After spending much of its career developing Pokemon games, Game Freak is currently crafting a brand-new IP. Private Division and Game Freak are collaborating on an action-adventure title currently known as Project Bloom that will come out sometime in the future. While this is not the studio's first non-Pokemon game, it will be the first major one in a while. Not much is known about it just yet, but hopefully it is worth the wait.
New IPs are often exciting, but Project Bloom may be facing an uphill battle with Game Freak's fanbase. No matter how good the game is, some fans may not even give it a chance simply because it is not Pokemon. The studio has built its entire brand around that franchise, and venturing away from that is a risky endeavor. While it is too early to decide if it is worth it or not, some fans may have already delivered their verdict.
Game Freak's New IP May Not Be What Fans Want
Game Freak has been the main developer of Pokemon titles since the beginning. A year has not gone by without a new Pokemon game, and sometimes there were multiple releases. It has not only been in charge of the main series, but it has also developed numerous spin-offs including Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Pokemon Quest, and Pokemon Let's Go, Pikachu! as well. The studio and franchise are inseparable, and much of its fanbase is solely dedicated to that relationship.
There does not seem to be as much loyalty towards Game Freak as there is towards the Pokemon series. The fanbase has been extremely critical of Game Freak's handling of the IP in recent years, but the games have still been massive successes. In comparison, most of Game Freak's non-Pokemon games are seldom talked about and often forgotten. Most of them received mixed reviews, were not massive commercial hits, and were released with little fanfare. It seems like Pokemon is the main driving force behind the company, and that makes this new title very risky.
Game Freak has not shared much about Project Bloom, but it has confirmed that the game will not be a Pokemon title. It will be a brand-new action-adventure IP that will bring players to a whole new setting. The concept art shows off an overgrown forest with a person standing in the middle of it. It looks darker and mysterious, but also beautiful. Not much else is known, and a release date has yet to be announced, but there is a strong possibility it serves as a major title for Nintendo's next console.
Project Bloom could be excellent, but it will always suffer from fan expectations. Game Freak's fanbase wants Pokemon games, and the other non-Pokemon games fell flat because of that. This puts Project Bloom in a very difficult position that may be impossible to climb out of. It not only needs to show that Game Freak is capable of successfully doing something outside the Pokemon franchise, but it also needs to win over that fanbase, and that is a lot easier said than done.
The Pokemon fanbase has been calling for all sorts of unique spin-offs like Pokemon Legends for a while now, but the announcement of Project Bloom likely means those titles are a ways off. While various Pokemon games are probably in development alongside this new IP, Game Freak may be primarily focused on crafting this brand-new experience. Even if it is not what fans wanted, it is what the studio is making, and that could easily put it at odds with its own fanbase. Players will just have to wait and see if the studio can deliver, but it may already be a losing battle.
Project Bloom is currently in development.