# Why Does Nintendo Usually Give Greater Attention to Pokemon than it Does to Zelda?



## DemonDragonJ (Dec 9, 2021)

The first _Pokemon_ games debuted in 1996, the same year that _Legend of Zelda_ celebrated its 10th anniversary, which I am certain was a coincidence.

However, any time that those franchises celebrate a shared anniversary, Nintendo usually gives greater attention to _Pokemon,_ rather than _LoZ,_ which I dislike, since I consider _LoZ_ to be the superior franchise, and, even if that is subjective, it has been around for longer, so I feel that Nintendo should be giving _LoZ_ more attention than what it currently is doing.

What does everyone else say? Why Does Nintendo usually give greater attention to _Pokemon_ than to _Legend of Zelda_ when the two franchises celebrate anniversaries?


----------



## Ruthless Tsuchikage (Dec 9, 2021)

Pokemon is partially owned by another company that Nintendo must keep happy.


----------



## Shiba D. Inu (Dec 9, 2021)

pokemon makes much more money

Reactions: Agree 4


----------



## Mar55 (Dec 9, 2021)

DemonDragonJ said:


> Why Does Nintendo usually give greater attention to _Pokemon_ than to _Legend of Zelda_ when the two franchises celebrate anniversaries?


It's the (far) larger property, so it's more of a priority.


----------



## Aegon Targaryen (Dec 10, 2021)

Pokemon > Zelda.

Reactions: Like 1 | Optimistic 1


----------



## Crow (Dec 10, 2021)

Pokemon is more profitable and the target market of Pokemon is larger. Pokemon is aimed towards kids and Zelda is for either nostalgic old guys or the 13-18 age range.


----------



## Djomla (Dec 10, 2021)

Because Zelda sucks.

Reactions: Funny 2 | Lewd 1


----------



## Aegon Targaryen (Dec 10, 2021)

Frankly, I'd be surprised if it wasn't the case. Pokemon has far wider appeal, kids and teens and everyone love it and a lot of people grew up with more than just the games - they had the anime, trading card game, and even the manga, all fairly successful and popular to a degree (the anime blows technically but don't pretend you didn't love it as a kid lol).

Zelda has only the games, mostly. It never really branched out like Pokemon did and cultivated a diverse and international fan base. 

Also, Pokemon is IMO a better series even qualitatively speaking (competitive battling shows just how deep the enjoyment of Pokemon can go compared to Zelda which is more of a traditional RPG).


----------



## Charlotte D. Kurisu (Dec 10, 2021)

Pikachu can buy and enslave your entire family and then sell you all for berries and it wouldn't put a dent in its balance sheet. Pokemon is way more profitable than Zelda.

Reactions: Funny 2


----------



## Yami Munesanzun (Dec 10, 2021)

Pokemon Arceus is looking pretty good, though, ngl.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Optimistic 3


----------



## Yami Munesanzun (Dec 10, 2021)

@Aegon Targaryen 

The manga was fucking weird as shit, if I recall


----------



## Aegon Targaryen (Dec 10, 2021)

Yami Munesanzun said:


> @Aegon Targaryen
> 
> The manga was fucking weird as shit, if I recall



Pokemon Adventures? 

I don't remember it being weird, though it definitely took some major liberties and got pretty dark at times


----------



## Yami Munesanzun (Dec 10, 2021)

An Arbok was decapitated in one panel.

"Protagonist" fucking sucker-fished onto Jessie's tit inna different panel.

What even.

Reactions: Informative 1


----------



## Yamato (Dec 10, 2021)

As soon as I read the title I knew who made the thread  

But yeah, Pokemon is more profitable. There's a ton of merch for it and there's Pokemon Cafes and Pokemon Centers in Japan.


----------



## Mider T (Dec 10, 2021)

"Why does a company focus on more popular/profitable titles than less popular/profitable ones?"

Reactions: Funny 1


----------



## MusubiKazesaru (Dec 10, 2021)

Something to consider is that The Pokemon Company was formed solely to manage the way in which the Pokemon IP is used and that includes advertisement and tons of mixed media projects.

It's not odd to think that something with a dedicated company existing to shill it and with constant releases of various media projects that Pokemon would be smaller than just something Nintendo did on its own. BotW got plenty of attention and Nintendo was all too happy about it.



Yami Munesanzun said:


> @Aegon Targaryen
> 
> The manga was fucking weird as shit, if I recall


It's very good and Satoshi Tajiri says that it comes to closest to his original vision for the series.


----------



## Aegon Targaryen (Dec 10, 2021)

MusubiKazesaru said:


> Something to consider is that The Pokemon Company was formed solely to manage the way in which the Pokemon IP is used and that includes advertisement and tons of mixed media projects.
> 
> It's not odd to think that something with a dedicated company existing to shill it and with constant releases of various media projects that Pokemon would be smaller than just something Nintendo did on its own. BotW got plenty of attention and Nintendo was all too happy about it.
> 
> ...



I find it weirder Tajiri said that lol. Adventures is a lot darker than the games too and it also changes a lot of characters (Sapphire is a tomboy unlike May who is a girly girl, Blue is more cool and serious unlike the one in the games who is much more cocky and hotheaded, and Pearl is more of a straight man compared to Barry who is an energetic clown). Adventures is good, don't get me wrong, but it is so different...


----------



## Yoshioka Seijuro (Dec 10, 2021)

To add on to everyone else's responses to this thread, all of which I agree with, many Nintendo Fans say Pokemon sucks after Black & White/since X & Y, but speaking for someone who loves the Zelda Franchise, Zelda also sucks after Skyward Sword/since Breath Of The Wild. The 2D Zelda Games (which have less fans than the 3D Zelda Games do) have sucked after Minish Cap/since Phantom Hourglass, as well.


----------



## EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! (Dec 10, 2021)

This thread feels somewhat familiar . . .


But yeah, I like this gem here:



EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! said:


> Zelda has seen a release in every single year of the Switch's lifetime and has spearheaded Nintendo's marketing campaign for the system. The question - Does Nintendo Care? - is better off asked for Metroid, which is also celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, and got completely ignored in its 30th, where Zelda atleast got a neat little 8 bit Link amiibo.


I think I monkey's paw'd Metroid Dread into existence with this post.  Those of you who were aching for a new 2d Metroid after nearly two decades, you're welcome. And for those of you who were aching for a new Zelda Switch for this year and got none . . . . I aint apologizing for shit - I got Dread, baby!


----------



## MusubiKazesaru (Dec 11, 2021)

Aegon Targaryen said:


> I find it weirder Tajiri said that lol. Adventures is a lot darker than the games too and it also changes a lot of characters (Sapphire is a tomboy unlike May who is a girly girl, Blue is more cool and serious unlike the one in the games who is much more cocky and hotheaded, and Pearl is more of a straight man compared to Barry who is an energetic clown). Adventures is good, don't get me wrong, but it is so different...


I think you're misunderstanding the statement a bit. First off, he's talking about the world depicted in it and the tone, not the characters necessarily being 1:1 versions.

The second part which kind of goes against nearly everything else you said is that he likely made this statement while the first three or so arcs were going on (you know only up to GSC) so most of those don't apply. Those were the games Tajiri directed to begin with.


----------



## Garcher (Dec 11, 2021)

because pokemon is overall the more popular and iconic franchise that is MUCH more than just the games


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Dec 11, 2021)

DemonDragonJ said:


> The first _Pokemon_ games debuted in 1996, the same year that _Legend of Zelda_ celebrated its 10th anniversary, which I am certain was a coincidence.
> 
> However, any time that those franchises celebrate a shared anniversary, Nintendo usually gives greater attention to _Pokemon,_ rather than _LoZ,_ which I dislike, since I consider _LoZ_ to be the superior franchise, and, even if that is subjective, it has been around for longer, so I feel that Nintendo should be giving _LoZ_ more attention than what it currently is doing.
> 
> What does everyone else say? Why Does Nintendo usually give greater attention to _Pokemon_ than to _Legend of Zelda_ when the two franchises celebrate anniversaries?


Pokémon is one of the best selling properties on the planet, Zelda doesn't do the numbers Pokémon does. 

Total Pokémon has sold around 380 million copies. Zelda has only sold 133 million. Pokémon has a wider reach, it is a media empire that almost seems too big to fail. Pokémon has supported an anime and manga for all of my adult life and has routinely pushed systems, sold a mobile game that created a phenomena, and it was one of the things that kind of put JRPGs out there for some people who didn't play them. 

Shin Megami Tensei basically plays like balls hard Pokémon, the difference is that SMT is unplayable for a kid (You think something like Dark Souls is hard) and there's tits and religion in it. If a monster/demon/pet catching game was going to catch fire it had to Pokémon and basically all of those games like it that came after have tried to be Pokémon but with ______ or Pokémon but better and none of them have really done it.


----------



## DemonDragonJ (Dec 12, 2021)

Everyone here is saying that _Pokemon_ is more popular than is _Legend of Zelda,_ but I fail to see why that is; _Pokemon_ is a game that involves catching wild animals and forcing them to fight, but _LoZ_ is an epic high fantasy in the tradition of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Why would anyone choose the former over the latter?

Reactions: Old 1 | git gud 1


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Dec 12, 2021)

DemonDragonJ said:


> Everyone here is saying that _Pokemon_ is more popular than is _Legend of Zelda,_ but I fail to see why that is; _Pokemon_ is a game that involves catching wild animals and forcing them to fight, but _LoZ_ is an epic high fantasy in the tradition of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Why would anyone choose the former over the latter?


Pokémon is the highest grossing media franchise ever. It's made 108 billion dollars. As a comparisons the next closest thing is Hello Kitty at 80 billion. 

Star Wars which has been around since the 70s only has 69 billion. Star Wars is a good comparison because there have been RPGs, video games, collectible card games, cartoons, movies, and all sorts of things just like Pokémon has. 

Pokémon is just a juggernaut.

Reactions: Winner 1


----------



## DemonDragonJ (Dec 12, 2021)

Cardboard Tube Knight said:


> Pokémon is the highest grossing media franchise ever. It's made 108 billion dollars. As a comparisons the next closest thing is Hello Kitty at 80 billion.
> 
> Star Wars which has been around since the 70s only has 69 billion. Star Wars is a good comparison because there have been RPGs, video games, collectible card games, cartoons, movies, and all sorts of things just like Pokémon has.
> 
> Pokémon is just a juggernaut.



That does not actually answer my question: what about _Pokemon_ appeals to audiences, especially since it is essentially fantastic dogfighting?


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Dec 12, 2021)

DemonDragonJ said:


> That does not actually answer my question: what about _Pokemon_ appeals to audiences, especially since it is essentially fantastic dogfighting?


Collecting, media tie in stuff, cute creatures designs that are recognizable, fun stories, an actually good live action video game adaptation in Detective Pikachu. Even some of the music from the old CD still slaps. 

Like it's hard to hate Pokémon. It's basically designed to print money and since it was made so long ago people who have kids now introduce it to their kids.

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## DemonDragonJ (Dec 12, 2021)

Cardboard Tube Knight said:


> Collecting, media tie in stuff, cute creatures designs that are recognizable, fun stories, an actually good live action video game adaptation in Detective Pikachu. Even some of the music from the old CD still slaps.
> 
> Like it's hard to hate Pokémon. It's basically designed to print money and since it was made so long ago people who have kids now introduce it to their kids.



_Legend of Zelda_ has been in existence for longer than has _Pokemon,_ and it, also, is a multimedia franchise, so I fail to see how it cannot also appeal to a wide range of audiences.

Reactions: Lewd 1


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Dec 12, 2021)

DemonDragonJ said:


> _Legend of Zelda_ has been in existence for longer than has _Pokemon,_ and it, also, is a multimedia franchise, so I fail to see how it cannot also appeal to a wide range of audiences.


The cartoons for Zelda are actually not made by Nintendo, so it would be weird to count them though I guess you could. But there hasn't been a Zelda show in our adult lifetime. Pokémon has been on the air all these years and the cards and all of that are still very big. Realistically Zelda isn't even the same experience for everyone who plays it. When my brothers last played Zelda it was a top down thing, Zelda became a kind of 3D game with item selection set to buttons and then it moved to being open world. So it's not even consistent what you'll be playing to Zelda. 

Pokémon has been the same game at it's core since it came out. The perspective changed but it's roughly the same familiar game.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## DemonDragonJ (Dec 12, 2021)

Cardboard Tube Knight said:


> The cartoons for Zelda are actually not made by Nintendo, so it would be weird to count them though I guess you could. But there hasn't been a Zelda show in our adult lifetime. Pokémon has been on the air all these years and the cards and all of that are still very big. Realistically Zelda isn't even the same experience for everyone who plays it. When my brothers last played Zelda it was a top down thing, Zelda became a kind of 3D game with item selection set to buttons and then it moved to being open world. So it's not even consistent what you'll be playing to Zelda.
> 
> Pokémon has been the same game at it's core since it came out. The perspective changed but it's roughly the same familiar game.



As far as I am concerned, _Pokemon _ is cheap fluff for children, whereas _LoZ_ is deeper and more complex, for more mature audiences.

Reactions: Optimistic 1


----------



## Shiba D. Inu (Dec 12, 2021)

Dont make me punch you, DDJ

Reactions: Funny 2


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Dec 12, 2021)

DemonDragonJ said:


> As far as I am concerned, _Pokemon _ is cheap fluff for children, whereas _LoZ_ is deeper and more complex, for more mature audiences.


Pokémon has some pretty mature themes here and there, like there is a Pokémon manga that adapts every game and it really takes time to show a kind of classic Japanese idea of that region the games are based off of. It makes Team Rocket and some of the Gym Leaders basically be an organized crime group and the characters age and show up later as mentors and adults. It's good shit. 

Also the first Pokémon manga I got was drawn by a famous Hentai Artist, The Electric Tale of Pikachu (I should go hunt it down on eBay.

Reactions: Useful 1


----------



## DemonDragonJ (Dec 12, 2021)

Shiba D. Inu said:


> Dont make me punch you, DDJ



Are you saying that you are fond of _Pokemon?_


----------



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Dec 12, 2021)

DemonDragonJ said:


> Are you saying that you are fond of _Pokemon?_


Everyone is, the only game like Pokémon with a comparable history to it as a game is Shin Megami Tensei and there's monsters in there that if I posted I'd get banned until next year. 

I mean, Mara is literally a big green cock with a mouth on its frenulum.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Mintaka (Dec 12, 2021)

Cardboard Tube Knight said:


> Everyone is, the only game like Pokémon with a comparable history to it as a game is Shin Megami Tensei and there's monsters in there that if I posted I'd get banned until next year.
> 
> I mean, Mara is literally a big green cock with a mouth on its frenulum.


and tentacles.


----------



## Shiba D. Inu (Dec 12, 2021)

DemonDragonJ said:


> Are you saying that you are fond of _Pokemon?_


hmm, idk, I'll need to check with my avatar

Reactions: Funny 1 | Winner 1 | Useful 1


----------



## Mintaka (Dec 12, 2021)

How'd I miss that that's cynthia?

Reactions: Friendly 1


----------



## Breadman (Dec 13, 2021)

Yami Munesanzun said:


> An Arbok was decapitated in one panel.
> 
> *"Protagonist" fucking sucker-fished onto Jessie's tit inna different panel.*
> 
> What even.



Damn dude that's disgusting where can i find that panel

Reactions: Funny 2


----------



## luffy no haki (Dec 13, 2021)

Because "most profitable videogame franchise ever" is its second name.


----------



## Aegon Targaryen (Dec 14, 2021)

DemonDragonJ said:


> As far as I am concerned, _Pokemon _ is cheap fluff for children, whereas _LoZ_ is deeper and more complex, for more mature audiences.



As far as I am concerned, you are wrong. The competitive battling and ingame strategic aspects of Pokemon are superior to anything Zelda has. I'd argue Pokemon may have deeper and more complex stories too (BW and SM specifically).


----------

