[Sword & Shield] Following Pokémon

[Janp]

I didn't see any in the trailer and I know it's something a lot of fans want.

So, do you think there will be Pokémon following the player?

 

[CodeHelmet]

If it was in LGPE, its likely in the main series games. I'd be mildly surprised they'd remove that considering they had it in the first Pokemon Switch game.

 

[jfuze174]

From what it looks like I doubt it. The thing is now this Dex is probably going over 850 mons give or take it's hard to do

 

[Iceshadow3317]

I don't think so. If there was following pokemon, I would think it would have appeared in the trailers, especially since some of those scenes seemed later in game.

 

[Flowerchild]

Yeah that's why they limited the Pokémon so severely in LGPE - no way they could make walking models for 850 Pokémon in time. That's also why they've reused the battle models of many Pokémon ever since Gen 6.

 

[JamesBCFC]

I really hope it's not in it.

 

[Juno]

I would have thought LGPE was kind of a stepping stone in development so that they could more easily add some of these features into Gen 8 when it comes out, but that's true - it would be a lot of Pokémon to add in this case, compared to LGPE, and it wasn't in the trailer. Even if they can't do it for every Pokémon, I hope some will be able to follow you.

 

[professor plum]

I gotta say, I agree - if it were possible, I think it'd have been shown in the trailer. Bit of a bummer, though, because I was super hopeful for it to be in a core/non-remake game again.

 

[colours]

starting to think that this feature won't make my real appearances in the actual main series games besides maybe in a limited area here and there where you could walk your Pokemon around.

 

[AveeVaporGlitch]

I mean I get why some might want it but even in the anime it seems kinda rare that it is a thing so yeah.... :)

 

[Fairy]

As much as I would love it, I don't think it's realistic. :<

 

[Pepperton]

Yeah similar to Fairy, it would be amazing but unfortunately not likely, and I don't blame them for not pursuing it either. It doubles the amount of assets and animations you have to produce, and there's already 700+ Pokemon out there.

 

[Rivvon]

To the people saying it's not realistic: they already have the Pokémon models made. Otherwise, how could they battle? They'd just need to make walk and run cycles for each one. It's not that bad.

That being said, the lack of following and ride Pokémon is my one complaint thus far, as such an expansive landscape has no reason to exclude them. It similarly makes me worried about what other good features have been cut despite the technological capabilities of the Switch, but for those I'll worry when we get confirmation that they're gone.

 

[bobandbill]

They did have at least beta walk/run cycles for all gen 1-7 Pokemon in SM files. So the potential was there.

Seems unlikely to be here unless a) they're hiding it (but why) or b) they haven't made it ready yet for the build used for making the trailer (possible but imo still unlikely). A shame if it is excluded as I rather like the feature.

 

[Flowerchild]

To the people saying it's not realistic: they already have the Pokémon models made. Otherwise, how could they battle? They'd just need to make walk and run cycles for each one. It's not that bad.

Much easier said than done.

 

[Rivvon]

Much easier said than done.

Everything is easier said than done.

In a game meant to be massive, not including something that fans have been clamoring for for over eight years and they clearly have the capacity to include is a bit worrisome. And it's a reasonable thing to ask for. And as bobandbill said, walk cycles for all Pokémon from gens 1-7 were stored in the gen 7 games. This is something Game Freak is capable of doing.

 

[PageEmp]

Unlikely since we didnt see it in the trailer

 

[PkmnTrainerElio]

They could be hiding it, it's a feature a lot of us want, so they could hide it to surprise the player. You do have to remember that the following feature was optional in Let's Go.

 

[clbgolden]

I'm gonna make an odd prediction and say that only your starter can follow you. It would explain why we didn't see it in the trailer, as they didn't show us any in-game starter footage in the first place.

 

[Hyzenthlay]

I adore this feature so I hope they bring it back, in spite of my concerns that it's too unrealistic. I'd still be happy if they only allowed Pokémon from the regional Dex!