Junichi Masuda reportedly ousted from directing Pokémon games
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Key points
- Leaks supposedly indicate that Junichi Masuda can no longer direct Pokémon games.
- The developer previously directed Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire.
- Masuda previously served as a member of the Game Freak board of directors.
A leak from GameFreak alleges that Junichi Masuda has been ousted from directing future Pokémon games; the leaked documents claim that Masuda was a very dominant game director. The official source is in Japanese, and as of writing, only machine-translated iterations of the document are readily available in English, thereby warranting caution.
The leaked documents were a part of the prior leaks. Various online communities have begun commenting on the statement, resulting in various disputes over the direction of the Pokémon franchise.
“Definitely explains the change in design philosophy from X/Y and onward. […] I don’t necessarily think the newer team has done that well, but good on them for turning around what sounds like a toxic environment,” one Redditor commented.
Junichi Masuda directed numerous Pokémon games, though his exact influence on the success of the titles realistically cannot be measured as AAA games are always collaborative efforts. Here is a list of the games he supposedly directed:
- Pokémon Crystal
- Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire (Starting his role as director for the series)
- Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen
- Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl
- Pokémon Black and Pokémon White
- Pokémon X and Pokémon Y
- Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon Let’s Go, Eevee!
- Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl (Also credited as a co-director in one source)
Leakers also got hold of Game Freak’s alleged plans up to the year 2030. According to the leak, another Pokémon Legends title is in the works, currently codenamed Pokémon Legends: Galar.
The title is supposedly scheduled to release in 2027 or beyond. A multi-region remake is supposedly planned for 2028 or beyond, while Pokopia will get a DLC update.
Pokémon Champions was reportedly planned to be released this year. Included in the Game Freak leaks, separate from the Pokémon Legends: Z-A spoilers, were plans for Generation 10, which is supposedly scheduled for 2026 with DLC plans for 2027. It was referred to as Project Gaia; a Pokémon leaker claims there will be a Wind and Wave version.
