Why has Pokémon been successful for SO long?

Started by Moltres Rider April 23rd, 2013 2:29 AM
  • 2097 views
  • 18 replies
Age 37
Male
With My Wife, Reshiram!
Seen March 8th, 2014
Posted January 4th, 2014
992 posts
12.3 Years
basically self explanatory, Why has Pokémon been successful for so long like it has? other games and anime franchises have died and Pokémon lives on... Digimon, Sailor Moon, DBZ, etc. seems to make no more games or TV episodes or merchandise, but Pokémon has been successful since the 90's and STILL is extremely successful! why has Pokémon's success lived so long?
Age 29
Female
Vienna
Seen June 3rd, 2015
Posted May 30th, 2015
105 posts
10.5 Years
I could imagine that it has something to do with how the Pokémon anime has been running for so long. Because of the anime, many people (foremost children) get word of the whole franchise and thus get into the games. It's ironic, seeing how the anime is pretty repetitive all the time and one of the most boring anime I've ever seen. (Just my opinion)

Beside that, I get the feeling that Pokémon has become a part of Japan's culture that simply can't be erased. Japanese people seem to love games in which you collect animals and take care of them, in general.

Looking at Digimon, though, there's still Digimon games being made, even though many of them may not have been released out of Japan. Also, there will be a new Sailor Moon anime coming out this summer, so you see, those two franchises haven't died yet.
Pokémon Fan since the beginning.
Male
Seen January 29th, 2018
Posted July 4th, 2015
117 posts
13.8 Years
Very interesting question. My feeling is that Pokemon is just the perfect concept. It combines so many different addicting traits.

Longing for a pet? The game has you capture creatures that become your friends.

Love competition? Your goal is to be the very best and defeat everyone. As you get through tough battles, it bonds you to favorites even further.

Just like collecting things? A common hobby, there's not much more fun than collecting different types/species from different regions.

There's a ton of other factors that make this, basically, the perfect series.

Oryx

CoquettishCat

Age 30
Female
Seen January 30th, 2015
Posted December 27th, 2014
13,184 posts
12.2 Years
Uh Digimon's last anime season aired in 2012, not like it hasn't lasted. DBZ just released a new movie in the past month and Sailor Moon is being remade this summer. So you used bad examples of things that "died out". :P

I would say Pokemon is so popular still because it constantly reels in new people with its simplicity. People complain that they aren't catering to the older gamers, but then the older gamers who complained that the third gen didn't grow up with them grew away from the franchise, and now we have on PC tons of people that started as a kid with the third gen and loved it, which they couldn't have done if it was made for older kids.


Theme * Pair * VM * PM

Not all men...

Are all men stupid?

That's right.

Dubstep

Goes bump in the night

Female
Almost Canada (Minnesota)
Seen March 13th, 2014
Posted March 13th, 2014
155 posts
13 Years
Even as someone who's played numerous other monster collecting games I'm not sure I can answer that. The other titles typically have better mechanics and more creative means of collecting, so I'd chalk it up to a combination of Pokemon's accessibility and community. It's not over when you put down the Gameboy/DS.

The other titles OP mentioned are primarily TV, and I think in Dragonball's case GT's writing didn't draw in the crowds that the previous ones did and that took a lot of wind out of its sails. That's always a risk.
Male
Queensland, Australia
Seen September 24th, 2016
Posted November 8th, 2014
284 posts
10.1 Years
I dont think there is any one reason it's all the little things. the anime has been going for years and they still haven't run out of pot. as well as that, the games change a little each time while still maintaining the game-play that everyone loves. that would also explain why the other games like Ranger and Mystery Dungeon were never as successful, because the people at gamefreak have already created the perfect pet/collecting/rpg/battle game and those little spin-offs had no chance.
Sometimes I make music.
You can listen to it down below :)


EGKangaroo

Tail-bumps for all 'roolovers!

Age 27
Male
the Netherlands
Seen February 8th, 2014
Posted September 9th, 2013
398 posts
11.2 Years
It's because with the creation of pokémon there came more than just a story of a few heroes and all of the universe confining itself to their endeavours. They created a universe, where stories can unfold beyond just a focus plotline. There's place for everyone to realise their own stories within its framework, and imagine the unsung parts of its other inhabitants inside the franchise. It is succesful because of its open-endedness, never really reaching a finish line where the story ends and the universe ends, because everything that the heroes needed to do was done, and nothing else matters. Such a universe offers lots of creative freedom to its fans, and spawns a community that not only observes and loves the franchise, but can participate, be active, roleplay, draw, imagine new regions, new people, new stories, new pokémon, etcetera. It's this kind of formula that allows some other worlds to attain similar success: Minecraft, The Elder Scrolls, Digimon, Harry Potter... just take the main story, the main heroes, and the main locations right out of the picture, and it still stands.
RP's I am in:
Pokemon: Journeys Through Novia - Glyn Schaffer

"And they tell me there are people who are normal, but I don't know what they look like because I've never met one. And neither have you, so why not compare yourself to real people instead?"
"Three lives of a gamer: the first'll be your best, because you can always restart if it isn't; the second pales in comparison, and the game will cheat you out; but the third one's going to be better, because it gets do or die from then."

Female
Earth
Seen May 28th, 2016
Posted April 11th, 2016
892 posts
14.6 Years
Because nobody does what it does as well as it does it. Also it's addictive.
"Now that I have said it, it must be canon." -Little Kuriboh
"Though love may lose, kindness wins." - Science Fiction Novelist
"Destory all expectations." - Mortal Kombat DVD box
"I reject your reality and substitute my own." - The Dungeon Master/Ragewar

pokefreake

Male
Seen November 17th, 2013
Posted October 24th, 2013
69 posts
10.5 Years
I really don't know. Probably to please the fans that have been loyal to them for years. Also it aims at the younger audiences. I personally don't like the new pokemon games or the show anymore. There isn't anything else new about it. I want something new, something for me to enjoy for weeks or months. The last game that did that for me was Soul Silver. The Poke walker had an amazing effect on me. I just LOVED it. There were several new things in Black and White 2, but nothing big enough for me to enjoy. Maybe those small changes is what's bringing people back. We may never know.

Khoshi

とてもかわいい!

Age 24
Male
Sydney, Australia
Seen January 3rd, 2020
Posted October 16th, 2019
2,646 posts
10.1 Years
I guess...it's the inventiveness and the sheer simplicity. Nobody can not understand the story - it's just a kid, capturing these monsters you can keep close to you, out making friends and exploring the world. Nothing to get confused with. Also, you always get something new every few years e.g. new region, Pokemon, characters, etc. The producers keep it fresh.

Brendino

The Ruins of Alph
Seen 3 Days Ago
Posted April 6th, 2023
8,567 posts
13.4 Years
I really think the lasting appeal of Pokemon has continued thanks to the franchise's success across so many different mediums. Because the games were so wildly popular when they first came out, it led to the creation of the anime, the TCG, spinoff games, merchandise, etc.

The reason why I think the games were so popular in the first place was because they were simple to play, and featured a pretty straightforward story. Sure, it was aimed moreso at kids, but it wasn't so childish that it kept older players from enjoying it, too. Plus, as the generations went on, the story, characters and Pokemon may have changed, but the basic concept of catching and training Pokemon has stayed the same since day one, which makes it easy for both the new players and longtime supporters.

Now, with Pokemon having some many different ways to attract a new audience, it's easier to find one thing to latch on to and enjoy, without neccessarily having to like all of the other options (just like how many of the younger fans get started with the show, and a number of older fans only play the games). There aren't too many other franchises I can think of that can reach this broad of an audience, which is why I think Pokemon will continue to be successful for as long as it wants to be.

Bumfluff1202

Age 30
Male
Peterborough
Seen September 13th, 2013
Posted August 29th, 2013
57 posts
10.1 Years
It is quite an interesting question. I am a 90's kid and I met Pokemon by the TV shows at the time when I was like 5, it started growing onto me very quickly! Soon enough I started collecting the cards, I then got my very first GBA when I was about 7 or something, it was a purple normal GBA Advance, and I know first Pokemon game I played was Blue, then Ruby, then LG etc etc, and then come 98 the first film had been released and I loved it! While playing the games, and collecting cards and so on. So I think its just because everything influenced me and my mum even joined in on influencing me on it too!

Mr Cat Dog

Frasier says it best

Age 32
Male
London, UK
Seen September 29th, 2017
Posted July 12th, 2017
11,344 posts
19.1 Years
A combination of very good business savvy and genuine innovation from all involved in the franchise. Pokemon is a gigantic media empire, and it's a testament to both that it's still going strong today. Even if it's not as zeitgeist-y as it was in its first few years, the money and fans are still rolling in!

Ragin Dragon

Dragon Master

Age 28
Male
Neverland
Seen November 18th, 2016
Posted November 18th, 2016
93 posts
9.6 Years
Short answer but i think its because slot of people started watching pokemon when they were kids and as they were growing up theg bought games to play and little kids also played them so i guess pokemon kinda appeals to multiple ages to insure that it gets alot of business i mean in 18 and im going to buy X and Y soon so yup its working :)
Signature by:xVaporeon
Pokemon Y FC:4527-8645-4533

Brendino

The Ruins of Alph
Seen 3 Days Ago
Posted April 6th, 2023
8,567 posts
13.4 Years
Hmm... this topic's nearly half a year old. Please make sure if you don't see a topic you'd like to discuss active within the past month, make a new thread instead, as it's against the rules to bump anything older than that.

CLOSED.