Will Pokemon Survive

[UltimateFrosty08]

Guys as we all know Pokémon is meeting something I like to call "The Children's Void"
this name comes from the fact that children will end Pokémon today Pokémon is viewed by children as a dumb Monster Vs. Monster thing how would we get the children today to like Pokémon got any ideas because Pokémon might end at this rate (Most likely not) (especially because Pokémon's main target is Children.)

 

[Hikamaru]

As we know, Pokemon may be targeted by children but it appears that it has lost popularity due to competing franchises, one in particular being a new anime in Japan called Yo-kai Watch which seems to follow along that same "monster collecting" storyline but with a protagonist who actually looks younger than most Pokemon protagonists plus the corresponding games have been selling well. People have even been branding Yo-kai Watch as the "Pokemon Killer" due to stealing most of Pokemon's target audience. I also read articles that mentioned that Pokemon fans are apparently getting older, with more teens and adults playing the games now compared to previous generations of the games.

Also, more teens and adults have been paying attention to Pokemon more than previously and it makes you question if Nintendo and Game Freak are taking risky directions and not being aware of new phenomenons like Yo-kai Watch. It has exploded so much in Japan that toys had been selling out, dominating CoroCoro covers, and even pushing McDonald's in Japan to ditch their usual Pokemon calendars in fave of the new "in" thing for Japanese kids.

The fact the XY anime series has been rating lowly also makes one question if the anime will even survive because if you pay attention to the ratings of most of XY, they would be at levels that "don't meet expectations" and would subsequently cancel a show due to a lack of viewers. The Hoopa film even saw a change in writer, after sticking with the same writer for all previous movies, the change likely being blamed due to the Diancie film being a box office flop.

The one advantage Pokemon still has over Yo-kai Watch is that the former has dedicated stores (the Pokemon Centers) while the latter doesn't, plus Yo-kai Watch hasn't really caught onto international audiences yet.

 

[Juice585]

plus Yo-kai Watch hasn't really caught onto international audiences yet.

not for a lack of trying, there's certainly a ton of marketing in the States.

and to be frank, this is where the delay in whatever main series Pokemon game is next hurts the most. I have no interest in SMD, Pokken Tournament, or whatever side-game is currently going on. The fact we're waiting 6+ months for another main series game is a huge mistake on their part.

 

[Boss Salamence]

and to be frank, this is where the delay in whatever main series Pokemon game is next hurts the most. I have no interest in SMD, Pokken Tournament, or whatever side-game is currently going on. The fact we're waiting 6+ months for another main series game is a huge mistake on their part.

You may not have interest in those games, but there are people who do very much have interest and enjoy the side games, including me. However, I do see your point. We are all waiting for Z or whatever the next version is.

As for the topic itself, I'm not sure to be honest. There are many dedicated Pokemon fans all over the globe. I can't see it dying off anytime soon, but who knows.

 

[Megan]

If anything, Yo-kai Watch is the best thing that could have happened to the Pokemon franchise. If there is anything the franchise needs, it's some serious competition.

 

[Nah]

I don't really see Pokemon dying out anytime soon. Not when the main series games still sell like hotcakes whenever a new one is released. Not when Pokemon websites like this one are still very much active. Spinoff games still exist to hold people over or for those who aren't as into the main series. Pretty sure the merchandise sells well, particularly in Japan. I'm not very familiar with the anime or manga or TCG so I can't comment on that though.

But the fact that Pokemon is still so lucrative doesn't really make it seem like it'll die out in the next few years. It WILL die eventually though; nothing lasts forever. How fast it dies depends on Game Freak's/Nintendo's/TPC's ability to adapt to change and generate continued interest in the franchise. If they continue to not innovate or not attempt to fix any of the flaws in the various mediums, it'll die sooner. If they do try though, it'll last longer.

And I don't think that Yokai Watch is gonna be the "Pokemon Killer". That'd be like saying that if some platformer series came out where you played as a middle-aged European man that'll be the "Mario Killer". Yes there are similarities but that doesn't mean it's going to supplant the franchise. Yokai Watch might actually be a good thing for Pokemon if it gets big enough. Pokemon will finally have some serious competition for once and that'd hopefully force them to step up their game a bit.

edit: ayy lmao RF beat me to the bit about Yokai Watch being good (competition) for Pokemon

 

[Boss Salamence]

I don't really see Pokemon dying out anytime soon. Not when the main series games still sell like hotcakes whenever a new one is released. Not when Pokemon websites like this one are still very much active. Spinoff games still exist to hold people over or for those who aren't as into the main series. Pretty sure the merchandise sells well, particularly in Japan. I'm not very familiar with the anime or manga or TCG so I can't comment on that though.

But the fact that Pokemon is still so lucrative doesn't really make it seem like it'll die out in the next few years. It WILL die eventually though; nothing lasts forever. How fast it dies depends on Game Freak's/Nintendo's/TPC's ability to adapt to change and generate continued interest in the franchise. If they continue to not innovate or not attempt to fix any of the flaws in the various mediums, it'll die sooner. If they do try though, it'll last longer.

And I don't think that Yokai Watch is gonna be the "Pokemon Killer". That'd be like saying that if some platformer series came out where you played as a middle-aged European man that'll be the "Mario Killer". Yes there are similarities but that doesn't mean it's going to supplant the franchise. Yokai Watch might actually be a good thing for Pokemon if it gets big enough. Pokemon will finally have some serious competition for once and that'd hopefully force them to step up their game a bit.

edit: ayy lmao RFbeat me to the bit about Yokai Watch being good (competition for Pokemon)

For the TCG, this could be a good indicator, at least in the United States: https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/32100/top-collectible-games-spring-2015

 

[ProfChaos]

I don't see pkm going out anytime soon either.After all Digimon is still a thing, and even after a long time of being pretty close to pkm then left in the dust.

 

[UltimateFrosty08]

And I don't think that Yokai Watch is gonna be the "Pokemon Killer". That'd be like saying that if some platformer series came out where you played as a middle-aged European man that'll be the "Mario Killer". Yes there are similarities but that doesn't mean it's going to supplant the franchise. Yokai Watch might actually be a good thing for Pokemon if it gets big enough. Pokemon will finally have some serious competition for once and that'd hopefully force them to step up their game a bit.

edit: ayy lmao RF beat me to the bit about Yokai Watch being good (competition) for Pokemon

Good point but what if Yokai Watch doesn't take off as a popular franchise or what if it does but people don't change their view of Pokémon. The point is Pokémon is unpopular to kids now and we need to come up with a idea to get kids to see how cool it is.

 

[BeachBoy]

Good point but what if Yokai Watch doesn't take off as a popular franchise or what if it does but people don't change their view of Pokémon. The point is Pokémon is unpopular to kids now and we need to come up with a idea to get kids to see how cool it is.

Where are we getting that assumption from, and also that Pokemon is in its "Darkest Days"...? Have we forgotten that X and Y sold the most ever on the 3DS? Kids or not, it sold spectacularly.

It seems to me a lot of the posts here are all so narrative-like but few include numbers of actual decline. Let's get some meat (read: data) into this discussion. Outside of Boss Salamence's post, I'm trying to find some facts in these posts to look into things deeper.

Yo-Kai might be doing well, but behind the scenes things aren't perfect. There were several articles in September about their license/supply struggles. Level-5 does not have the support and supply chain management in place that Pokemon already mastered. They're going to go through growing pains.

 

[Trainer Kenzie]

It would take a lot in order for Pokemon to be left behind and become a failed franchise; it would take something on the scale of what happened to Sonic during 2003-2006 for that to occur. And even then, it would need multiple games that bomb as much as Sonic '06 did. (This is coming from a Sonic fan, too; the series has never managed to recover from those days, and if something like that happened to Pokemon, I don't know if it would, either).

I'll say this: I have four younger siblings, ranging from six years old to fourteen years old. Pokemon is still very popular, especially in the six-year-old's and the ten-year-old's classes. I still see their friends wearing Pokemon t-shirts, playing the games, talking about the show, or owning cards or toys. It's not like every kid thinks it's stupid; of course there are some that think that, but Pokemon is still very alive and well among kids. This is just how it is in suburban Southern Ohio, however, so it may not be as popular in other places, but still.

It's not as if the franchise is on its' last legs; far from it, it seems. Pokemon seems to be selling more with each main game, actually. I think it's far from dying off. Perhaps in a few decades or so, but it definitely won't be killed off for the time being.

 

[UltimateFrosty08]

Where are we getting that assumption from, and also that Pokemon is in its "Darkest Days"...? Have we forgotten that X and Y sold the most ever on the 3DS? Kids or not, it sold spectacularly.

It seems to me a lot of the posts here are all so narrative-like but few include numbers of actual decline. Let's get some meat (read: data) into this discussion. Outside of Boss Salamence's post, I'm trying to find some facts in these posts to look into things deeper.

Yo-Kai might be doing well, but behind the scenes things aren't perfect. There were several articles in September about their license/supply struggles. Level-5 does not have the support and supply chain management in place that Pokemon already mastered. They're going to go through growing pains.

Your right Kids or not there is a lot of people that like Pokémon and hopefully more to come + Yokai Watch is stupid anyways.

 

[SirBoglor]

It would take a lot in order for Pokemon to be left behind and become a failed franchise; it would take something on the scale of what happened to Sonic during 2003-2006 for that to occur. And even then, it would need multiple games that bomb as much as Sonic '06 did. (This is coming from a Sonic fan, too; the series has never managed to recover from those days, and if something like that happened to Pokemon, I don't know if it would, either).

I'll say this: I have four younger siblings, ranging from six years old to fourteen years old. Pokemon is still very popular, especially in the six-year-old's and the ten-year-old's classes. I still see their friends wearing Pokemon t-shirts, playing the games, talking about the show, or owning cards or toys. It's not like every kid thinks it's stupid; of course there are some that think that, but Pokemon is still very alive and well among kids. This is just how it is in suburban Southern Ohio, however, so it may not be as popular in other places, but still.

It's not as if the franchise is on its' last legs; far from it, it seems. Pokemon seems to be selling more with each main game, actually. I think it's far from dying off. Perhaps in a few decades or so, but it definitely won't be killed off for the time being.

As myself being from Tennessee, finding someone who plays/watches Pokemon in my area would be extremely hard to do. Mainly because all anyone here wants to talk about is Call Of Duty, Fallout, etc. Most here consider Nintendo to be a company close to death, which is ludicrous to me. But that doesn't mean that the franchise will die. I think that we will have many years more of Pokemon before it dies. If the kids don't buy it, adults and teens including myself will.

 

[Boss Salamence]

It's also possible Pokemon will never have any serious competition. Some things are just too big and too popular. A non-Pokemon example of this would be one of my other favorite things: LEGO. How many building toy brands do you see that give serious competition to LEGO, at least in the west? I can't speak for outside the states, but go to any Wal-Mart or Target in the states, and you'd probably find that the building toy isle is dominated by the brand. It could very well be a similar situation with Pokemon. Yo-Kai Watch can surely stick around, but it probably won't be the next Pokemon as some say. I can't see it catching on in the west as much as Pokemon did when it came out.

Some people like to think that Yu-Gi-Oh is Pokemon's rival, but the two couldn't be any different. While the Pokemon TCG is big, the brand's main focus is the video games while in Yu-Gi-Oh, the main focus is the actual card game. Like I said, Pokemon may never have any serious competition. It's just too big and too popular.

 

[Juice585]

You may not have interest in those games, but there are people who do very much have interest and enjoy the side games, including me. However, I do see your point. We are all waiting for Z or whatever the next version is.

As for the topic itself, I'm not sure to be honest. There are many dedicated Pokemon fans all over the globe. I can't see it dying off anytime soon, but who knows.

Absolutely. I'm not saying that people don't care or don't want them. I personally don't, and they've released side games throughout Pokemon's history, but I think at this very point in time, it's not the best idea for a main series "break".

Let me quickly interject a personal anecdote.

I have an almost 6 year old son. He's seen adverts for both Yokai and Pokemon in the last couple of weeks. I know because I often watch TV with him and there was even a Yokai ad in the movie theater we went to last weekend.

You know what he was excited about today? Going to McDonalds so he could get a Pokemon toy. I played dumb and let him explain to me what he knew about Pokemon. He mentioned the basic battle system and he knew who Pikachu was. Yokai? Nothing.

 

[ProfChaos]

Your right Kids or not there is a lot of people that like Pokémon and hopefully more to come + Yokai Watch is stupid anyways.

ooohh come now. why can't we like 2 things? lol...

 

[Cassandra]

Pokemon is one of the most successful gaming franchises of all time, and has never experienced a failure so catastrophic that the continuation of the series would be put on the line. Millions of children across the globe still enjoy and cherish the Pokemon series. In reality, there really isn't a problem with Pokemon aside from the subjective quality of the games.

 

[Blueredemption]

I can't say I never see Pokemon in the world, but it's close. As a Highschool kid, I see first hand how little Pokemon is to my age group. An overwhelming amount of kids are classic "I remember playing ruby when I was a kid" or "I think my last game was pearl?". It hurts, I mean when someone thinks your 3ds is a phone case there is an issue. And that's just it, phones. In Japan it may be the rise of a new tv show, but in America (or at least in Massachusetts) once a kid gets a smartphone it is game over. Of course it isn't just my age group, every 10 year old I know has one.

The only light at the end of the tunnel I see is with the really young children. A couple weeks ago one brought his Pokemon cards to the daycare my family runs, so I know it's not dead. I just hope that by the time that kid inevitably gets a smartphone pokemon has a better presence, because if not the age gap between the old loyal players and the current generation will only get wider.

This is why I really hope Pokemon GO doesn't flop. It could be the spark Pokemon needs to take back it's audience.

 

[Cassandra]

I can't say I never see Pokemon in the world, but it's close. As a Highschool kid, I see first hand how little Pokemon is to my age group. An overwhelming amount of kids are classic "I remember playing ruby when I was a kid" or "I think my last game was pearl?". It hurts, I mean when someone thinks your 3ds is a phone case there is an issue. And that's just it, phones. In Japan it may be the rise of a new tv show, but in America (or at least in Massachusetts) once a kid gets a smartphone it is game over. Of course it isn't just my age group, every 10 year old I know has one.

The only light at the end of the tunnel I see is with the really young children. A couple weeks ago one brought his Pokemon cards to the daycare my family runs, so I know it's not dead. I just hope that by the time that kid inevitably gets a smartphone pokemon has a better presence, because if not the age gap between the old loyal players and the current generation will only get wider.

This is why I really hope Pokemon GO doesn't flop. It could be the spark Pokemon needs to take back it's audience.

Just wait until you get to college. College is chock full of gamers and such, which means stuff like Pokemon naturally just gets popular again.

 

[pkmin3033]

Pokemon isn't even remotely close to being discontinued. It's been a very long time - longer than some people on this forum have been alive, in fact! - since Pokemon was a global phenomenon, and despite this it's endured. It has sold astronomical amounts of video games and all the rest of it, and just because it isn't quite as appealing to kids these days does not mean that it is anywhere close to its last legs. Pokemon is suitable for young children, but it is marketed at all ages, and the older generation who have grown up with the franchise are what is going to keep it going for years to come. You get a lot of people playing it competitively - hell, the prizes for winning tournaments are incredible - and it's still a ridiculously huge thing in some circles. Pokemon is one of the biggest franchises Nintendo owns, right up there with Mario and Zelda. It's on the same level as Final Fantasy in terms of enduring popularity. It's not going anywhere for a long time yet.

This idea that Yokai Watch is serious competition is pretty silly in my opinion, at least for the moment. How many franchises have tried to be "the next Pokemon" over the years? Sure, plenty have had their own small success, but none of them have lasted for as long or been anywhere near as successful. The franchise needs at least another four or five years under its belt before it can be considered a serious rival or even a long-standing franchise.

As for the smartphone argument...that doesn't stand, any more than it does as the reason for the PlayStation Vita's underperformance. Smartphone gaming is the handheld equivalent excuse to the excuse of PC gaming being the reason for console gaming's decline: it's something developers use to feel better about the crappy quality titles they churn out and wonder why people don't buy, and consumers use as a marker to herald the end times. The effect that smartphone gaming has on the industry is vastly overplayed and completely misunderstood.

At this precise moment in time it doesn't really apply to Nintendo, either - Pokemon GO (which I despise the idea of, but applaud anyway) is going to bridge that gap (or at least try to) and god only knows what they've got up their sleeves with the NX at this point. Before anyone goes and says Pokemon is going to be phased out in the younger generation by smartphone gaming, wait and see what Nintendo comes out with for the future to address that, because you can bet they're aware of it and have plans. They always do. Think about how the DS and Wii were perceived before they came out, and how well they performed. Unlike most developers, Nintendo learn from their mistakes, and they've been around a very, very long time. They've had their ups and downs, but despite the popularity of alternative sources of gaming they have always managed to hold their own. It would be VERY unlike Nintendo to discontinue one of their major franchises.

People are, in my opinion, jumping at shadows and perceiving threats where there are none. When the tournaments stop, the merchandise train runs out of steam, the anime comes to an end, and the games start to perform poorly in sales or are announced to be discontinued, THEN start worrying. Eventually, yes, things will come to an end. But not when sales are this high.