One of the major criticisms of Sword/Shield has been that you're paying ~$60 for an incomplete game in the first place, compared to a 3DS game at ~$40 that has more content. Junichi Masuda said, back after the release of X/Y, that he didn't like the idea of paid DLC for Pokemon. He felt that a "key point" for Game Freak was that you could "buy the game and it can be enjoyed just with that one software that you buy". Interesting how his opinions have changed over the years... Now here we are, and they're going to be charging extra for DLC in Sword/Shield. So now it's essentially a ~$90 game to get all the content for what should have been in the game to begin with.

 

I’m actually very happy with the news of DLC. I mean...yeah, I’m one of the people who was annoyed with the dexit cut, and I do think the content in this game is lacking compared to previous games.

But to say Sword/Shield are somehow completely lacking as games goes too far. Would this be your first Pokémon game, it would still be a completely fine, quality game.

So in the end, I’m happy that they’re expanding the areas and the roster. I liked most of what I saw in the Direct, and I’ll gladly pay 20 bucks extra to continue the game. I can see how people would call that ‘being gullible’, whatever. Right now I see it as simply faith being rewarded.

In the end, Ultra Sun is probably my favorite Pokémon game of all time. It’s chock-full of content. Yet, I remember also being annoyed buying Sun and then ‘having’ (nobody’s forcing me, obviously   ) to rebuy what was essentially a slightly improved game just so I could get a couple of additional features and creatures.

DLC is perfectly fine with me. I can see why it would be divisive, I do. But not for me, I’m cool with it.

 

I don't feel it's unfair to have expected more from them on this title, especially when they have done so much better on previous Pokemon games. Even if it this is someone's first Pokemon game, and don't know the difference, that doesn't excuse that Game Freak could and has done better.

 

Oh don’t worry, I don’t necessarily disagree with you there. Especially for the first ‘main’ console entry, this game could’ve been better. Much better. And my happiness with the DLC doesn’t negate the genuine problems I have with the game.

But still: compared to a lot of other games, Pokémon is still quite a bang for your buck, even in a watered down version. Was talking to a friend who dropped out right after Red/Blue and frankly, it made me realize just how much these games have added with each generation in terms of mechanics (not counting the gimmicks), and they’ve all stuck and they all work. Games are solid.

I definitely think there‘s room for disappointment - in Sword/Shield and/or the DLC. I also think there’s room for enjoyment and even more important: room for nuance. Something I find sorely lacking in the black vs white, us vs them culture of today. i’m sure somebody out there will manage to look at this news and approach this in the most cynical way possible, but in this case it’s not me. To each their own, of course.  

 

Watched the video. I buying day one. But not preordering.

Can't remember the last item I pre-ordered on eShop.

 

Funky crossover y'know

 

I do get what you’re saying.

I just passed 40 hours in Sword, and I’m only maybe 3/4 of the way through the story. So I’m assuming maybe 50-60 total, which is more than I took to complete the story in White, that I played through recently. However, White has a HUGE amount of post-story content, and I ended up with over 100 hours total, without even the ability to complete the Pokédex. From what I’ve read, I shouldn’t expect the same amount of post-story content in Sword. So, I’m paying more money for less gameplay hours.

It sucks, but that’s the nature of the game industry now. Hold back content to make more money later via DLC. However, the enjoyment me and kids have gotten from Sword has made it worth the $60, even with less hours of gameplay. I don’t know yet if the DLC will be worth it; I need more info first.

 

Color me interested. i like that i have time to plan and budget out for each part of whats coming.

 

Does anyone get a message on serebii saying "Adverts help us keep going." And cookies.

I'm on my tablet, Do I accept?

 

Ya it won't hurt you. Serebii just wants the site to save userface customization for its webpage structure. Since there's a difference between the mobile and browser site. Serebii is also probably just wanting to keep track in site activity.

 

Ah, thanks.

Those 2 new Regi golems. I find them interesting because, behind Groudon, Kyogre and Rayquaza, the Regis are my favorite legendary Pokémon.

For now, I'm calling these 2 Regishock and Regidrac

 

I'm so glad my rillaboom and the other kanto starters are getting gigantamax forms and those galarian legendary birds make their kanto counterparts look like chickens.

My two disappointments are that an island off of Galar should be based on Ireland instead of seemingly China and I wish the crown pokemon was a majestic quadruped elk instead of it's weird bipedal stance.

I finished the main game this week and I hope the gym tournament structure and wild area are implemented and expanded respectively in future games but the "story" was such a disappointment they may as well not have had it.

 

Looks as shitty as the main games....

“Hey, here’s more of the same thing, but with double the butt fucking!”

 

I say more so the Isle of Armor is based off of the White Cliffs of Dover and the Isle of Man (which although self-governing British, it is in the Irish Sea, between the two.) than China. Sure there is a Mustard's dojo and Kubfu/Urshifu. But reading its dex entry:

Wild Kubfu live in mountainous areas far away from the Galar region today, but it was once a species that called Galar its home. It’s noted in historical texts that this species used to head to uncharted lands with people as they set out to trade or explore. Records suggest that the Kubfu living in faraway mountains today may have descended from Kubfu that became naturalized to the distant lands they visited in their journeys.

Makes it sound like the, along with how the isle seems to be abundant with a certain spice/herb/plant (Galarica plant (Mustard Plant)), that this isle is also inspired by British orient trade history as well.

As for Calyrex, feel like we'll get that quadruped stag form as a gigantamax form.

 

I mean I’ve got 90 hours in sword so as big of a shame it is there’s not much post content something keeps me going back and playing

 

Well, lemme just slither my way back in.

DLC discussion is an interesting thing because, while expensive as heck, its also a case where we know and have experienced the alternative of third game and on that basis its a better thing

However either way the stuff is being added to the game for free, its just to get it in the wild you gotta buy the DLC so for transfer nutters like myself, we can transfer more

also lol at the concept of balance with Landaros coming back.

 

I'm sorry, but watered down doesn't say bang for your buck to me. Sure, they've added a lot to the games over the Generations, but you also have to keep in mind, they've come a long way from the original Gameboy. It's not a solid game if it's watered down from what we got on less advanced systems. We should get more.

 

One thing I'm worried about is the raid battles. It's hard enough to get players to join you in a raid battle as it is, but now that half the players will be in the dlc areas doing the dlc raid battles, it'll probably be near impossible to get help with wild area raids. :/

 

I don't have online, so I have always played raids by myself with NPCs. Including battling and catching 5-star raids. You don't actually need players to beat raids, its all possible offline as well. But also there's multiple people here I'm sure would help out.

 

OK, time for another stupid question from me.

I just started the Nintendo Online free trial yesterday, and now I see other bikes riding around the wild area. I assume these are other players? Doesn't really bug me, but I don't want these other bikes driving around when my kids are playing under their profiles. I tried disconnecting from the internet but I still saw the other bikes. I read it might work to put the Switch in airplane mode. Is there a way to get rid of them?

BTW, I was doing a surprise trade at the time, so maybe that has something to do with it.