Nintendo just dropped the financial bombshell that some of its flagship titles will now cost seventy dollars or more and you can bet Pokemon will eventually follow. The issue with this? Pokemon games have been wildly inconsistent in quality for years prior to the release of the Nintendo Switch 2.
Sometimes they amaze while other times they disappoint. If this franchise is about to ask fans to pay more, then it needs to deliver premium. Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser already said price should match content and longevity. So, if Pokemon joins the price-hike club, what should the future of the series actually look like?
What Should A Modern Switch 2 Pokemon Game Be Like?
A new Pokemon game cannot just rely on nostalgia. It needs to feel definitive. Imagine fully customizable gameplay for every type of fan, skillful voice acting that brings the story to reality, or an open world that truly lets you go anywhere with level scaling that keeps the challenge optimized and perfectly-timed.
Now add a complete National Dex and a post-game that goes far beyond “catch a few, old legendaries.” Suddenly, seventy dollars starts sounding less like a rip-off and more like a fair price. Let’s break down the essentials!
Highly Customizable Gameplay Settings
This is one area where fans and fan games have been ahead of the official franchise for a long time. Players deserve more control. Difficulty sliders, optional Exp Share, level caps, even Nuzlocke-friendly features should be bare minimum.
Pokemon is for everyone but not everyone plays it the same way. Customizable settings mean the casual player can enjoy the story through while the hardcore strategist gets the punishing challenge they crave. At seventy dollars, flexibility must be part of the purchase.
Full Voice Acting, Finally
The days of endless and tedious text boxes need to end. Pokemon games are filled with colorful rivals, dramatic villains, and inspired mentors but their personalities don't have impact without voices. Imagine hearing N’s passion as he explains his ideals or Lysandre’s intensity as he describes reshaping the world.
Even the DS era flirted with this idea so the Switch 2 should make have it easy. If fans are paying premium, they should get immersion worthy of that price.
A True Open World With Level Scaling
Scarlet and Violet promised open world gameplay but dropped the ball with static levels. Sure, you could technically go anywhere, but half the time it meant fighting level 10 Pokemon with a level 40 Skeledirge. That is not freedom.
A modern Pokemon game should let players explore in any order while dynamically scaling trainer and boss levels to match player progress. True choice plus deserved challenge equals a genuine open-world experience. The Switch 2’s power should make this possible.
The Return of the Full National Dex
The Dexit controversy still lingers and it broke the trust between Game Freak and its fans. A seventy-dollar game has no excuse to leave old favorites behind.
Including every single Pokemon at launch would restore goodwill and instantly expand team-building possibilites. People have carried these creatures across decades so respecting that history is not optional. It is essential.
Dynamic Overworld and Battle Animations
Let’s be honest, some of Pokemon’s animations in recent years have been embarrassing. Double Kick still looks like awkward hopping and overworld Pokemon sometimes act like lifeless animatronics.
That will just not cut it on Switch 2. Fans deserve cinematic, fluid animations that make battles feel alive and overworld encounters feel alive. Legends ZA seems to be moving in the right direction but this effort should continue to games after.
Replayability and Real Post-Game Content
This is the real deal-breaker because at seventy dollars, the game must keep players hooked well even after the credits roll. That means a Battle Frontier, legendary hunts, immersive side quests, rival rematches, and character epilogues, all included in the base game.
DLC can still exist, but a seventy-dollar Pokemon game should never feel half-finished and half-loved at launch. Doug Bowser’s comments about content longevity need to be heard again here.
Why Does It Matter?
Pokemon is the biggest media franchise in the world yet its games often feel like they lag behind the rest of the industry. The Switch 2 is the opportunity to change that. Players do not just want shinier graphics. They want freedom, immersion, challenge, and depth. If these changes are made, maybe, just maybe, seventy dollars might not be as heavy to bring out of our wallets.
Pokemon on Switch 2 could redefine the series if Game Freak dares to evolve. With customizable settings, full voice acting, true open world design, the complete National Dex, dynamic animations, and a post-game worth dozens of hours, this franchise could finally feel like the masterpiece fans have always dreamed of.
The price hike raises the stakes, but should also raise the potential. If Pokemon rises to the occasion, the seventy-dollar question will finally have an easy answer: yes, it was worth it.