Gen IV & Beyond Remakes - Is There A Demand?

jas61292

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I know this may be a dumb question, but the New 3DS, would you consider it the next Nintendo handheld or just an upgrade version of the 3DS? I ask because it was announced that due to its higher power that some games will only be playable on it. Could it be possible that the next batch of games will only be playable on it?
N3DS seems most like the Gameboy Color when comparing to past systems. It is a step up, but more of a half step than a full one. Like the GBC, it has things that will be exclusive to it, but for the most part, it just functions like the old console. Personally, for a game like Pokemon which doesn't necessarily put strain on the 3DS specs, I wouldn't expect a game to be N3DS exclusive. However, with that said, I would not be surprised at all if there ended up being one that had enhanced features only playable on the N3DS. While that is not necessarily likely, as again, I don't see Pokemon pushing the system to a level that the normal 3DS can't handle, it is certainly a possibility. But as for your main point of if it would count as a new system for the purpose of Pokemon generations, I don't really think so. Of course, with that said, GSC was on the GBC (though still playable on original GB), which was very similar to this, and DPP and BW were on the same system, so who knows what would happen.
 
N3DS seems most like the Gameboy Color when comparing to past systems. It is a step up, but more of a half step than a full one. Like the GBC, it has things that will be exclusive to it, but for the most part, it just functions like the old console. Personally, for a game like Pokemon which doesn't necessarily put strain on the 3DS specs, I wouldn't expect a game to be N3DS exclusive. However, with that said, I would not be surprised at all if there ended up being one that had enhanced features only playable on the N3DS.
Kinda like the DSi exclusive features in Gen V and the ability to connect to Dream Radar when playing Black 2/White 2 on the 3DS.
 
There is no need for DPP remakes right now; whether or not that remains the case in five years is a different story. I suspect they will come at some point though, because Pokemon is, as far as anyone cares, the only IP GameFreak has. They'll just keep milking the franchise as long as they're in business.
 
Remakes are a big source of income for much less work than a new game. They aren't going away. Gamefreak are a business and they've found a winning formula.

That said I personally wouldn't care for remakes of the newer games. They play just fine, the physical and special split and other now standard mechanics are in so it's not a big jump like the older games. Gen IV was also my least favorite story wise.
 

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I'm not implying they should stop with the remakes, quite the opposite, I like the remakes and wish for them to continue and improving upon the old games with the newer mechanics.

I'm wondering that, now that we made a jump to 3D, should we take a quick revisit to Kanto & Johto and give them a 3D update as well. And I'm also not saying to redo the story of Gen I and/or Gen II, they could (and maybe should) have a new story that's just set in Kanto & Johto again. I'm talking about remaking the region more than remaking the games.

The reason I brought this up is because I often heard a lot of buzz for Gen III remakes but not Gen IV. Of course that could just be because Gen III was next and now that it's done I guess demand for Gen IV remakes would start up coming Gen VII. We'll see. eitherway, that was the point I was trying to originally make.
 

Codraroll

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Myself, I would be all for a Kanto revisit, but I'm not sure to what degree GameFreak would be willing to change it, so it wouldn't essentially be FRLG over again, but with different characters.

As designed in RBY, Kanto is tailored for a specific game progression in mind. You start out in the most backwater corner of the region, eventually moving in a big spiral in towards its middle where the big cities are, double back a couple of times, then explore the perimeter until you end up back where you started, but with a new path to follow to the Indigo Plateau and the Elite Four. The region is sort of designed around game progression, instead of the other way 'round, so it wouldn't work as well if you started the story someplace else than Pallet and followed more or less the same path as you did in RBY. I could see a couple other starting places that could work (though I see no need to post them here, as it would cross the line for unwarranted speculation), but overall I think any Kanto game worth hoping for would start in Pallet and follow the plot of RBY quite closely. Note that in GSC/HGSS, you had all access to Surf and to the big cities once you arrived in Kanto, and what you did there was more of a post-game mop-up than it was a challenge.

Besides, designing a whole new story for Kanto, adding the essential facilities and features expected of a sixth-gen game AND providing areas for containing a decent selection of Pokémon, would require a lot more work than your average sequel/remake. Scripting, character design, setting up a level curve, area design, and so on. It would be easier to base their work upon the fourth-gen foundations of D/P, than going back to 1996 and try to polish those old games up to today's standard. Remaking RBY would be comparatively more difficult than remaking D/P, and trying to fit an entirely new game into the design premise of RBY would be even worse. When they make new games, at least they can design a region to fit the story progression, so they are free to write the story first and consider locations and pathing later. Kanto is designed for its own games, from an older time. By the time the schedule calls for the next Pokémon games to be released, RBY will be pushing 20 years of age. Even taking FRLG's polishing into account, that still is... for the lack of a better word... outdated.

Then again, as I said before, the games would probably sell well anyway, so making them would be a sound financial decision regardless. But I think GameFreak would consider the alternatives, and instead go for an alternative requiring less work, and appealing to the nostalgia of the younger and more active part of their fan base. Remaking Kanto would be low on the priorities list, I'm afraid.
 
I'm sure that there will be a remake at some point since every other previous gen game has had one now... But I don't think it'll happen anytime soon.
 
There is always a demand for remakes, but I feel OR/AS will sate the remake bug for a good while. Sadly, I doubt any region will be re-remade, but Sinnoh will get its time to shine again once Nintendo moves on from the (3)DS family of handheld consoles. Whenever that is, and whatever generation of Pokemon we happen to be in at the time.
 
Considering how much GameFreak seems to like Cynthia, and now that her signature pokemon can mega-evolve, I'm pretty sure that there will be remakes down the line. Since all the Gen IV legends will be obtainable in Gen VI, we probably won't see the remakes for a few more generations.

I do wonder whether we could eventually stop remaking the games, but just create new games in remastered older regions. I've played through RBY/GSC and FRLG/HGSS enough times that I honestly don't want to go through that again, but I would love to see Kanto and Johto rendered in 3D graphics. Wouldn't it be kind of nice to have a new hero, maybe 10 years after Red / Blue / Ethan / Lyra, go on their own journey? Gym leaders could be updated or even replaced; new villains could be introduced; and older characters grown up could make cameos (maybe N is still looking for Black / White to apologize).

JMO though. Obviously that'd be just as much work for GF as creating a new generation / region, so it might not make sense ROI-wise.
 

Codraroll

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If it will make GameFreak money, then it makes sense.
I'd like to expand a little on this:

GameFreak doesn't only check if something is expected to be profitable. Gen. IV remakes probably would be, but that's not to say they'll automatically be guaranteed to be made.

You see, GameFreak has a release schedule they'd like to stick to. Years in advance, Nintendo is planning when to release games, and I'm pretty sure they're working closely with GameFreak, to plan out new console releases, or to tie games to new planned services. It all has to fit in somewhere, and I'm sure it's all quite complex, but bottom line is, we're getting a new main series Pokémon game every 12-18 months or so. The release dates, or at least the release fiscal quarters, are decided on years in advance. Concepts and themes and such comes later, and game development even later than that again.

So, whenever the next date looms, GameFreak have to decide what kind of game to make. A new generation, a remake, a sequel game or something new entirely? Each choice represents a different degree of new development, or reuse of old data. Will they have to design a new region? A new generation usually implies a whole new graphical engine, new Pokémon, the whole shebang, while a "sequel game" is mostly the previous game recycled (then again, a new generation can be regarded as a foundation for several different games, so they get a lot of return on those invested resources). And also, a different degree of expected sales. One choice might sell a lot better than the others, and if they choose wrong, they're going to lose out on a lot of income. They only get one cash cow release like this every year, at most, so they really have to make sure they pick the right game to make.

So GameFreak always makes sure to consider a few different options, and then compare the crap out of them. I'm pretty sure that "remaking D/P" might come up as an option quite soon (as they're probably well into planning Gen. VII already), but there will be other options too. And while a D/P remake might earn a bucket load of money, maybe they figure that a sequel game to the main Gen. VII games will make two bucket loads for the same investment. If D/P remakes are being out-competed by other alternatives several times over, the "nostalgia window" will eventually close, and there'll be more fans craving a Gen. V remake instead.

So even if something would make GameFreak money, it's not guaranteed to be made. Alternatives will be considered, and the best alternative (representing the optimal mix of investments, projected sales and risk) will be chosen for the relevant release. It might be reconsidered for the next release, but it'll always have to stand up to alternatives.
 
I personally feel like people understand the money factor well, but are underrating the fan service factor. GF knows how to build and keep a loyal fan community, and for that reason, as well as others, I personally expect a kanto remake before a sinnoh one. it's had the longest without a game, it's the only one never to be on a dual screen, it's got the largest fan base. Really it feels inevitable, if not before sinnoh, soon after
 
I think it would be cool to see Gen IV remakes. I think I am more interested in seeing if they do those next or revisit Kanto. As we're just now remaking the first games from the generation that introduced that practice, I'm wondering if they could start with remaking remakes because they have some reasons to consider it. It seems odd that they would leave Kanto/the original generation as the only main series story unable to be played on any DS/3DS system. I have a hunch that Kanto + the Gen 1 story will be remade at least one more time (sooner or later) and they even have a little creative wiggle room there with the possibility of avoiding re-remakes (thus avoiding expectations that would come along with that like #JhotoConfirmed) if they instead remade one or both of Blue/Yellow on the 3DS. I'd be super stoked to see any/all of those remade. The more the merrier, especially with the Mega Evolution mechanic this Gen and the possibility of remakes being a reason to introduce more of those and possibly new abilities/moves a la OR/AS.
 
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On the whole topic of a DP/FRLG remake, I have to note that at least within the context of this gen's gimmicks they'd be losing out on a lot of the 'wow' factor they could pull for ORAS - Megas for important Pokémon.
DP arguably has an easier time with this as there are comparatively few Gen 4 Megas right now, but... the champion's main already has a Mega. I feel that because of this Gen 7 is gonna have to introduce some sort of new gimmick to not have the DP remake's champion be a bit of a letdown in that sense.
As for FRLG, there's a shitton of Kanto Megas already - not to mention the starters - and hence the champion's main - the only non-event legend worth a damn and the regional bird all have Megas. To push the Mega aspect for this they'd... I dunno, have to give Giovanni a Mega Nidoking?
This post is probably really disjointed and it's foolish to base your whole argument around "well these important Pokémon have megas so remakes of these games have nothing to go on". But I'd just like to throw in the fact that if FRLG remakes were gonna happen this gen... well... they don't have as much of a Mega factor to draw kids in that has been integral to this gen. Personally, I feel that with the mega starters, the regional bugs and bird being available at the start of the game, Mewtwo being available in an aftergame dungeon with Megas, being able to revive Aerodactyl in-game, the forest layout being the exact same as Viridian's... XY is as close to a FRLG remake as we can get right now.
 
From the point of view of game preservation, Pokemon has always been an interesting case, due to the main series Pokemon games blurring the lines between a single-player and a multiplayer experience. Because it has always been a handheld series, it has always required two systems and two copies of the game to play multiplayer, and so that multiplayer experience can't be enjoyed in a Virtual Console format. To keep the whole experience alive, you have to go down the remake route, which has the added bonus that the remakes can take advantage of all the advances in player connectivity that have occurred since the original games. Personally I will happily play without the connectivity anyway (though replaying Soul Silver recently and seeing a NPC mention Wi-Fi felt like a punch in the guts), but the games are certainly poorer without it.

With so many games being chiefly or even solely online multiplayer nowadays, this preservation of old games will become a big problem for the industry down the line. How will today's youngsters growing up with Titanfall be able to satisfy their nostalgia in twenty years when those servers have been taken down/have no activity?
 
Right now, its possible with the fact that ORAS exists is it nips the "They are only remaking the games because we cannot transfer from Gens I/II to III" theory in the bud.

However there were other factors such as updating the mechanics.

There is also one thing ORAS introduced to the franchise. For the first time in pokemon history, we can catch a pokemon that up to that point, was only exclusive to events, and we have the opportunity catch it anytime we wish instead of waiting for a timed event to happen and getting lucky enough to go to a Gamestop or other place to get it. I wouden't put it past them to repeat this for future remakes.

However at the same time Gen VI is ultimately complete as if you have all 4 games you can catch all the pokemon except for Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, Manaphy, Phione, Darkrai, Shaymin, Arceus, Victini, Keldio, Meloetta, Genesect, Diancie and the other 2 spoiler mons. and you don't really need any of those for the Pokedex (yet). So they have an excuse not to remake Red/Blue/Green/Yellow in Gen VI.

My bets are on the following:
  • There will be Gen I remakes but only for the 3DS's true successor. There will be 3 regional games from generation from that point on
  • Remakes from this point on (as in from ORAS) will take one formally event exclusive legendary and make them obtainable without an event
 

Codraroll

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I can sort of see why they de-throned Deoxys as an Event 'mon.

At the end of this generation, there will be 15 Event exclusive legendaries, not counting Deoxys. Next generation will probably introduce a couple more.

For new players to even be able to complete the Pokédex, old Event exclusive Pokémon would have to be re-released every so often. But with so many of them, GameFreak would have to run events almost back-to-back to keep everything available within a reasonable time frame (otherwise, some 'mons would end up unavailable for almost a decade at a time). A reasonable alternative is to gradually introduce formerly exclusive Pokémon to the games' storylines instead, relieving the pressure on GameFreak to have nearly continuous promotions and events. Deoxys is among the oldest and least lore-heavy legendaries, so it makes sense for it to be the first one released under this new format. I can see others becoming available through normal play in later generations too, just as Morningstar said, although I doubt they'll follow a strict formula.
 
Looking at the generations that have been remade, I think a big factor is the longevity of the games. The first two gen games (along with RSE, if I'm not mistaken) have batteries dying out. DPPT don't have that problem, and on the 3DS you can still play DS games. It can be a pain, but you can transfer pokemon up from DPPT to XY/ORAS (although the same can be said for RSE, adding another step.) Also, mechanics and graphics are WAY different between 3rd gen and now vs. 4th gen and now. I don't think we need a remake for gen 4 games, at least not yet. Interestingly enough, the 1st gen games could very possibly get a remake considering the latest installment is gameboy. I think a sequel to XY will come out before any remake, and after that... well, we can never say anything for sure. The sentiment in Nintendo in general lately seems to be remakes = $$$ (which is true, I've been buying them haha), so it could be a possibility.
 
Come to think of it. Gen V was unusual for the "third version" being sequels and for no remakes. And the National dex is now complete between the games, I'm startng to wonder what the possibly of a third Kalos game is?
 

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