Summary
The dust has hardly settled on the release ofDetective Pikachu Returnsfor the Nintendo Switch, and the creative teams behind the series are already discussing the possibility of potential spin-off titles. The sequel to the 2016 Nintendo 3DS game is one ofthe Nintendo Switch’s bigger releases this holiday seasonfrom The Pokemon Company, along withPokemon Scarlet and Violet’s second wave of DLC due out sometime this winter.
Differing from the mainline RPG series that centers around capturing Pokemon and battling with them, theDetective Pikachuseries is a mystery game centering around a talking Pikachu and his partner, Tim Goodman. Again, the game is quite the departure from others in the franchise. Still, part of the appeal is seeing howall the Pokemon inDetective Pikachu Returnsinteract in a unique environment. So, while the sequel concludes the story of Tim and Pikachu, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other adventures to be had within the same universe.
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In an interview with Famitsu, Creatures Inc. managing director Hiroyuki Jinnai and The Pokemon Company president Tsunekazu Ishihara both commented on the possibility of theDetective Pikachuseries continuing in some capacity. While Jinnai confirms the main story has been completed, there could be a spin-off presumably with the talking Pikachu. The Pokemon Company president then added that “there is room for a spin-off” if the demand is there.
For fans of the mystery series, it is certainly encouraging to hear that there is room for another entry in the vein ofDetective Pikachu.Pokemonhas more or less become an annualized gaming franchise at this point with the various remakes, remasters, new mainline RPGs, and countless spin-offs already taking up development time and resources. WithDetective Pikachu Returnspoised to beNintendo’s dark horse for holiday salesthis fall and early winter, it is certainly possible that the demand could be there.
That said, The Pokemon Company has been known to let some of its spin-off titles lie dormant for a while.Pokemon Snapfans waited for decades before a follow-up was finally announced. Meanwhile,Pokemon Conquesthas more or less been forgotten about since it debuted on the Nintendo DS over a decade ago.
Some fans would argue thatPokemonshould bring back two of its best spin-offsinPokemon Colosseumand the aforementionedConquest. Still, virtually every title in thePokemoncatalog has its fans and is beloved by one section of its base or another. No matter what the development team decides to work on next, fans somewhere are sure to be excited about it.
Detective Pikachu Returnsis available for Nintendo Switch.
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Source:Famitsu(translated byVGC)
