For the last few Pokemon generations, there have been concerns that The Pokemon Company and Game Freak have cut corners. Legends: Z-A, the franchise’s first Nintendo Switch 2 entry, was slammed for its low-effort graphics, and before that, Scarlet and Violet suffered from similar graphical issues, alongside a myriad of horrific bugs. For the highest-grossing franchise of all time, it sure could use some investment.
At this year’s Super Bowl, between the Patriots and the Seahawks, The Pokemon Company did indeed throw money at the franchise, but that money could have almost definitely been spent better, with quick math suggesting its Super Bowl slot could have far eclipsed the development costs of its most recent game.
The Pokemon Company Spent More On An Advert Than It Did The Development Of Legends: Z-A
Pokemon as a franchise doesn’t need marketing. Sure, its 30th anniversary is just weeks away, but it’s the highest-grossing for a reason: it’s instantly recognizable, and people care about it. Marketing the brand to American Football fans, then, doesn’t necessarily seem like the wisest move — but The Pokemon Company went ahead and did just that.
During the event, the company released the “What’s Your Favorite” campaign. The minute-long video featured a host of stars, including presenter Trevor Noah, musician and actor Lady Gaga, footballer Jamine Yamal, and K-pop star Jisoo, each of whom spoke about their favorite Pokemon. The cost of airing this advert alone could have far eclipsed that of the development cost of Legends: Z-A.
Ex-Nintendo Marketing Leads Say Pokemon Needs To “Inject A Bit More Money” Into The Series
Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s reportedly small budget has people once again asking why more money isn’t put into the series.
USA Today reports that a 30-second ad spot at Super Bowl 60 cost between $8-10 million. Pokemon’s advert was double that length, so we’ll be conservative and say it was a cool $15 mil for that slot. Last year’s second major Pokemon leak revealed that Legends: Z-A cost the company $13 million to develop, at least $2 million less than what it cost to air the advert.
Factor in the cost to create it and the fees these celebrities would have commanded, and it’s not inconceivable that this advert and its Super Bowl slot cost double what Legends: Z-A did.
In the first two months of its launch, Legends: Z-A sold over 12 million units. Let’s be super conservative again, and say they sold for an average of $30, that’s $360 million made on the game. You can see where the disconnect comes from.
I’m one of the biggest Pokemon fans around, and I put almost 400 hours into Z-A and its DLC, but it’s hard to deny that the games are being pushed to the wayside. Incremental improvements generation on generation ensure that fans, like myself, keep buying, but the series could be something special with proper investment.
I’ve seen a few social media posts in recent days that frame Monster Hunter Stories 3 as what Pokemon could be if Game Freak just spent a little more.
The visuals and voice acting from the above video alone would be enough to make the next Pokemon game feel like a significant evolution. I’m willing to bet that Wind and Waves, the leaked Generation 10 names, are nothing like that, though.
- Released
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October 16, 2025
- ESRB
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Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
