Pokemon Is the World's Biggest Franchise. So Why Do Its Games Feel Like an Afterthought?
The Studio Problem
Game Freak was founded on April 26, 1989 by Satoshi Tajiri, Ken Sugimori, and Junichi Masuda. As of March 2025, it has 207 employees. Rockstar has over 2,000. Nintendo as a whole employs over 8,200. CD Projekt Red shipped The Witcher 3 with around 1,500 people on the team. And the small size isn't accidental. Junichi Masuda told Game Informer he'd work with just 20 people if he could. His argument is that bigger teams create too many cooks, and that communication is everything. That philosophy built Red and Blue. It also built Scarlet and Violet, so make of that what you will. For the first couple of decades, working small was genuinely impressive. Red and Blue were engineering miracles on the original Game Boy. Gold and Silver somehow fit two entire regions into a cartridge that had no business holding them. But the franchise outgrew the studio somewhere around Generation 5, and the structure never changed to match. Black and White is still the creative peak for me. A story with actual moral weight, a rival with a real ideology, a full regional Pokedex, and creature designs that divided everyone at launch and aged brilliantly. N is one of the most interesting antagonists in any JRPG, not just the series. That game showed what Pokemon could be when someone cared about the writing. And then the series never went back there. Legends: Arceus was the most interesting pivot in years. Stripping back the formula, dropping you into a historical Sinnoh, making catching Pokemon feel dangerous for once... there was a real philosophy behind it. The open areas were sparse and rough around the edges, but fans called it the freshest the series had felt in over a decade, and I'd agree with that. Then Scarlet and Violet arrived. The ambition was real. A fully open region, three storylines running in parallel, a climax that genuinely caught people off guard. But the execution was rough. Pop-in rendering drawing trees fifty metres ahead of you, frame rates dropping into the teens in busy areas, a world that looked unfinished in broad daylight. And Scarlet and Violet still sold approximately 27.2 million copies, making them the second best-selling Pokemon games ever. That number tells you everything about where the commercial incentive sits, and nothing about whether it was earned.What Other Studios Have Already Proved
Before I get into what the dream game looks like, I want to ground this in what other studios have actually shipped. Because none of this is theoretical.Red Dead Redemption 2 is the clearest example I can point to of a world built with obsessive intentionality. Every NPC has a daily schedule. Weather affects animal behaviour. The ecosystem feels like it existed before Arthur Morgan showed up. That's the benchmark. A Pokemon region built this way would feel alive in a way no mainline game has come close to. A Haunter that only appears after dark. A Gyarados behaving like an apex predator in the river systems it controls. A Stantler herd moving through a forest on a seasonal pattern. The Pokedex has always described a living world. The games have never actually shown us one.
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom weren't the most technically impressive open worlds. But every visual and design decision served a coherent philosophy. The art direction taught you the rules. The world told you how to read it. Legends: Arceus had flashes of this and fans responded accordingly. EPD's approach isn't a proprietary secret. It's a discipline. Pokemon has the budget to hire for it.
Persona 5 is a turn-based JRPG that became a cultural moment, and it did that through investment in character writing, visual identity, and thematic coherence. It had something to say about institutions and conformity, and it said it through every design decision from the UI to the music to the dungeon art. Black and White showed this was possible inside the Pokemon framework. But it was never given the writing resources to sustain it properly, and it's never been repeated.
The Dream Game — What I'd Actually Want
I've narrowed it down to four things. Not because there aren't more, but because these are the ones that would change everything else if you got them right.A single cohesive open region with real geographic logic. Mountain ranges that create weather systems. Coastlines that shape which Pokemon appear and when. Forests with internal ecosystems where you can watch predator and prey relationships play out. Pokemon that behave like their Pokedex entries actually describe, not like they're waiting on a spawn timer. Legends: Arceus gestured toward this and the response proved the audience was ready for it. The foundation is already there. It needs a team with the time and headcount to build it properly.
The antagonist organisation has a coherent ideology, not a vague plan for world domination. The rival has a genuine arc that challenges your assumptions, not just your team. The Champion is a character you actually understand by the time you face them. Black and White proved this framework works inside Pokemon. A dedicated writing team with a real mandate makes it repeatable rather than a one-off accident.
Quality over quantity. 150 to 200 regional Pokemon, every one designed with the ecological rigour of the original 151. Bulbasaur made sense as a creature. Gengar made sense as a ghost. Gyarados made sense as a monster. Modern generations produce brilliant designs alongside ones that feel like they belong to no world in particular. A dedicated creature design team that asks "where does this thing live and what does it eat" before finalising anything would produce a Pokedex that reads like a field guide to a real place.
60fps. Consistent. On launch day. Scarlet and Violet's performance issues were not a surprise to anyone who watched the trailers. The game shipped in a state that would have generated serious refund demands from any studio without Pokemon's commercial gravity. The franchise doesn't need a November release window. The merchandise, the cards, the anime... none of it requires the game to arrive in time for Christmas. Ship it when it's ready. That one change would do more for the series' reputation than any feature addition.
Why It Hasn't Happened
Scarlet and Violet sold 10 million copies in their first three days, the best launch of any Nintendo game at that point. The market has never punished Game Freak for underdelivering. So the incentive to overdeliver has simply never been there. There's also a genuine creative conservatism at the studio, and I don't think it's entirely wrong. Tajiri and Sugimori built something that has worked across three decades. Legends: Arceus was critically praised and commercially solid but also divisive among fans who wanted a traditional structure. Not every departure lands. But the performance memes aren't affectionate anymore. They stopped being affectionate a couple of years ago. The conversation now is whether Game Freak is actually the right vehicle for the IP it holds, and that's a very different conversation to be having about the world's biggest franchise.What Legends: Z-A Actually Delivered
Pokemon Legends: Z-A launched on October 16, 2025, on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, set in Lumiose City with an urban redevelopment story at its centre. It landed a 79/100 average on OpenCritic with 65% of critics recommending it. TechRadar's reviewer gave it 4.5 out of 5, calling it near perfection and praising a story focus not seen since the GameCube era, while flagging Lumiose City feeling repetitive over time and some bugs in the new battle systems. A score in the high 70s to mid 80s with real critical praise for narrative ambition is not where the series was two years ago. Z-A is proof that the appetite for a more serious Pokemon game exists, and that Game Freak can move toward it when it tries. One good entry isn't a trend. But it's a better starting point than another Scarlet and Violet.The Dream Game at a Glance
- World: Geographic and ecological logic, Pokemon that behave like their Pokedex entries describe, in environments that feel like they existed before you arrived
- Story: Antagonists with coherent ideologies, rivals with genuine arcs, an ending that earns its resolution. Black and White proved this was possible. It just needs to become standard.
- Pokedex: 150 to 200 regional Pokemon designed with ecological rigour, quality over generational quantity
- Polish: 60fps on launch day, ships when it's finished, not when the merchandise calendar says it should be
- Sources: Pokemon franchise revenue data | Game Freak employee count | Legends Z-A review, TechRadar | Masuda on team size, Nintendo Everything
Final Thoughts
None of this is impossible, or even radical. It's applying to Pokemon the same investment and seriousness that other major franchises have received from studios with smaller audiences and less room to get away with a bad launch. The lore is there. The regional concept is one of the most flexible world-building frameworks in gaming. The creature design language, at its best, is genuinely singular. The battle system has sustained a competitive community for thirty years. The foundation is extraordinary. What it's never had is a studio operating at the scale the franchise actually deserves, with the headcount and the time to match the ambition that's clearly there when Game Freak is allowed to reach for it. Z-A is a step in the right direction. What I want to see now is whether it changes anything about how the next mainline game gets built, staffed, and scheduled. That's the real test. What would your dream Pokemon game look like? And after Z-A, do you think the series is finally moving somewhere, or is one good entry not enough to call it a trend? Let me know in the comments.Steam Machine
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
| Platform & Processing | |
|---|---|
| OS | SteamOS (Linux-based) — full Steam library access, Steam Controller 2 optimised |
| CPU | Semi-Custom AMD Zen 4, 6-Core / 12-Thread, up to 4.8GHz, 30W TDP |
| GPU | Semi-Custom AMD RDNA 3, 28 Compute Units, 2.45GHz Sustained Clock, 110W TDP |
| VRAM | 8GB GDDR6 |
| RAM | 16GB DDR5 |
| Performance | Targets 4K@60fps via FSR upscaling — approx. 6x graphical performance of Steam Deck |
| Storage | |
| 512GB Model | 512GB NVMe SSD — from $1,049 |
| 2TB Model | 2TB NVMe SSD — from $1,349 |
| Connectivity | |
| Video Output | HDMI — 4K output, up to 4K@60fps (FSR-assisted) |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi (exact standard not confirmed by Valve) |
| Bluetooth | Yes — Steam Controller 2 wireless support |
| USB | USB-A and USB-C ports (exact configuration TBC by Valve) |
| Game Compatibility | |
| Library | Full Steam library — Steam Deck Verified titles automatically Steam Machine Verified |
| Minimum Standard | Steam Machine Verified games must run at 1080p@30fps minimum |
| Input | Steam Controller 2 (sold separately or in bundle); keyboard and mouse supported |
| Design & Build | |
| Form Factor | Small Form Factor (SFF) living room / media console |
| Weight | 2.6 kg (5.7 lbs) |
| Manufacturer | Valve Corporation (fully in-house — no OEM partners) |
| Launch & Pricing | |
| Announced | November 12, 2025 |
| Released | June 29, 2026 (reservation queue — limited stock through 2026) |
| 512GB (no controller) | $1,049 / £879 |
| 2TB (no controller) | $1,349 |
| 2TB + Steam Controller 2 | $1,428 / £1,208 |
Microsoft’s Xbox Handheld Rumors Are Heating Up Again
Portable gaming hardware is quickly becoming one of the hottest areas in gaming again, and Microsoft may not want to be left behind.
New reports and industry chatter suggest Xbox is still actively exploring handheld gaming hardware, potentially through a partnership-driven approach involving Windows gaming ecosystems and Xbox services.
The Handheld Market Has Changed
Handheld gaming is no longer a niche category.
Devices like the Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and Nintendo Switch have proven there is massive demand for portable gaming hardware capable of delivering console-quality experiences.
That shift appears to be pushing Microsoft toward taking handheld gaming more seriously.
Xbox Everywhere
Rather than building a traditional standalone console, Microsoft may instead focus on extending the Xbox ecosystem across multiple types of hardware.
That could include:
- Windows-powered handheld gaming PCs
- Xbox Cloud Gaming integration
- Game Pass-focused portable devices
- Native Xbox ecosystem features
Microsoft has already positioned Xbox as a platform rather than just a console, making a portable device feel like a natural next step.
Competition Is Growing Fast
The timing is also interesting.
Sony handheld rumors have started resurfacing, Nintendo’s Switch 2 is now established, and PC gaming handhelds continue improving rapidly.
Microsoft entering the handheld market now would instantly create a major new competitor in the space.
Still Just Rumors
Microsoft has not officially confirmed a dedicated Xbox handheld yet.
Still, with portable gaming becoming more mainstream each year, the idea feels far more believable now than it did just a few years ago.
Sony’s Ghost of YĹŤtei PS5 Bundle Saves $119 and Might Be One of the Best Limited Edition PS5 Deals Right Now
Limited edition console bundles usually lean heavily on exclusivity without offering much actual value, but this Ghost of YĹŤtei PlayStation 5 bundle is a bit different.
Sony says buyers can save up to $119 compared to purchasing everything separately, with the bundle itself priced at $599.99. The package includes the Ghost of YĹŤtei themed PS5 hardware along with matching design elements tied to the upcoming PlayStation release.
What makes this deal more interesting than a standard console discount is that it combines collectible hardware appeal with a meaningful bundled price reduction. For PlayStation fans already planning to buy the game or upgrade to newer PS5 hardware, the overall value proposition feels much stronger than typical limited edition pricing.
The PS5 ecosystem is also in a much healthier place now compared to the console’s launch years. There is a larger game library available, more mature software support, and far fewer stock issues than the early generation shortages.
That makes bundles like this feel less like panic purchases and more like genuine enthusiast hardware options for people who actually want something unique in their setup.
Availability may vary depending on region and PlayStation Direct inventory levels.