiting on the jury's verdict
After 20 years, why am I always coming back ? There are games with bigger scope, more complex storyline and better graphics out there. Why are millions of people pouring hundreds of hours into your games ?
Because, it feels like home, because you created a world that feels always accessible for people of all origins and all ages. A world of charm and wonder. A world of friendliness and love. Because, maybe, you put your hearts and souls into these games and in response so are we. Because it is a way out from the cynical world we live in...
I won't tell you that your games are perfect : they are not. Nonetheless, for all the reasons cited above, I love your games, their charm and simply you, who are making this world alive.
Thank you.
