The Pokemon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara says that the popular series has “the power to connect the world.”
Upon receiving the Andrew Yoon Legend Award at the 15th annual New York Game Awards (via Genki_JPN on Twitter/X), The Pokémon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara said that the series has the power to connect the world. According to him, this feeling becomes a major driving force for him as he thinks about how to produce the next game and how him and the development team can make it even more enjoyable for everyone.
Ishihara took this opportunity to thank Nintendo, GameFreak, and the Pokemon fans for their support. He believes the true recipient of the award are all of the people who have helped to create, nurture, and elevate the series to where it is now., adding that it wouldn’t exist without the unwavering enthusiasm of the development teams who have worked tirelessly to create the world of Pokemon.
The Pokemon Company CEO reflected on the time when he first entered the world of video games. When he started out, he never imagined that he would be involved in this industry for so long and to such an extent. He talked about the Pokemon series starting from the simple concept of catching creatures in a game and sharing them with friends. The development process, however, wasn’t easy, requiring a great deal of trial-and-error in order to figure out how to actualize the idea with the limited resources available. In the end, it took the development team 6 years to ship the first title, Pokemon Red and Green.
Ishihara talked about seeing trainers from across the globe battling, trading, and having fun with Pokemon, transcending language and cultural barriers. He believes that the series has provided a space where people all around the world can meet, connect, and grow together.
