Highlights
- Pokemon GO developer hints at adding more Galar Pokemon in the future, acknowledging player demand.
- Balancing act: Introducing new Pokemon too quickly could lead to content droughts in the game.
- Fans may have to wait for new mainline Pokemon entries before significant rollouts in Pokemon GO.
A Pokemon GO developer recently spoke about the lack of Galar Pokemon in the game, and teased some information as to how that could change. Of the 112 Pokemon that premiered in the Galar region, only 20 are currently available, leaving a lot of favorites out in the cold.
Pokemon GO players have been outspoken about wanting to see more Galar Pokemon coming to the title. Galar was the region that originated in Pokemon Sword and Shield, the first major mainline series entries to come to the Nintendo Switch. As Pokemon Sword and Shield is approaching its five year anniversary, a lot of fans have been unhappy about the lack of additions in the mobile augmented reality take on the franchise. However, there's a good reason for the delay.
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In an interview with Dot Esports, Pokemon GO director Michael Steranka sat down to discuss the game. One of the things he was asked was about the lack of Galar Pokemon in the mobile title. Unfortunately, Steranka isn't in a position where he can yet say when more Galar Pokemon will be added. However, the development team is aware of the demand, and is planning on adding them in the future. He advised fans to "stay tuned" as it's something the team has been "itching to get out there."
The main reason why the majority of Pokemon Sword and Shield Pokemon haven't come to the mobile game yet is because of the wait between mainline franchise entries. Introducing too many of the newer Pokemon from the main series to the mobile game too quickly could lead to content droughts, as there would be nothing new to add to the title. It seems it's a fine balancing act between adding new Pokemon too quickly or too slowly. Either direction could upset players, so the team is being careful to evaluate when and how these new additions come to Pokemon GO.
Satisfying Pokemon GO Players
This may not be the answer that some fans were hoping to hear, but it's only one of the problems that Pokemon GO is facing right now. Fans have been up in arms about a lot of facets of the game in recent times, including the changes to the Pokemon GO Avatar system and the title's microtransactions. Pokemon GO remains quite popular, but it's clear that there's more that could be done to make players happy.
Unfortunately, if Niantic's team has to wait for Nintendo and Game Freak to release new mainline Pokemon entries, it may be some time before fans see a significant rollout of the most recent Pokemon to join the franchise. Pokemon Legends: Z-A is the next title announced, but it's more of a side game than a standard dual-color franchise addition. There may be a limited number of new Pokemon added in comparison to a standard game, but fans will have to wait and see until Game Freak reveals more.
Pokémon GO
After a test run via an April Fools' joke on Google Maps, Pokemon GO was released to the public in the summer of 2016. The AR mobile app saw unparalleled success and continues to be one of the largest mobile games in the world, pulling in billions for developer Niantic.
