For many fans of the Pokémon series, the rumored upcoming Pokémon Switch title was a source of excitement and hope for the future. When details surrounding Pokémon Sword and Shield began to emerge, initially fan excitement only grew. It wasn’t until their E3 conference this year when the game was thrust into the spotlight that concerns begin to brew within the fanbase.
The internet expressed sadness and outrage that the games would not be including National Dex functionality. They even dubbed the controversy “Dexit.” This means fans are limited to what Pokémon the game designers choose to include. The concern for most is that their favorite Pokémon will be left out of the upcoming games, and the issue only runs deeper for those who enjoy collecting.
There have been signs that Nintendo is taking the discourse seriously, Nintendo of Europe recently released a poll asking for opinions on Pokémon Sword and Shield. On June 28, 2019 discontent among fans has grown to the point where GAME FREAK felt compelled to issue an official statement.
Junichi Masuda, the producer of Pokémon Sword and Shield at GAME FREAK, stated this translated from Japanese,
”Thank you to all of our fans for caring so deeply about Pokémon. Recently, I shared the news that some Pokémon cannot be transferred to Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield. I’ve read all your comments and appreciate your love and passion for Pokémon.
Just like all of you, we are passionate about Pokémon and each and every one of them is very important to us. After so many years of developing the Pokémon video games, this was a very difficult decision for me. I’d like to make one thing clear: even if a specific Pokémon is not available in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, that does not mean it will not appear in future games.
The world of Pokémon continues to evolve. The Galar region offers new Pokémon to encounter, Trainers to battle, and adventures to embark on. We are pouring our hearts into these games, and we hope you will look forward to joining us on this new journey.”
At first glance, this seems to be a good thing. The developers of the game are certainly taking notice of the fandom’s concerns. However, the official statement reveals troubling implications. It is obvious from the wording that GAME FREAK and Nintendo don’t plan on taking action to rectify the issue.
The statement also shows that the developers don’t plan on going back on their word. Recently it was revealed that the lack of a National Dex was not only for Sword and Shield but for other upcoming titles in the future. Masuda basically is telling fans to be patient, even if their favorite Pokémon doesn’t appear in the newest title, it might in future games. Considering mainline titles often release years apart from each other, this will more than likely not alleviate complaints for those unhappy with the decision.
