It’s Officially a New Era for Digimon and the Pokémon Franchise

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Look, when people talk about catching creatures in games, *Pokémon* always comes to mind, right? It’s been the king of the genre since I was a kid in the ’90s, and it’s become absolutely huge – I mean, they have massive events for it all over the world. Honestly, sometimes it feels like every other creature-catching game gets lost in its shadow.

Currently, the only franchise that truly competes with *Pokémon* is *Digimon*. *Digimon* recently released *Digimon Story: Time Stranger*, which has been very well-received, earning an 80 on OpenCritic and becoming popular on Steam. At the same time, *Pokémon* is making choices that are turning some fans away, which could open the door for *Digimon* to become the leading franchise.

Pokémon is Notoriously Difficult To Complete With

It’s easy to compare games that involve collecting creatures to *Pokémon*, but they’re usually quite different. *Pokémon* is mainly aimed at children. Although many adults also enjoy it and the games can be surprisingly complex, they’re built for younger players with gentle introductions and lots of help along the way.

It’s obvious that many *Pokémon* fans wouldn’t enjoy games like *Palworld*. *Palworld* is very adult-oriented, and sometimes even feels a bit childish. It’s not a fair comparison – it’s like comparing a mature show like *The Boys* to *Power Rangers*.

As a long-time fan, one of the things that always strikes me about *Pokémon* is how much history it has. So many of us grew up with these games, and now we keep coming back not just for the new adventures, but to reconnect with the Pokémon we’ve loved for years. It’s hard for any new series to build that kind of emotional connection and familiarity, but if there’s one franchise I think could really challenge *Pokémon*, it’s *Digimon*.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger Proves The Franchise Could Rival Pokémon

The *Digimon* series started in 1997 with digital pet toys, similar to *Tamagotchi*. Like *Pokémon*, it’s remained popular for decades, fostering a dedicated fanbase. Recent games, *Time Stranger* and *Cyber Sleuth*, have received positive reviews for their engaging stories and turn-based battles. With this history and success, *Digimon* is well-positioned to compete with *Pokémon* as a leading franchise.

One reason for its success is that fans love how the series focuses on its characters. While *Pokémon* games tend to stick to what works, *Digimon* is more likely to try new things. Games like *Cyber Sleuth* and *Time Stranger* demonstrate this, offering unique worlds and exploring thought-provoking science fiction themes.

Honestly, I think Digimon has a real advantage over Pokémon because it’s not stuck on Nintendo systems. Digimon’s latest game, Time Stranger, is doing so well on Steam because it’s reaching players Nintendo basically ignores. Maybe Time Stranger will eventually come to the Switch 2, but Pokémon will *always* be limited to Nintendo, and that gives Digimon a big leg up, in my opinion.

Pokémon Has Been Alienating Fans For Years

As a long-time Pokémon fan, I’ve been pretty disappointed with Nintendo lately. It’s really frustrating to see them shut down amazing fan-made games and projects – it feels like they don’t appreciate the community. Plus, the recent games haven’t been up to par technically. I mean, *Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl* and especially *Scarlet & Violet* were just full of glitches, and it’s hard to ignore that when you’re trying to enjoy the game.

Although fans are generally looking forward to *Legends: Z-A*, some decisions have dampened their enthusiasm. Specifically, locking new Mega Evolutions behind ranked online battles – which require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription – and revealing downloadable content before the game’s release have been unpopular. Additionally, limiting content to time-sensitive events raises concerns about replayability, as this content may become inaccessible when Nintendo stops supporting the game or its online services.

Players are upset about the recent problems with GameStop distributing codes for the special Miraidon and Koraidon Pokémon, as many weren’t able to receive both. This issue adds to a growing frustration with the game’s tendency to limit access to content, and many players feel it’s become excessive.

Pokémon Still Has Some Things Digimon Doesn’t

One of the biggest reasons I think Pokémon has stayed popular for so long is its competitive battling scene. Unlike *Time Stranger*, which doesn’t have player-versus-player battles or official tournaments, Pokémon has a huge esports community! There are major events happening all over the globe, and it all builds up to the incredible World Championships. It’s seriously a big deal and keeps me coming back for more.

Competitive Pokémon players need to regularly purchase the latest games and downloadable content to stay current with the evolving strategies and Pokémon options. Sometimes, they even have to buy multiple versions of the game to avoid penalties for using illegally obtained Pokémon in tournaments.

Playing competitive Pokémon can be very expensive and time-consuming. It’s also difficult for players to switch to other games, particularly esports, because Pokémon’s turn-based style doesn’t rely on quick reflexes like many other competitive games. Pokémon understands this, and is actively working to support its dedicated fanbase.

The new battle simulator, *Pokémon Champions*, will be used for the upcoming World Championships. It’s designed to make competitive Pokémon battles smoother and more accessible, which could help the competitive scene grow even larger.

However, there’s a potential problem: *Champions* is free to play, but includes in-app purchases. Given how *Pokémon GO* and similar games handle monetization, it’s likely these purchases could create divisions within the player base if spending money becomes necessary to compete effectively. This could even make the game unaffordable for many players who currently participate in the competitive scene.

While Digimon hasn’t yet reached the competitive heights of Pokémon, it offers comparable storytelling, gameplay, and lasting appeal. The recent success of *Digimon Survive* could be the breakthrough the series needs to truly compete with Pokémon, particularly if Pokémon continues to fall short of expectations for its fans.

For three decades, Pokémon has remained unchallenged, but that could be shifting. Digimon is entering a strong new phase, and Pokémon might be facing significant changes as well. Historically, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company haven’t been great at responding to rivals, but Digimon’s current success might push them to improve Pokémon and tackle its biggest problems.

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2025-10-12 03:44