Pokémon’s progressive revelation: Notes on 20 years of game design

Abstract

While it is important to frame Pokémon Go in terms of locative and AR design, it is equally important to frame the gameplay and format of two decades of the series’ games. Pokémon is a platform—a software and hardware layer requiring knowledge and experience to navigate. The games and products have become more successful with time, not less, and have built cultures of play knowledge, information gathering, and consumption practices that are unique to the Pokémon name. This essay will explain and expand on these game dynamics in order to illustrate the clear connections from Pokémon Go to the rest of Pokémon game history. Specifically, exploring how the games reveal elements in incremental fashion, while simultaneously hiding and obscuring a more complex layer for advanced players to find.