Players have noticed that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet break a historied tradition upheld by the Pokemon franchise. Though they are improvements in many ways, some players feel that it's the little things Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are missing that makes them feel lacking in soul and depth.
Within Pokemon games, there are several key traditions that are upheld across the majority of titles, one of which is the ability to visit Game Freak's office within the game. For a number of generations, visiting the Game Freak office in-game has given the player the ability to battle real-life employees of the company, such as Shigeki Morimoto. Besting them in battle has typically been the way for the player to obtain incredibly rare and useful items, such as the Oval and Shiny charms, in older Pokemon titles.
As noted by Reddit user HippieDogeSmokes, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet do not feature a Game Freak office for the player to visit. While Pokemon Legends: Arceus was also lacking in this regard, the games were set so far in the past that a modern office in the middle of the map would have been entirely out of place. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, however, are set in modern day Paldea, and thus should not have this same issue. The latest set of Pokemon games cut many traditions short, and the Game Freak office may be yet another cut feature that struggles to make a return in future titles.
When trying to figure out why the office is not present within the latest set of games, some players remarked that it's a result of there being so few explorable buildings within the titles. While Pokemon games typically let players explore every nook and cranny of a city in search of valuable items, additional quests, or intriguing trades, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet seal off almost all buildings, save for Pokemon gyms. As a result of this, the decision may have been made to cut Game Freak's office from the games.
With so many features cut from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, it appears unlikely that they will all make a return in the next series of Pokemon games. However, Game Freak's office is a favorite location to many due to the ability to undertake difficult battles and greet the team who worked on the game, so many will be hoping to see it return as an explorable location in the future.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for Nintendo Switch.
