Futureproofing Transfers

A long-standing tradition in the main series of Pokémon games is the ability to transfer Pokémon from one generation to the next. With the exception of one transition, this tradition has occurred in all transitions to a new generation in some way. Like any tradition, the challenge is to keep this going for successive generations. While it appears that there is a particular way to futureproof this tradition, this topic still merits a discussion in light of things that always change.

The first time Pokémon were movable from one generation to the next was from the first generation to the second; Pokémon could be moved back and forth between the games so long as they weren't new ones or didn't contain new elements. The break then occurred from the second to the third generation, for which the factor of new elements added then played a part. The third to fourth generation involved importing of Pokémon via Pal Park and its kin, and which was also only achievable with an original NDS or an NDS Lite with their GBA slots. The fourth to the fifth involved the Poké Transfer via wireless and two NDS. It was after this point that a kind of futureproofing was developed.

That futureproofing is called the Pokémon Bank. Its first use was for holding fifth-generation Pokémon after being imported via the Poké Transporter software, which could then be transferred into the sixth generation games. This was followed by the Bank holding sixth-generation Pokémon for entry into the seventh generation games. It has been said that the Bank will continue to be the solution and in a sense the gateway for Pokémon from older games to enter new ones. If so, some considerations need to be kept in mind.

Currently the Bank is available for the 3DS... and only the 3DS. But then again, that's because all the currently playable main series games are or can be so played on the 3DS, including Virtual Console versions of the first generation games and the soon-to-come second generation games. Should a new console succeed the 3DS and the Pokémon main series migrates there as a result, the Bank has to be made available too for the console. The Bank has shown persistence by becoming updated along with the games; it is this persistence that needs to be maintained if the Bank is to continue to serve as a movement facility for players' Pokémon.

Change is inevitable, especially in gaming and related technologies. This applies equally well for the main series of Pokémon games, which has had to adapt to changing consoles and its associated technical advancements. But along the way, continuity for the most part has been able to maintained in the fashion of a tradition by letting players somehow move older Pokémon to new games. It's a laudable effort and one that can stand to be maintained with the appropriate means (the Pokémon Bank) and the efforts to keep the means available when things change. Doing so would ensure that this tradition lives on in future Pokémon games, and that is certainly a good thing for players seeking to preserve their legacy.