Key Takeaways
- It has been reported that Game Freak has been hacked and information and materials about the Pokémon series have been leaked and shared online.
- It contains a document that appears to be a record of a meeting between Game Freak and The Pokemon Company discussing Ash's departure from the animation.
- At the meeting, attendees expressed fear of a backlash from fans, and not only death threats but even the possibility of arson were raised.
Materials reportedly coming from a Game Freak leak are being shared online, potentially revealing design documents from numerous Pokémon projects and previous games. However, the leaked material also includes animation and what appears to be a transcript of a meeting between Game Freak and The Pokemon Company where they discussed Ash's departure from the show.
If legit, this shows that the Pokemon creators were extremely fearful of the backlash that could result from Ash leaving the anime. Throughout the meeting, attendees reference the death threats they have received over the series' previous controversies, and at one point even raise the possibility of an arson attack if the news is received badly.
Pokemon creators clearly feared fan backlash over Ash's departure from the anime.
Notes from this meeting were shared on the Centro Leaks account. The meeting is said to have taken place on May 2, 2022, so the Pokémon Journey finale is less than a year away.
In the document containing this memo, a Game Freak official said, “If this continues, a petition demanding Ash's stay may be issued.” “Arson incidents may escalate.”
The same rep later echoed previous instances of fan backlash in other media. “This situation reminds me of how George Lucas handled Star Wars: despite having creative control, he often frustrated fans by making decisions that didn’t live up to their expectations,” he says. “It’s a similar case here: Pokémon has evolved beyond the original creator’s vision and now belongs to the fans, too.”
A representative from The Pokemon Company is quoted as agreeing with these fears. “Yes, I think we learned a lesson from this experience,” he says. “Going forward, we need to strike a better balance between respecting creators and ensuring fans feel heard and respected.”
Others who attended the meeting also say Pokémon creators have previously been mistreated for unpopular decisions. More specifically, an attendee from Game Freak said there have been death threats about Serena returning to animation.
The leak is still ongoing. Game Freak has yet to comment on the material being shared online.
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Pokémon has brought joy to both children and adults for generations. Whether it's popular video games, animated series and movies, trading cards, etc., there's something for every budding trainer hoping to catch it all.
