If you can believe it (and, honestly, we can't), it's been a whopping 15 years since Pokémon Platinum first arrived on Western shores. It's been a decade and a half since we first met Giratina and company. A decade and a half since we set foot in the Distorted World. And, most importantly, a decade and a half since we last got the “definitive” third installment of the Pokémon generation.
Before we go a step further, we cover ourselves with repellent spray – yes, you could consider Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon the “definitive” edition for Gen VII. In fact, we could even do the same. This is a pair of games that share much of the same DNA as the previous games (in this case, Sun and Moon), but have added new Pokémon, locations, and a fresh plot. Sounds pretty “final” to us.
So why are we focusing on Pokémon Platinum today? Well, first of all, it's the 15th anniversary (happy birthday again, by the way), but there's also something about Ultra Sun and Moon that makes them not quite fit in with other “third” releases like Platinum . red blue, AND Yellow. Gold Silver, AND Crystal. Ruby, Sapphire, AND Emerald. Diamond, Pearl, AND Platinum. See what we mean? If you don't do it, it really doesn't matter. Our point is that “third” editions are a thing of the past.
The reason for their disappearance seems pretty obvious when you think about it: why release a completely new game if you're only going to make a few tweaks along the way? (Stick to these “Isn't that what TPC does, lol” comments for a moment.) The fact is that these days, the handful of additional Pokémon and expanded storylines we've seen in previous “third” games feel more like DLC than a reason for an entirely new strand of development, marketing, and release.
The relative ease with which DLC and updates can be released in 2024 makes the need for a third, “final” generation release seem a bit pointless. But has the Pokémon Company ever concerned itself with such trivial matters as “need” and “purpose”? It's internet connectivity and instant updates Really enough reason to end third editions for good? And, most interestingly, would we ever want to see them return?
15 years ago, Pokémon Platinum brought us a replay of Gev IV, yes, but with enough UI tweaks, additions, and overall newness to make double-dipping feel like the right choice. Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon did the same for Gen VII, with a few visual changes. Can you honestly say that if “Pokémon Indigo” (the final version of Scarlet and Violet, of course) [Pokémon Mauve, mate. – Ed.] was announced tomorrow and promised similarly minor tweaks to a release that performed better than the originals, wouldn't you consider purchasing it? Error or now, we know we would.
It also makes financial sense. According to Joe Merrick of Serebii, the third edition Pokémon games never achieved the same sales as the original duos, but that total is nothing to scoff at. Crystal sold over six million copies, Emerald and Platinum topped seven million, and Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon even topped nine million. This is a decent return for games that use the same assets, locations, and mechanics that were made just a few years earlier.
This is clearly a desire that has never left Pokémon fans. The world may have moved on, but we remember the certainty of the “Pokémon Z” theory after the release of X and Y (which we assume now has some spiritual memory thanks to Legends: ZA) and the same for “Pokémon Stars” after Sun and Moon.
Both Sword and Shield and Scarlet and Violet have gone the DLC route. Thanks to “Isle of Armor”, “The Crown Tundra”, “Teal Mask”, and “The Indigo Disk”, we got our history and Pokédex expansions that could previously have been reserved for the third entry. The base games themselves remained the same (unfortunately, you might say), but the bonus goodies were there.
So what does this mean for the future? Are third editions relics of another era? Will Generation X, once this happens (we're in no rush), continue to add additional content in DLC series, or will there still be room for the return of “complete” versions making money? Time will tell, of course, but a little speculation won't hurt until then, right?
What do you think? Are the “third” Pokémon games finished or are you hoping to get your hands on them again one day? You can fill out the surveys below with your answers and then head to the comments to share other thoughts.
