Nintendo has just applied for a new patent that provides a possible glimpse into its grand vision for the future of the Pokemon franchise.
The patent outlines technology that could lead to new levels of bonding between players and their Pokemon by making Pokemon persistent across multiple games with continuous, evolving histories.
US patent application 2023/0356078, titled “Content Holding System, Storage Medium and Content Holding Server,” was first filed last year and recently published on November 9, 2023. It outlines a sophisticated server infrastructure designed to store and update individual Pokemon data seamlessly between games.
At its core is a “common area” that contains universal Pokemon parameters like species, types, moves, effort values (EVs), and experience that remain constant across all games.
Additionally, it describes “inherent areas” that store game-specific attributes, events, and memories – almost like achievements or souvenirs from each region and adventure.
All that sounds great, right, but what does it actually mean, and how is it different from the Pokemon Home we currently have?
Well, the new tech appears to build on and significantly extend Pokemon Home’s features, perhaps setting the scene for what Home could become in the future.
While Pokemon Home serves as a reliable repository, facilitating transfers without altering the essence of Pokemon, this newly outlined system is designed for dynamic interactions. It can update individual Pokemon data in real-time, reflecting their growth, learned behaviors, and changes prompted by their environment. It allows Pokemon to integrate seamlessly between games, carrying over their intrinsic traits while adapting to the new regions.
For example, transferring your treasured Pikachu from Pokemon Sword and Shield would update Pikachu’s data depending on the destination game. Pikachu’s core stats and biography would remain in the common area, while region-specific details like Gym Badges earned in Galar would populate the Sword and Shield inherent area.
Unlike Pokemon Home, which primarily functions as a transitional bridge for Pokemon between games, Nintendo likely has plans for a system where Pokemon aren’t just transferred, instead they evolve and grow based on their experiences across different titles. This evolution is far beyond just statistical changes, it would include behavioral adaptations, memories of past battles, and reactions to previous trainers.
The patent even suggests ideas like Pokemon aging between eras and limited-edition regional form Pokemon that adapt to new habitats when transferred. For instance, your Alolan Raichu could become Galarian if moved to Galar.
The patent paints the vision of a dynamic, persistent world where Pokemon progress episodically with players across multiple stories and franchises. Emotional bonds between players and their Pokemon would be strengthened exponentially, accumulated over years of shared adventures. This is a fundamental shift in the philosophy of Pokemon game design.
The new patent redefines Pokemon from being mere game elements, isolated within individual titles, to becoming continuous characters with rich, dynamic legacies.
It would transform the franchise, thrusting it into a new era where the connection between players and their Pokemon stretches beyond a single game, weaving through the entire tapestry of the Pokemon universe. Pokemon would grow into true virtual lifeforms – living, breathing creatures with histories that persist between games.
