When Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee were unveiled in mid 2018, they were met with varied interest from fans with a significant dash of skepticism. Due to the previous remakes of Pokemon's Gen 1 games with FireRed and LeafGreen and given the striking similarities to Pokemon GO, it was difficult not to see the games as an effort to cash in on Gen 1 nostalgia and Pokemon GO's popularity. Despite this, the Pokemon Let's Go games were generally well-received, with some even congratulating Game Freak for bringing classic Pokemon games to a younger unfamiliar audience.
However, following the release of the first two games in what was presumably a new spin-off series from Game Freak, no further entries have been made under the Let's Go title. The future of the series then remains in limbo, as for the time being Game Freak seems focused on other games with the exciting prospects of Pokemon Legends and remakes being handed over to third-party developers. If Let's Go is to have a chance at competing on the same platform that both mainline Pokemon games and Legends: Arceus currently occupy, then it's going to need to refine its scope, and cover its weaknesses.
Let's Go Versus Legends
Let's Go carries more markers of a spin-off series than a series of remakes. Core mechanics to the game are substantially changed, such as replacing wild Pokemon battles with Pokemon GO-inspired encounters, and the game followed efforts to align the mainline series with the Pokemon anime as had been reflected in Pokemon Yellow. To this end, Game Freak should approach the series as an opportunity to reimagine its original games and avoid dubbing them as remakes, as ultimately this would detract from the hybrid potential Let's Go has.
The influence Pokemon Yellow had on the Let's Go games highlights one of the reasons why Legends: Arceus became a huge success while Let's Go has lapsed in popularity. Legends: Arceus, much like Yellow, avoided the tradition of Game Freak introducing two versions of the same Pokemon game with exclusives to each. While permissible for the mainline games, for spin-off games this could hamper their possible success, as it is asking players to choose which game they'd prefer when it hasn't been established if they would like the spin-off concept overall.
Let's Go had the opportunity to just create a Let's Go Pikachu game, delivered solely as a remake of Yellow, allowing players to focus their attention on one entry. This could have paralleled Legends: Arceus success as it also introduced only one game alongside other changes to the Pokemon formula, abandoning the tradition of version exclusives and instead delivering a complete, unified gaming experience. Should the Let's Go series continue, with many players anticipating a Gen 2 remake in the same vein, then it will need to likewise abandon version exclusivity.
Let's Go 2: How It Should Look And Work
With Let's Go refined to just one game and not two, this spin-off series can focus on unifying the gameplay experience of previous Pokemon games and reimagine them as an old adventure with a new twist. For example, presuming that the next Let's Go game would visit Johto, then it should bring together not just Gold and Silver, but Crystal too, which would improve its storyline, including the Ruins of Alph and Unown subplots as well as an improved story behind the three legendary dogs, assuming that Suicune wouldn't pull focus.
For the game's mechanics, it actually appears to be a great idea to continue to trend of blending the Let's Go series with Pokemon GO, as this help draw in new players and expand Pokemon's multimedia platform. Some small quality of life changes would need to be made, such as an improved method of obtaining money, since in-game costs are often sunk into PokeBalls, but it wouldn't need to be an overhaul in terms of design, as Pikachu and Eevee generally performed well for the experience they intended to deliver.
Additionally, by revising two games down into one, Game Freak can avoid the potential hurdles of deciding which Pokemon should become mascots. Many players have speculated that Gen 2 Let's Go games would likely feature Togepi or Marill, but with just one game, one obvious choice is Pichu. Not only does this reflect Gen 2's introduction of pre-evolutions and baby Pokemon, but it would also align with Pokemon's overall mascot as a member of the Pikachu line. Furthermore, by choosing Pichu, Game Freak has the opportunity to revisit HeartGold and SoulSilver's spiky-eared Pichu and celebrate the previous remake's iconic additions.
Letting Go of Let's Go
The only question left to answer then is whether players will see a game like Pokemon Let's Go Pichu coming to the Switch or not. Some indicators that the series still lingers on comes from small details like the continued production and sale of the PokeBall Plus controllers that were introduced alongside Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee, but it seems hopes were dashed when in 2019 Junichi Masuda confirmed that no plans existed for another Let's Go-style game. However, that does leave the door open for a new entry in the far future.
Given that Game Freak weathers criticism from fans for releasing new Pokemon games too quickly, a possible solution to this would be a "new" game based on an old title. Not only could this help maintain Game Freak's bottom line, owing to Let's Go's commercial success, but it would still deliver a Pokemon game that fans will love without reinventing the wheel. A new Let's Go game fits the bill perfectly, as it could help stave off future remakes catching up to the current generation while still providing a classic remake to new audiences.
However, if Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are indicative of anything, Game Freak could be distancing itself from remakes and handing these projects to other developers. This might be so that Game Freak can focus on delivering new Pokemon games instead of revisiting older titles every few years, but it does put Let's Go in a difficult position. As a series dedicated to remakes, it seems Let's Go is either going to remain shelved by Game Freak until it decides otherwise, or fans will just have to wait until another developer takes over the mantle of the spin-offs.
Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee are available now on the Nintendo Switch.