So I joked about this several days ago on a post someone else made, but the more I think about it the more I believe this to be true. For those of you that don’t follow me though, the comment I had made was in reference to Wii U sales if Nintendo released a Wii U exclusive Pokémon MMO. The possibilities are endless.
Solid Foundation
First off, Nintendo already has a solid foundation to build on. The goal? To be a Pokémon Master, but the paths to becoming a Pokémon Master are numerous. You can go the PvE route of searching for the perfect team of Pokémon to challenge Gym Leaders. After obtaining eight Gym badges within a single region, you can challenge the Elite Four. This path would basically be the classic Pokémon games brought to console format.
There is also the already balanced PvP format of Pokémon battles based on the network play of the already existing games. Challenge random people you happen across in-game to Pokémon battles. Prize money from winning the matches is based on individual player ranks in PvP so if a high ranked player challenges a complete beginner and wins, he would get 2-3 yen or dollars or whatever the currency is. Adversely, if a low ranked person beat a high ranked person, they would receive something more like 200-300 currency. To prevent a person being conned, however, ranks can be shown beside the player name when being challenged.
Then there are also the Rare Pokémon, like Chansey and Clefairy and the extremely Rare Pokémon like Zapdos, Moltres, and Articuno. These Pokémon can be event rewards within the game to get people together for the MMO feel, thwarting a big Team Rocket plan with a group of friends just like in the show. This will allow for team battling of 2-3 person teams to take on multiple PvE enemy teams and progress through the instanced event to the end.
Subscriptions and Micro Transactions
With the setup I listed above, a subscription based format would probably not be very likely, however a micro transaction option would be Super Effective. Things such as Master Balls could be sold in a cash shop to make catching Pokémon that much easier. Sometimes you find a Pokémon that you just have to catch, so Master Balls would definitely be good sell. Extended Pokémon storage space for those of us that just have to have every Pokémon available would get decent sales too. Then there are the cosmetic items for rooms–you know, the mother NPC buys with your money in Gold and Silver. Who doesn’t want to fill their personal room in the game with all kinds of cool Pokémon stuff?
Esports?
Ah yes, the Esports. Going back to the Pokémon League, pro seasons could be implemented with singles and team tournaments. There are already Pokémon tournaments for the games and card games so it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to create a Summer and a Winter Pro Circuit. Have the best of the best from the PvP ranks qualify for the Pro Circuits with a registered team of Pokémon. The best players of these seasons could go on to compete in an annual tournament for prizes of the company’s choosing.
Do you think this could be a saving grace for the Wii U? Let me know in the comments below whether you think I’m on to something, or if I’m completely off my rocker.
