Game Freak
Japanese video game developer
- Satoshi Tajiri
- Ken Sugimori
- Junichi Masuda
Chiyoda, Tokyo
, Japan
Number of locations
Key people
- Satoshi Tajiri (president)
- Tetsuya Watanabe (managing director)
- Shigeru Ohmori (senior director)
- Ken Sugimori (art director)
Number of employees
[1][2]
Game Freak Inc.[a] is a Japanese video game developer, best known as the primary developer of the Pokémon series of role-playing video games, and as one of the co-owners of the Pokémon series.
History
Predating the video game company, Game Freak was a self-published video game magazine created by Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori in the 1980s. The first issue was published in 1983 by Tajiri.[3] Sugimori would join the magazine at a later date as an illustrator after finding the magazine in a shop and liking it.[4] Tajiri also used "Game Freak" as his pen name when he wrote as a freelance writer to publications such as Family Computer Magazine and Famicom Tsūshin.[5][6]
On April 26, 1989, Tajiri, Sugimori and Junichi Masuda started a video game development company with the same name.[7][8] One of Game Freak's first games was the Nintendo Entertainment System action and puzzle game Quinty, which was released in North America as Mendel Palace. Its most popular series, Pokémon—the romanized portmanteau of the Japanese brand Pocket Monsters (ポケットモンスター, Poketto Monsutā)[9]—is published and distributed respectively by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo worldwide.
In October 2015, Game Freak acquired Koa Games, a mobile development company.[10] The company was subsequently merged into Game Freak on December 1, 2015.[11]
In May 2019, Game Freak director Masayuki Onoue revealed that Game Freak is increasingly prioritizing original game creation, in order to grow the experience of its staff.[12] The company's Gear Project initiative, which encourages creators to pitch original game ideas during quiet periods, has so far resulted in original games HarmoKnight, Pocket Card Jockey, Tembo the Badass Elephant and Giga Wrecker.[13]
In February 2020, Game Freak transferred from its building in Tokyo to a much larger office owned by Nintendo, which planned to relocate four other divisions, plus other companies based in Kanda-Nishikicho, Tokyo. With this move, Game Freak is currently in the same building as Nintendo EPD Tokyo, Nintendo PTD Tokyo, HAL Laboratory and 1-Up Studio.[14]
Games
| Year | Title | Publisher | Platform(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Mendel Palace | NamcoJP, Hudson SoftNA | Nintendo Entertainment System |
| 1991 | Smart Ball | Epic/Sony RecordsJP, Sony ImagesoftNA | Super Nintendo Entertainment System |
| Yoshi | Nintendo | NES, Game Boy | |
| 1992 | Magical Tarurūto-kun | Sega | Mega Drive |
| 1993 | Mario & Wario | Nintendo | Super Famicom |
| 1994 | Nontan to Issho: KuruKuru Puzzle | Victor Entertainment | Game Boy, Super Famicom |
| Pulseman | Sega | Mega Drive | |
| 1996 | Pokémon Red and Blue | Nintendo | Game Boy |
| Bazaar de Gosāru no Game de Gosāru | NEC Home Electronics | PC Engine CD-ROM² | |
| 1997 | Bushi Seiryūden: Futari no Yūsha | T&E Soft | Super Famicom |
| 1998 | Pokémon Yellow | Nintendo | Game Boy |
| 1999 | Click Medic | Sony Music Entertainment Japan | PlayStation |
| Pokémon Gold and Silver | Nintendo | Game Boy Color | |
| 2000 | Pokémon Crystal | ||
| 2002 | Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire | Nintendo The Pokémon Company | Game Boy Advance |
| 2004 | Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen | ||
| Pokémon Emerald | |||
| 2005 | Drill Dozer | Nintendo | |
| 2006 | Pokémon Diamond and Pearl | Nintendo The Pokémon Company | Nintendo DS |
| 2008 | Pokémon Platinum | ||
| 2009 | Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver | ||
| 2010 | Pokémon Black and White | ||
| 2012 | Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 | ||
| HarmoKnight | Nintendo | Nintendo 3DS | |
| 2013 | Pocket Card Jockey[15] | Game FreakJP, NintendoWW | Nintendo 3DS, iOS, Android |
| Pokémon X and Y | Nintendo The Pokémon Company | Nintendo 3DS | |
| 2014 | Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire | ||
| 2015 | Tembo the Badass Elephant | Sega | Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Windows |
| 2016 | Pokémon Sun and Moon | Nintendo The Pokémon Company | Nintendo 3DS |
| 2017 | Giga Wrecker | Rising Star Games | Windows |
| Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon | Nintendo The Pokémon Company | Nintendo 3DS | |
| 2018 | Pokémon Quest | Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android | |
| Pokémon Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! | Nintendo Switch | ||
| 2019 | Giga Wrecker Alt.[16] | Rising Star Games | PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch |
| Little Town Hero[17] | Digital: Game Freak Retail: NIS AmericaWW, Rainy FrogJP | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One | |
| Pokémon Sword and Shield | Nintendo The Pokémon Company | Nintendo Switch | |
| 2022 | Pokémon Legends: Arceus | ||
| Pokémon Scarlet and Violet | |||
| 2023 | Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On![18] | Game Freak | iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch |
| 2025 | Pokémon Legends: Z-A | Nintendo The Pokémon Company | Nintendo Switch |
| TBA | Project Bloom[19] | Private Division | TBA |
Notes
References
- ^ "会社概要｜GAME FREAK 株式会社ゲームフリーク｜GAME FREAK 株式会社ゲームフリーク". GAME FREAK 株式会社ゲームフリーク オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved July 4, 2020.
- ^ "GAME FREAK Secret Base for GAME FREAK's 30th Anniversary | GAME FREAK". GAME FREAK Secret Base for GAME FREAK's 30th Anniversary | GAME FREAK. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
- ^ 宮昌太朗; 田尻智 (2004). ポケモンをつくった男 田尻智 [Satoshi Tajiri: A Man Who Created Pokémon]. 太田出版. ISBN 978-4872338331.
- ^ "Interview: Tajiri and Ishihara on Pokemon's Beginnings". November 25, 2020. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
Dr Lava's notes: Before it was a video game company, Game Freak was a gaming magazine Tajiri hand-wrote and stapled together from home in the early 1980's.
- ^ Satoshi Tajiri (January 6, 1989). ぼくたちゲーセン野郎. Family Computer Magazine (in Japanese): 114–115. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
- ^ Satoshi Tajiri (August 1, 1986). ビデヲゲーム通信. Biweekly Famicom Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved November 29, 2015.
- ^ Kohler, Chris (April 19, 2010). "Pokémon Creators' Fanzine Fetches High Price". Wired. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
- ^ Gifford, Kevin (April 7, 2008). "COLUMN: 'Game Mag Weaseling': Just Checking In". GameSetWatch. Archived from the original on April 12, 2008. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
- ^ Swider, Matt (March 22, 2007). "The Pokemon Series Pokedex". Gaming Target. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
- ^ Lamoreux, Ben (October 27, 2015). "Pokémon Developer Game Freak Has Purchased a Mobile Game Development Company". Gamnesia. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021.
- ^ "（法人名）の情報｜国税庁法人番号公表サイト".
- ^ Robinson, Andy (May 22, 2019). "Game Freak 'prioritising' original game projects". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ Robinson, Andy (July 8, 2019). "Game Freak interview: 'We're trying to create something more than Pokémon'". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ Sahdev, Ishaan (February 3, 2020). "Game Freak Is Moving Closer to Nintendo's Headquarters". Siliconera. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ "Pocket Card Jockey for Nintendo 3DS". Nintendo of America, Inc. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
- ^ Good, Owen (January 18, 2019). "Game Freak's Giga Wrecker is coming to consoles in 2019". Polygon. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
- ^ Marks, Tom (September 4, 2019). "Game Freak's Little Town Hero Releases Next Month". IGN. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
- ^ Romano, Sal (January 3, 2023). "Game Freak announces Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! for Apple Arcade". Gematsu. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
- ^ Writer, Jeffrey Rousseau Staff (May 9, 2023). "Private Division and Game Freak team up for new IP Project Bloom". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Game Freak.
- Official website
(in Japanese) - Game Freak at IGN
- v
- t
- e
- by The Pokémon Company, owned by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and Game Freak
- Timeline
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