Pokémon developer confident it can keep making new pokémon forever

Game Freak points to bugs, goats, cows, pretty much anything at all as a source of bottomless inspiration

Words: GamesRadar_MattCundy on October 9, 2012

Worried that Pokemon developer Game Freak might run out of ideas for new monsters to catch? Don’t be. In an interview with GameCentral, the Japanese developer is confident it will never run out of inspiration for new additions to the ever-expanding Pokédex.

“Can we keep designing pokémon forever? Yes, in a way,” said Game Freak director Junichi Masuda. “Because I come to Europe and they have different goats or different cows, and they have very different species that aesthetically look different; they live in different places. And I enjoy that diversity, its fun and it’s important to have that sort of diversity in Pokémon. In Japan there are a multitude of different bugs and things, and these things have always been an inspiration.”

Game Freak graphic designer Takao Unno also offered his thoughts on the subject.

“Influences for the design of pokémon are everywhere. I look at living things but I look at the design of anything and think, ‘Why is that?’ ‘Why is that designed that way?’ And then sometimes I’m thinking about that and maybe an idea is compatible with my line of thinking for a certain pokémon. And that’s how pokémon are designed. Points of inspiration and influence never really stop.”

At the time of writing there are 649 different pokémon.

Platforms:

DS, 3DS

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Cyberninja - October 9, 2012 3:43 a.m.

I can't wait until the my kids will have to memorize the pokerap with about 1,502 pokemon
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LoneFullmetal7 - October 9, 2012 4:46 a.m.

The quality of the new ones won't be as good as the first 2 gens ever then. There might be a few cool new ones each new generation, but they're mostly bad. Oh well, Pokemon has always been more about quantity than quality anyway.
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KidJustKid - October 9, 2012 5:09 a.m.

inb4 gen shitstorm Cundy you little shister, you ^_^ tbh, regardless of the designs, the gameplay is still more than intricate and deep enough to keep me playing, and the visual designs are now playing second to new mechanical designs, like abilities and natures, new styles of move, DW, rotation battles or whatever. Also, plz take a minute to step bk and compare, say, Gulpin to, say, Golurk. All the gens have their badasses and their, um, Delibirds. Jus don't assume that the trend is linear. And yes, I can still do the whole original 151 in the rap.
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JarkayColt - October 9, 2012 5:11 a.m.

To be honest I don't think it ever looked like they WERE running out of ideas. I just think they need a better mix of new and old Pokémon in each game so that they gel better. In BW, the weirder designs stuck out like sore thumbs but that's only because you had to view them all in isolation. If they'd been distributed evenly amongst, say, the rest of the National Dex nobody probably would've cared, a bit like how RSE handled it, since a lot of them would've fit right in (e.g. Zebstrika as a Rapidash conterpart or the Timburr family to Machop). I think there needs to be a "new" National dex where they essentially blend all the old ones up in an Aprishaker (hurr.) But please stay away from the Bug/Flying Pokémon for a while Game Freak. Please.
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Fuzunga - October 9, 2012 8:04 a.m.

Well, I mean Pokemon can be based off anything so technically there can be an infinite number of Pokemon. They could even make 40 different cow Pokemon if they wanted.
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iluvpkmnmonday - October 9, 2012 8:38 a.m.

They keep making em I'll keep buying em. AAAAND please give us a real home console game. I'd really love to see another Colosseum or XD style game instead of a Wii U Stadium.
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ObliqueZombie - October 9, 2012 9:15 a.m.

In your opinion, of course. 3rd gen is my personal, overall favorite and I recently played 4th gen and had a blast. Great Pokemon choices, too.
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ObliqueZombie - October 9, 2012 9:19 a.m.

No surprise there, and I can't say I'm not excited to see what's in store. I just hope they have more game mechanic idea. Not necessarily change the formula, but see where else they can take it. I'd love an HD Pokemon game for the WiiU when that comes out.
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RedOutlive. - October 9, 2012 10:48 a.m.

Funny I got the impression they ran out of ideas after Gen II. Everything else had fringe gameplay improvements compared to it. The enormous amount of new pokemon are just more in the same niche (ie the rodent guy you find in your first random encounter, same goes for the pidgeon-esque monster etc), I can see some people love it, seeing as they sell millions easily per entry, but it doesn't cut it for me.
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J-Fid - October 9, 2012 11:17 a.m.

I now expect to see a new goat Pokemon, and a new cow Pokemon in Gen. 6. Also, the region will be based on a part of Europe.
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Crabhand - October 9, 2012 11:53 a.m.

I don't know if you've heard, but Black 2 and White 2 feature a more diverse national dex that helps to alleviate some of the design fatigue.
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tichtat - October 9, 2012 11:58 a.m.

Yes, the alps and the Uberwald! Seriously,France/Italy/Switzerland/Germany would be an amazing source of inspiration for a region. It must also have a Legendary based on the Krampus.
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jackthemenace - October 9, 2012 12:47 p.m.

At least you;d be getting your money's worth if you bought the album.
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jackthemenace - October 9, 2012 12:52 p.m.

THEEEEEEEEEEEERE it is. I deliberately read through the comments to say how long it'd be before some Genwunner made a job at anything post-Johto. I'm not going to have a massive bitch, but seriously: if you haven't already, play Black and White. They are THE most original Pokemon games since Red and Blue. The story's immersive, the enemy team is- for ONCE- realistic and believable, and the new pokemon are a welcome replacement for the same old Zubat/Geodude Tentacool crap. Admittedly, the replacements aren't MUCH better, but at least they're DIFFERENT.
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jackthemenace - October 9, 2012 12:54 p.m.

I personally want a region based on teh UK. With David Cameron and Nick Clegg as the two versions respective legendaries, a legendary trio consisting of Prince Charles, Prince Phillip and the Queen, and Boris Johnson as the game's final legendary/third version mascot.
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JarkayColt - October 10, 2012 4:31 a.m.

Oh really? Well that's good to know. I just wish they'd try and get it right first time, that's all. I'll give them BW, 'cos they were set on just using new ones, but the Regional Dex in DP was ABYSSMAL. For example, if you didn't pick Chimchar, the ONLY fire type was Ponyta, thereby causing Flint to become a laughing stock. Also a lot of the then-new Pokémon were "locked out" 'til you beat the game. Platinum fixed it of course, but it was a bit too late by then.
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iluvpkmnmonday - October 10, 2012 10:40 a.m.

I wish there was a way to Like posts on GR.
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D0CCON - October 10, 2012 8:03 p.m.

After releasing Black and White 1, didn't they say that it was getting hard to make more. I remember something that they were looking at random objects like a stapler and could make a Pokemon called Staplor or something.
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Apastron - October 13, 2012 11:16 a.m.

Pretty much every Pokemon with a number higher than 250 looks like an accident in a primary school art lesson.
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