Nintendo is taking a big leap forward with four new Pokémon games, and it’s a bold strategy that already seems to be paying off (NTDOY)

May 31, 2018

Pokémon Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!

Nintendo and The Pokémon Company announced four new games coming in the next year or so, to the delight of fans and investors.
The variety of games shows how Nintendo and The Pokémon Company know what they're doing to satisfy mainstay fans, casual gamers, and newcomers to the series.

Nintendo and The Pokémon Company made big waves on Tuesday night by not just announcing one, or two, or even three, but four new Pokémon games coming out in the next year.

The games:

— "Pokémon Quest," a new game that's free to download right now on the Nintendo Switch, and is coming soon to iOS and Android devices.

— "Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!" and "Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!", a pair of $60 games coming to the Nintendo Switch on November 16.

— An entirely new entry in the "core" Pokémon series, coming in late 2019.

My colleague Ben Gilbert wrote an excellent breakdown if you're interested in learning more about the individual Pokémon games, which look not only different from anything we've played so far, but a lot of fun as well.

The reactions to this news have been largely positive. The two "Let's Go!" games have already topped Amazon's best-selling video games chart, and fans seem pleased with the variety of Pokémon offerings coming in the next 18 months, which range from kid-friendly ("Pokémon Quest") to casual ("Pokémon: Let's Go!") to something for the mainstay Pokémon fans who have played the role-playing games for decades, since the franchise started on Nintendo's Game Boy.

(Of course, there are plenty of fans who just want the new accessory that lets you play the "Let's Go!" games with an actual Poké ball.)

Poké Ball Plus

The markets also seem to be reacting well to the news of four new Pokémon games. Its stock has steadily risen since the news was announced, ending Wednesday on a 4.3% increase.

Investors and fans are happy because Nintendo and The Pokémon Company appear to know what they're doing with the beloved Pokémon franchise. Given the massive success of "Pokémon Go" on mobile — not to mention "Fortnite," another cross-platform hit that's accessible for casual players — "Pokémon Quest" and "Pokémon: Let's Go!" appear to have a very good chance at attracting a wide audience. Plus, fans can also look forward to a full Pokémon game that's true to its RPG roots with a full game on the Nintendo Switch next year. The Pokémon Company seems to have covered all its bases with just one announcement.

Of course, the Pokémon news also benefits Nintendo and its one-year-old console, the Switch. The $300 Nintendo Switch was a huge hit in 2017, debuting in March with one must-have title ("The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) and ending the year with another ("Super Mario Odyssey"). This year, Nintendo is banking on "Super Smash Bros." to be the raison d'être for buying a Switch in 2018, but adding these new Pokémon games — and the promise of a new mainline experience in 2019 — makes it even harder to say no to the Switch.

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