I've gathered you all here before release of Pokémon Black Version 2 and
Pokémon White Version 2 for the Nintendo DS system. Thank you for
coming.
Thank you for inviting us.
I would like to jump right in by hearing how the idea for Pokémon Black
Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2 came about. Ishihara-san, if you
would, please.
OK. I'm Ishihara from The Pokémon Company1. Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version2 were followed by Pokémon Platinum Version3, and Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version4 were followed by Pokémon Emerald Version5, so we discussed what kind of product would come together after Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version6.
1. The Pokémon Company: In addition to brand management of everything
related to Pokémon, the company operates seven Pokémon Centers around
Japan. Founded in 2000. Headquarters: Tokyo.
2. Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version: Video games released for the Nintendo DS™ system in September 2006.
3. Pokémon Platinum Version: A game released for the Nintendo DS system in September 2008 as the new version of Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version.
4. Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version: Games released for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance system in November 2002.
5. Pokémon Emerald Version: A video game released for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance system in September 2004 as the new version of Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version.
6. Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version: Games released for the Nintendo DS family of systems in September 2010.
1. The Pokémon Company: In addition to brand management of everything
related to Pokémon, the company operates seven Pokémon Centers around
Japan. Founded in 2000. Headquarters: Tokyo.
2. Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version: Video games released for the Nintendo DS™ system in September 2006.
3. Pokémon Platinum Version: A game released for the Nintendo DS system in September 2008 as the new version of Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version.
4. Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version: Games released for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance system in November 2002.
5. Pokémon Emerald Version: A video game released for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance system in September 2004 as the new version of Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version.
6. Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version: Games released for the Nintendo DS family of systems in September 2010.
Like a difference in color—for example, "How about coming out with Pokémon Gray Version?"
Yeah. But lots of players were expecting us to follow the same pattern,
so for the first time we decided to try adding a "2" for a pleasant
surprise.
Something else that's different from the pattern so far is that you're
releasing two games. When I first heard that, I couldn't help but say,
"Huh? Two?!"
That sort of surprise is what gives this product its newness. I'd like
to have Masuda-san and Unno-san talk about what we aimed for in sequels
to Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version.
All right, Masuda-san?
I'm Masuda from GAME FREAK7. As for why we're releasing two,
we thought of a game mechanic to put in when we were developing Pokémon
Black Version and Pokémon White Version, but we didn't have enough time
to do it. We needed two games for that, so this time we decided to make
two.
7. GAME FREAK inc.: The video game developer responsible for the Pokémon series and other titles. Founded in 1989.
7. GAME FREAK inc.: The video game developer responsible for the Pokémon series and other titles. Founded in 1989.
So that's why you made two.
Yes. A little later, we thought of making them sequels. When you told me
that if we were going to release something for the Nintendo DS system,
we had to come up with something new, I was really worried. (laughs)
Then I thought, "How about sequels?"
For games to have sequels is nothing unusual, but we'd never taken that direction with Pokémon, so it was new.
Yeah. And as for why we made it for the Nintendo DS system instead of Nintendo 3DS system, we wanted to make 
the same gameworld. Both games are set two years later than the first two.
the same gameworld. Both games are set two years later than the first two.
It's also two years later in the real world since Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version came out.
Yes. Then I appointed Unno-san to be director and had him start the project.
Unno-san, would you please introduce yourself?
Sure. I'm Unno from GAME FREAK. I was director of Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2. It's nice to meet you.
It's nice to meet you, too. How long have you been involved with Pokémon?
It's been exactly ten years. I first worked on Pokémon Ruby Version and
Pokémon Sapphire Version. Since then, I've been involved with almost all
of the main titles, like Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen
Version8.
8. Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version: Remakes of
Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Green Version with various new elements
added. Released for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance system in January
2004.
After ten years, a big role came your way. Has it changed a lot?
Yes, quite a lot. I had experience as art director, but this time I was
in a position to offer instruction regarding the game's fundamentals, so
while it was worthwhile, it was a struggle at first.
Masuda-san, why did you have Unno-san be the director?
I think highly of his ability as an art director, so I thought he would
be able to further reinforce the visual sense of Pokémon Black Version
and Pokémon White Version. I thought if someone lent support in
planning, we could leave the directorial part to Unno-san. He was all
for it, so I asked him to do it.
So you pulled him out of his comfort zone to have him grow another step.
Unno-san, when he first assigned you, what did you think?
I was surprised, of course, but I had told Masuda-san before that I
wanted to be director. Every time we made a game, I thought, "Next, I
want to develop this kind of gameplay!" Even when we made Pokémon Black
Version and Pokémon White Version, which were supposed to be a grand
culmination, I thought strongly, "There are still so many ways to expand
this!"
At the time of Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version, I
thought it was amazing how many elements you had packed into games for
the Nintendo DS system, so this time, I couldn't imagine how you could
ever develop it this much further. But this is how it turned out in
response to the players two years later.
Yes. We put a number of new play ideas that use communication features
into Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version, but this time we
also challenged ourselves to develop new gameplay that would have
further evolved.
And having the setting be two years later was just right. Pokémon Black
Version and Pokémon White Version had a communication feature on the
bottom screen called the C-Gear, and it was easy to imagine how that
would evolve two years later.
In other words, having those various elements—a solid foundation, with a
clear direction for expanding it, the idea of setting the games two
years later, and the new style of making two sequels—may have made it
easier to make progress.
Yes. The keyword this time for Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White
Version 2 was "resonance." In Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White
Version, you communicated with each other in a kind of "interference,"
but this time it's resonance, so we adopted gameplay that broadens each
other's worlds.
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