Why Did Nintendo Skip Pokemon Z?

A Pokemon Z announcement was anticipated by fans at some point in 2016. The alternative was Pokemon Sun and Moon. But the question remains, why did Nintendo skip Pokemon?

For months, online claims had been swirling regarding a Pokemon Z version.

Fans were almost convinced that a sequel to 2013’s best-selling X and Y versions would be revealed and published within the next year after the release of new forms of Zygarde and the start of the Pokemon X Y & Z anime arc in late 2015.

To the astonishment of many, Nintendo instead unveiled plans for a new generation of Pokemon games with Sun and Moon on February 27, 2016, Pokemon Day 2016, as opposed to the eagerly awaited Z.

This led some people to wonder why the custom of releasing a third game (or two sequels, as with Black & White 2) within the current generation was abandoned. Why alter a strategy that has been effective for 20 years?

Nintendo hasn’t responded, and the majority of fans appear willing to overlook their questions in favor of the excitement surrounding a new generation. But the issue of why Pokemon Z was left out still exists.

Why did Nintendo skip Pokemon Z?

There might be a sequence of reasons why Nintendo might have chosen to start on Generation VII rather than finish the X & Y trilogy, but here are three most probable arguments-

  •   Sales

Sales were the primary deterrent to the introduction of Pokémon Z. Despite the success of X and Y, a brand-new generation of games typically does better than a third installment in terms of sales.

No third-generation Pokémon game appears in the top 10 selling Pokémon games when you look at sales across all main series games. Z was therefore never released and avoided because of anticipated poor sales.

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  •   Politics

Pokemon and Nintendo have always taken great care to avoid causing a rift or reviving old wounds.

Due to its catastrophic nature, the episode of Pokemon Black and White that was meant to debut Team Plasma was canceled after the March 11 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown. Since then, it hasn’t been made available to the public.

Is it really so strange, therefore, that less than a year after the horrifying terrorist attacks in the country’s capital that claimed more than 100 lives, Nintendo would not want to distribute a video game in which a wicked squad destroys portions of an area that is obviously modeled on France?

However, a game where the French successfully defeats their enemies and rebuild their region/country would be just the remedy those still recovering from the attacks need.

Here, Nintendo had an intriguing opportunity to include real-world events in their games, but of course, they declined.

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  • Nintendo intends to release Z on their upcoming handheld 

The coming March was to see the release of the Nintendo NX, and reports suggest that a new portable with the codename MH is also in the works.

Nintendo has discovered that a gadget needs to have a strong initial line-up of titles in order to succeed after the 3DS’s initial, underwhelming sales. What better option is there than a title from one of Nintendo’s most popular series? 

It might be too bold to introduce a new generation on a brand-new platform since casual fans might be reluctant to spend the money on a new gadget straight away, which would limit sales.

However, Pokemon Z might strike the proper balance, luring die-hard fans to purchase the newest portable without alienating more casual players who wouldn’t be as interested in a sequel anyhow.

However, a sequel to the already well-received X and Y, with exhilarating new mechanics and improved graphics, could offer a lifeline for a struggling company hoping to promote their newest gaming systems as effectively as possible.

  • Lack of Availability of Resources

Z most likely never saw the light of day due to a lack of funding and, more significantly, time. The long-awaited remakes of the original ruby and sapphire, Omega Ruby and Sapphire, were made available around a year after the company introduced X and Y.

The Pokémon Company probably had very little amount of time to create a third game for generation six due to the release of an entire generation along with complete 3D remakes.

The firm must have felt tremendous pressure to create a Ruby and Sapphire remake given its success, as remakes are frequently requested by players of popular games.

The result was that the firm spent more time and money on the remakes than Z and had little time to create a new game before the launch of a new generation.

The lack of a third game is most likely due to a shortage of funding and development time, as seen by the weakest Pokedex in franchise history in X and Y.

Why did Nintendo skip Pokemon Z?

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