Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee Uptake

It's actually been a couple of weeks since the release of the Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee games for the Nintendo Switch, and I didn't cover it then because I didn't feel a sense of connection with it. I don't have the Switch, and accordingly there weren't any plans to get the game. However, I'm in contact with fellow Pokémon fans who may purchase the game to play, and based on that, I can cover the uptake among them (and myself) just as I did last year with Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, for which I do have the means to play. And now is the best time to do just that for the two recently released games.

A few of my main series fellows have one of the games, aided by having the Switch, and they're certainly already up and running for enjoyment. However, some of my main series fellows say that they have no interest in getting the game; one concern is cost, and I can say I agree. The game is about one and a half times the cost of Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon, based on some of my observations. And then there's the console itself, which despite its convertible nature, is also expensive. It's something that not everyone wants to invest in quite yet, even if the incentive is strong. This is what can be alluded to the "trough of disillusionment"; things are just up in the air to allow for "taking the plunge" into buying the game as well as the console if necessary. And it seems to still be that way. Whether this will change depends on increased appeal.

My raid group personally may have such an appeal. One of my raid fellows actually went out and bought a Switch as well as the Eevee version, and has played the game up to the point where Pokémon Go can be conveniently linked with the game; in fact, this was shown at the raid group gathering that happened one and a half weeks ago, soon after LGP and LGE were released. This led to a flurry of my other raid fellows linking their games with that game, if only for one very important reason: to obtain the Mystery Box that would unleash a number of Meltan once opened. The catch is that the box can only be opened every few days and after transferring a Pokémon to the Switch, which means they would have to periodically link up. Thus, it would be in the best interest for multiple people to have the game to ease the burden, and this becomes the appeal.

The only other person that I know has a Switch is the one who owns a local hangout... and thus the local hangout possesses a Switch, as I've noted over a year ago. However, the last time I checked, they do not possess either of the games and do not seem to have plans to obtain one. And yet, they seem to be open to gamers bringing their own copies of the games to play. This could be a void that can easily be filled if someone obtains an individual copy of LGP or LGE to be played there. I could foresee this happening personally, but this would take some thinking on my part to obtain the game... as well as the time to play it, but this would indeed be another matter. The point is that this would lead to my uptake of the game.

The uptake of the two games seem to be mixed. On one hand, they have proven to be lucrative games for those that already have the Switch and those that wish to take Go to the extra mile. On the other hand, for those for which neither applies, the games become questionable. There may need to be greater effort to forge connections in order to increase its uptake. Personally, I've felt the connections more or less directly, and though I do not have the Switch personally, I may be willing to contribute to increasing the uptake in order that others can do the same.

One year ago: Poké-Friends and Gratitude