Dexit – Removing creatures from Pokemon Sword & Shield

Dexit, a term coined by the Pokémon fan community, refers to Game Freak’s decision to remove the National Pokédex from the Sword and Shield games on the Nintendo Switch. This controversial decision caused an uproar among the Pokémon enthusiast community, dividing the community into two camps and leading to heated debates that continue to this day.

The Origin of the Controversy: Release and Initial Reviews

During E3 2019, Junichi Masuda, director of Game Freak, announced that not all Pokémon species from previous generations would be available in Sword and Shield. This decision marked a break with the series’ long-standing tradition of allowing players to bring their favorite creatures from previous installments to the latest mainline games.

The official reason given by the developers was a desire to focus on animation quality and gameplay balance. Masuda argued that the growing number of species (over 800 at the time of Sword and Shield’s launch) made it difficult to maintain high-quality models and animations for each creature.

Community Reaction How the Community Assessed Dexit

The fan reaction was immediate and intense. Many players felt betrayed, believing that the decision undermined the series’ fundamental principle – “Catch ’em all!”. The hashtag #BringBackNationalDex quickly gained traction on Twitter, and online forums were flooded with criticism and memes.

The community split into two camps:

• Opponents of Dexit argued that removing the National Pokédex was a step backward and limited the ability to transfer favorite creatures from previous generations. Developers could have added fewer creatures, as in the second generation, so they wouldn’t have had so much trouble adding each creature. Focusing on quality over quantity would solve this problem, which would only intensify with subsequent generations.
• Proponents of the change believed that this decision could refresh the series and allow developers to focus on new features and species. Although this isn’t necessarily reflected in new releases.

Technical Controversy

Reports of reuse of models and animations from previous 3D games, contradicting the official reasoning behind the decision, added fuel to the fire. Fans conducted detailed analyses, comparing the models from Sword and Shield with those from the 3DS games, finding numerous similarities.

Additionally, some players pointed out the low quality of some of the game’s animations, further undermining Game Freak’s argument for focusing on quality improvement.

Impact on the Pokémon Series

Despite the controversy, Sword and Shield was a commercial success, selling millions of copies. However, it left a lasting mark on Game Freak’s reputation and changed the way fans perceive the series.

• Shifting Expectations – Players began to be more critical of the developers’ decisions and the quality of the games.
• A New Approach to DLC – The Expansion Pass for Sword and Shield partially alleviated the problem by adding more creatures to the game.
• Impact on Future Titles – Subsequent games, such as Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and Legends: Arceus, also did not include a full National Pokédex.

The Future of the Series

Dexit remains a hot topic in the community, even after the release of Scarlet and Violet. Game Freak has not returned to the concept of a full National Pokédex, but is implementing incremental changes, striving to balance fan expectations with technical and time constraints.

Some fans hope that future installments of the series, leveraging the power of subsequent Nintendo consoles, will be able to include all creature species. Others, however, have embraced the new direction, appreciating the focus on new features and regional variations.

Pokémon Dexit Summary

It remains one of the most controversial moments in the history of the Pokémon Sword and Shield game series. It demonstrates how deeply ingrained fan expectations are and how difficult it can be to implement changes to a long-running franchise. Regardless of personal opinions, it’s undeniable that this event had a significant impact on the development of the series and the way fans engage in discussions about it.

The future will tell whether Game Freak will find a way to reconcile the expectations of different fanbases, or whether Dexit will remain a turning point that forever changed the face of one of the most popular gaming franchises in the world.