Pokémon Pokopia, released on March 5, has sold over 2.2 million copies.
The long-awaited game is a Switch 2 exclusive, meaning it’s not just copies of the game selling; more and more Switch 2 consoles are being bought out of stock in stores.
Popular indie pop musician and video game streamer mxmtoon has even joked in a daily affirmations video that she doesn’t need to buy a Switch 2 just to play Pokopia. Going on to say in the comments that she would most likely be buying a Switch 2 and Pokopia later that week.
So why has the release of this game increased sales for an entire console? To understand this, esports coordinator and professor of digital animation and game design Vaarun Singireddy explains that we have to look at the effects of video game culture, the role our generation plays in it and Nintendo’s history.
“Between the period of 1984 and 1989, Nintendo was the monopoly. They were the leader of the video game console realm,” Singireddy said. “Competitors started catching up in technology, and that’s when we saw companies such as SEGA and Microsoft start joining the competition.”
Singireddy explains that because the majority of the new generation has been exposed to video games, especially at a young age, we are starting to see the repercussions of this exposure. “Fear of missing out” is a term that has become more popular in recent years. This fear of missing out stems from hearing about friends playing a game; a person is likely to worry that they will not get to share the experience with their friends.
Nobody likes to feel left out.
With an over $400 paywall, many video game enthusiasts who have been looking forward to the game’s release are facing the dilemma of just how unhealthy and predatory the video game industry has become.
“Generation Z hopped onto a moving bus that was already going towards a destination. They did not know what the destination was,” Singireddy said. “The addiction kind of consumed them, especially at such a tender age. When you’re consuming products you shouldn’t be, it takes a toll. I always tell my students it’s about how you advertise these games. For example, Pokémon is an everyone-rated game, but Pokopia has lines of text that you have to read. What four-year-old is going to understand this game? It is not a game for everyone. Parents trust these ratings and don’t realize the content that is actually present in the game.”
It’s hard to direct the blame, Singireddy described. The content being consumed is bad, and the reality is that nobody cares. He believes that you can’t blame the kids, and you can’t fully blame the parents either.
The video game industry doesn’t care because it is making money. But without control and management, Singireddy believes that the problem has already gotten out of control, and it goes deeper than just the price.
“These companies will do everything in their power to protect their company, the name and the fame that they have built up with it. At the end of the day, it is the consumer who is going to suffer and take the biggest hit,” Singireddy said.
Psychology freshman Mason Nicholas has always had a longstanding interest in video games. Starting from playing games such as Plants vs. Zombies and Call of Duty 3. He has been excited for this release since the trailer, but plans to enjoy the game from afar because of its high price.
“Nintendo has never explored the world of Pokémon like this. We have gotten the same game for the past decade, just rebranded,” Nicholas said. “I have priorities, though. I could save up enough for a proper gaming laptop. Nintendo consoles are a big investment because I have to get the Switch 2 and then get the game, which is another $70 after that.”
While Nintendo caters to getting families and friends back in a room together playing games such as Mario Kart and Mario Party, consumers like Nicholas are forced to face the fact that Nintendo has a monopoly over certain games.
Nintendo isn’t the only monopoly anymore: there are other games and systems, ranging in price, that can be more accessible to consumers, but at the end of the day, it’s up to the consumer.
“If you want to get yourself this game so that you can play with your friends, go ahead. As long as you can afford to play it and have time to play it,” Singireddy said. “Otherwise, trust me, you’re not missing out on anything.”