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[vinnygambini]

The Pokemon Company, among many others, announced their 2015 results for brand licensing (retail sales) through License Global!. Not surprising, The Walt Disney Company placed first with $52.5 Billion (gotdam) in total retail sales of licensed products worldwide.

On the other hand, The Pokemon Company placed 29th with $2.1 Billion in total retail sales of licensed products worldwide (which includes the likes of TCG, video games, anime, VOD offerings, etc.)

The Pokémon 20th anniversary kicked off with the brand’s first ever Pokémon Super Bowl ad during Super Bowl 50, which was viewed by more than 110 million people during the game and watched more than 26 million times on YouTube. The spot encourages fans to Train On. Four Mythical Pokémon video game character distribution events will take place at participating GameStop locations throughout 2016, with one being distributed quarterly. TOMY International, Pokémon’s master toy licensee, has also created special Mythical Pokémon figures and plush to celebrate 20 years of Pokémon. Pokémon TCG fans can celebrate 20 years of Pokémon with the Pokémon TCG: Generations expansion. Highly anticipated Pokémon video games launch in 2016, including the fast-action fighting game for the Wii U, Pokkén Tournament, which launched in March. Also, the seventh generation of Pokémon video games, Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon,will launch in time for holiday season for the Nintendo 3DS family systems.

Summary of Nintendo's Executive Meeting for 2016:

Nintendo Exec 1: "We got no NX or Zelda for the holiday season, what do we do?"
Nintendo Exec 2: "Delay the anticipated Paper Mario Wii U release for the holidays maybe?"
Nintendo Exec 1: "That may not be enough..."
Silence ensues while Nintendo executives think of a plan.
Pokemon Exec comes in: "We got Pokeymans"
Nintendo Execs: "Thank God"

http://images2.advanstar.com/PixelMags/license-global/pdf/2016-05-top150.pdf

 

[Watch Da Birdie]

No Sun and Moon at E3.

 

[Dark Cloud]

Arceus, all mighty!

 

[Rymuth]

 

[Anth0ny]

Unbelievable. Star Wars tier.

 

[Tenebrous]

It's kinda crazy that we're all blown away by how well Minecraft is still doing, then see this... This franchise is over 20 years old!

Mindblowing.

 

[jon bones]

they need to get a good dev to write a TCGO client for phones

start eating Hearthstone's lunch

 

[DownGrader]

"Pokemon is totally a fad which will end in a few years" - everyone in early 2000s

 

[Zalman]

The next two years should be even better for them with a new gen coming out. New monsters = more merchandise.

 

[PhilipDoesMatter]

Gaf. A question please. I have never played a pokemon before. Is jumping into Sun/Moon a good idea or I will miss too much past content?

 

[cw_sasuke]

No Sun and Moon at E3.

Have Pokémon main games ever been at e3?

 

[Nightbird]

they need to get a good dev to write a TCGO client for phones

start eating Hearthstone's lunch

It's on iOS and Android though?

 

[jax]

Gaf. A question please. I have never played a pokemon before. Is jumping into Sun/Moon a good idea or I will miss too much past content?

Play RGBY VC first.

 

[wrowa]

It's on iOS and Android though?

Emphasis on "by a good dev".

 

[PhilipDoesMatter]

Play RGBY VC first.

But why is that exactly?

 

[mrmickfran]

And my mom still calls Raichu "Pikachu".

 

[Zalman]

Have Pokémon main games ever been at e3?

Playable, I don't think so, but they've been in Directs and had their own roundtables.

 

[Tenebrous]

Gaf. A question please. I have never played a pokemon before. Is jumping into Sun/Moon a good idea or I will miss too much past content?

There's never a bad time to jump into/back into Pokemon. I went from playing Gen I-III back in the day to skipping right onto Gen VI just recently, and nothing I missed detracted from the experience at all.

Nostalgia aside, it really is as good (if not better) than it's ever been.

 

[DownGrader]

Play RGBY VC first.

Don't make him do that! FireRed/LeafGreen is way better for newcomers.

 

[Busaiku]

Unbelievable. Star Wars tier.

And there wasn't even a new mainline game last year.

 

[wmlk]

Have Pokémon main games ever been at e3?

There was a panel for XY at E3 years ago, but after that nothing comes to mind other than Nintendo Direct.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

But why is that exactly?

No reason. Grab Black/White/Black 2/White 2/X/Y/Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire and play those.

Any game older than that is kind of dated.

 

[rhandino]

Gaf. A question please. I have never played a pokemon before. Is jumping into Sun/Moon a good idea or I will miss too much past content?

You don't really need to play the older games and can jump into any of them.

If you want a taste of what the games are you can try X and Y or Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire on 3DS... or my personal favorite that is Pokemon Platinum on DS =P

 

[RedFyn]

Gaf. A question please. I have never played a pokemon before. Is jumping into Sun/Moon a good idea or I will miss too much past content?

You'll be fine. You can always play the older games if you enjoy it but it's not necessary to play them beforehand.

 

[Nightbird]

Emphasis on "by a good dev".

Oh all right lol

I have no issues with the App, works exactly like the PC Version, so I kind of glanced over that part haha

 

[Kyuur]

Gaf. A question please. I have never played a pokemon before. Is jumping into Sun/Moon a good idea or I will miss too much past content?

Hard to tell without the games being out, but in general you can jump in wherever with Pokemon.

If you want to play the series as a whole, better to start older so you can appreciate the mechanical improvements instead of slugging through worse titles. I would personally start with the oldest of the modern games, Diamond/Platinum/Pearl, if you're going to go that way.

Play RGBY VC first.

Not really something I would suggest, they've aged really poorly.

 

[Busaiku]

The franchise is actually growing as well.
It made $1.5 billion in 2013 and $2 billion in 2014.

2016 is going to be an insanely massive year.

 

[Portugeezer]

All those Lingerie sales.

 

[Vena]

Thats a lot of money, and its up YoY.

 

[Tenebrous]

All those Lingerie sales.

Meowth on the front, Muk on the back.

 

[DragonOfWisdom]

Have Pokémon main games ever been at e3?

Fairy Type was announced at E3 along with a trailer.

 

[PhilipDoesMatter]

Hard to tell without the games being out, but in general you can jump in wherever with Pokemon.

If you want to play the series as a whole, better to start older so you can appreciate the mechanical improvements instead of slugging through worse titles. I would personally start with the oldest of the modern games, Diamond/Platinum/Pearl, if you're going to go that way.



Not really something I would suggest, they've aged really poorly.

And what is the core difference between the versions? I mean X/Y, Black/White whatever.

 

[DownGrader]

And what is the core difference between the versions? I mean X/Y, Black/White whatever.

Between generations? New region, new 'mons, somewhat new storyline. The core concept is the same throughout the ages, although it is constantly refined and expanded by new side elements.

Between versions (X vs Y etc.)? Nothing significant, just a bunch of exclusive Pokemon and maybe some differences in the story. Some generations also had the third version (Yellow to Red/Blue, Platinum to Diamon/Pearl etc.) which adds a bunch of refinements to the gameplay.

 

[ArchedThunder]

The franchise is actually growing as well.
It made $1.5 billion in 2013 and $2 billion in 2014.

2016 is going to be an insanely massive year.

But I thought Pookeymans was dead

 

[Busaiku]

And what is the core difference between the versions? I mean X/Y, Black/White whatever.

You mean difference between Black and White or X and Y, or difference between X/Y and Black/White?

If the latter, some Pokémon can be obtained natively in 1, but not the other. Every Pokémon can be traded though. Some events change based on the exclusive legendary, but each version has its own thing. In the case of the Glenn games (Sapphire and Alpha Sapphire), the villain team is also different.

If the former, there are various gameplay differences, less Pokémon in previous gens, graphical differences, different mechanics, and so on.

 

[Nightbird]

But I thought Pookeymans was dead

They died but came back as Zombies, and now they are unkillable.

 

[ColtraineGF]

And what is the core difference between the versions? I mean X/Y, Black/White whatever.

If you're just starting out, don't worry about differences and just pick the one that has the cooler looking Pokemon on the cover.

With online trading, you can get any Pokemon you're missing in the version you choose.

 

[True Fire]

The franchise is actually growing as well.
It made $1.5 billion in 2013 and $2 billion in 2014.

2016 is going to be an insanely massive year.

Wow.

 

[Busaiku]

But I thought Pookeymans was dead

What is dead may never die.

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

Pokemon has legs like no other.

 

[Zalman]

It's actually odd they are up year over year without a mainline game. 2016 will be crazy for them.

 

[vinnygambini]

Thats a lot of money, and its up YoY.

Pokemon is serious business bruh

 

[hiryu64]

I'm ever-hopeful that this accrual of revenue will lead to bigger budgets for the technical, graphic, and presentational aspects of the mainline games. What I wouldn't give to see a mainline game with Pokken Tournament-level or better technical quality. 6th gen was a huge letdown for me in that regard.

Gaf. A question please. I have never played a pokemon before. Is jumping into Sun/Moon a good idea or I will miss too much past content?

Personally, I'd suggest going for whatever the most recent games are. If the games and overall concept hold your interest, then start going through previous gens. They've each got their strengths and weaknesses, and there are high points and low points--though where those are will depend greatly on whom you ask.

 

[Sterok]

With Nintendo flailing about, it's up to Pikachu to save the day. Again.

 

[jax]

But why is that exactly?

So you can catch and transfer all of the best and most iconic Pokemon to Sun & Moon.

 

[Azuran]

But why is that exactly?

Because they want to make you suffer. This is like telling a new Zelda fan to play the original instead of something lIke OoT or Wind Waker

Buy one of the 3DS ones and have fun. XY is probably the best for newcomers right now since it has over 400+ Pokémon in the game.

 

[Vena]

Pokemon is serious business bruh

Of course it is, and I am impressed with the growth despite the lack in major mainline release (and no release holiday last year at all). This year (especially with that leaked 3DS price cut) is going to be huge for Pokemon.

With Nintendo flailing about, it's up to Pikachu to save the day. Again.

If the flailing is that GloFo/AMD rumor, then its all the funnier to have Pikachu save the day.

 

[TheSlySoul]

But I thought Pookeymans was dead

The show and toys still sell despite the games not selling as much as they used to.
ORAS still #5 3DS LTD in Japan as well.

 

[Galang]

I know the IP is strong, but I continue to underestimate it. That's a really good number

 

[Chaos17]

It's kinda crazy that we're all blown away by how well Minecraft is still doing, then see this... This franchise is over 20 years old!

Mindblowing.

.