Pokemon For Switch Is Helped By Ultra Sun And Moon, Says Dev

Game Freak is currently developing at least three Pokemon games: Ultra Sun, Ultra Moon, and Pokemon for Nintendo Switch. The developer, of course, wants to make the best games it can, but with so many projects on the go and only limited resources, you would think each game would have the potential to hinder the development of the others. However, in an interview with GameSpot, the developer explained how making Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon is actually helping development of the upcoming Switch title.

"Of course we have a limited number of staff available to us, but we have a very varied staff within the company," Ultra Sun and Moon producer Shigeru Ohmori said. "We have younger staff members and also veterans who have been working on the series for a long time, very technically gifted staff members. We want to use these staff in the best way possible. For example this time with Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon we can treat it mainly as a project for our younger staff to work on and grow and develop their skills, while perhaps the more veteran, established members of the company can work on the upcoming [Switch] project.

"That's an approach we often take: having a growth-based project for younger staff members and then a new project for the existing veterans. Using this project management style ensures all of our projects have a positive effect on one another as they go."

However, it's not all whipper-snappers working on the upcoming 3DS games. Ohmori went on to say that series veteran Shigeki Morimoto--who has been with the company since the Pokemon Red and Blue era--is working on the battle system for Ultra Sun and Moon.

The upcoming games' director, Kazumasa Iwao, then added, "We always have veterans--really experienced people--involved on the quality control side of things, so we make sure the quality we expect and want to deliver with Pokemon is always there."

Elsewhere in our interview, Game Freak explained why Pokemon Ultra Sun and Moon aren't coming to Nintendo Switch and stated which of the two games you should buy. The games, meanwhile, launch for 3DS on November 17, featuring an "alternate" story and some new Pokemon. If you're still playing the base games, however, you can check out all the free Pokemon and items you can get in Pokemon Sun and Moon right now.