A Walkman in Kanto: Pokemon on the Playstation

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1990: Satoshi Tajiri, of the nascent game company Game Freak, who are currently making Yoshi for the NES, and the Gameboy, presents a concept called Capsule Monsters to Nintendo. The concept, based off Tajiri's experiences growing up capturing insects and making them battle, has players travel around, capturing little monsters, and having them battle. It would be an RPG. The executives do not quite understand the concept. Tajiri, frustrated, nevertheless tries again.
1991: Nintendo announces that they are pulling out of deal with Sony to produce a CD based console, instead going to Phillips electronics. Sony, enraged, decides to take their designs, and produce their own CD based game console.
1994: After once again failing to sway Nintendo officials on the Capsule Monsters concept, Tajiri decides to go over to Sony, currently working on a console called the Playstation, with his concept. A friend who works at SCE arranges a meeting between Tajiri and Playstation developer Ken Kutaragi. Kutaragi, seeing the potential in the concept, takes the concept to his overseers. They enjoy the concept, and feel it would be success, but dislike the name. They convince Tajiri to change it to Pocket Monsters. Otherwise, they give him complete creative control. Development on "Pocket Monsters" begins.
On July 22nd, Pulseman for the Sega Mega Drive is released.
On December 3rd, the Sony Playstation is released, starting the next generation of consoles. With the console out now, Pocket Monsters begins to develop.
 
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Interesting. 3D? The PlayStation made lots of 3D roaming games its USP, so I can't see it getting away with a top-down SNES-level of graphics.
 

Sabot Cat

Banned
What's the point of divergence? I don't think the premise is plausible without more substantiation.

Tajiri was inspired by the Game Boy's link cable and the potential for social gaming in making Pokemon. The PlayStation doesn't have this capability. Furthermore, Pokemon was in development since 1990 for the Game Boy, and Game Freak was nearly bankrupt by that point. They don't have the money or assets to finance a new title from scratch [which they'd need to do to develop for the Playstation], nor is Tajiri likely to approach Sony because their system doesn't have what Pokemon needs.

It's more likely that he would approach Sega should Nintendo withdraw its support, because they have the Game Gear, and an extensive previous working relationship with Game Freak.
 
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What's the point of divergence? I don't think the premise is plausible without more substantiation.

Tajiri was inspired by the Game Boy's link cable and the potential for social gaming in making Pokemon. The PlayStation doesn't have this capability. Furthermore, Pokemon was in development since 1990 for the Game Boy, and Game Freak was nearly bankrupt by that point. They don't have the money or assets to finance a new title from scratch [which they'd need to do to develop for the Playstation], nor is Tajiri likely to approach Sony because their system doesn't have what Pokemon needs.

It's more likely that he would approach Sega should Nintendo withdraw its support, because they have the Game Gear, and an extensive previous working relationship with Game Freak.

I need to wait for something to happen to elaborate on this, but here's the basic jist: the POD was not my idea initially.

I suppose you do have a point though. A link would allow for players to connect and battle.
 
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Okay, now that I got the go ahead, here's the deal.
This particular timeline resulted from a collab between me and another user. However, that other user lost interest, and pulled out, but said I could post what remained. He said he preferred not to be named.
 
Would it have been successful as a mainline console game first?

What if he ended up at Falcom, and Pikachu became a Roo?
 

Saphroneth

Banned
Now I have the mental image of Pikachu in Kanga's pocket. And Tigger is some other Pokemon, while Winnie the Pooh stays himself.
"The wonderful thing about Raikou
is that Raikou are pieces of art!
Their back is made out of thunder,
their tail is just like a spark!"


...sorry.
 
I can imagine Pokemon being 3D

sorry for reviving this thread but... I can see that sony will introduce a new handheld on 1990s earlier than PSP and PS Vita as sony does not have a handheld until 2007 in OTL.
still, I can imagine pokemon being an 3D Game similar to Digimon world II but if They made a playstation handheld in 1990s, then it would been sony-exclusive pokemon game, correct?
 
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