Game Freak, the renowned studio primarily known for the global phenomenon of Pokémon, is embarking on a new venture with their ambitious "one-person, one-dog action-RPG," currently operating under the working title Beast of Reincarnation. While initial impressions might suggest a larger-than-usual internal undertaking for the developer, insights from the project's leadership reveal a strategic reliance on external expertise to bring this vision to fruition.

Strategic Collaboration: A New Approach for Game Freak

Speaking to IGN, game director Kota Furushima shed light on the development strategy for Beast of Reincarnation. Furushima acknowledged that Game Freak's internal team working on the project is "quite large" in the broader sense of the company's staffing. However, a clarification from a PR representative to IGN refined this statement, emphasizing that the core internal Game Freak team dedicated specifically to Beast of Reincarnation is "relatively small," yet maintains a pivotal leadership role in the project's direction.

This organizational structure indicates a deliberate choice to seek broad support from various "partner companies." Furushima expressed the studio's fortune in having "a lot of people working on it externally as well," highlighting the significant contribution from outside developers. Neither Furushima nor the PR representative disclosed specific numerical figures for the internal team's size or the number of external partners involved.

Industry Norms and Expanding Horizons

The practice of collaborating with external partners is a well-established norm within the modern AAA video game industry. Many large-scale productions often outsource specific tasks, such as asset creation, animation, porting, or even entire sections of development, to specialized studios. Game Freak itself is no stranger to this model; the credits for their recent title, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, notably list approximately 30 partner companies that contributed to its development.

This strategy allows studios like Game Freak to scale production capabilities for ambitious projects without necessarily inflating their permanent internal headcount for every endeavor. For Beast of Reincarnation, this approach enables the relatively smaller core team to focus on the game's fundamental design, creative direction, and unique mechanics, while leveraging external talent for broader production tasks. This could signify a broader trend for Game Freak as it explores diverse genres and moves beyond its flagship Pokémon series, allowing for greater flexibility and resource allocation.

Summary

Game Freak's development strategy for Beast of Reincarnation marks a clear commitment to an ambitious vision, supported significantly by external development partners. While the internal team leading the project remains "relatively small," this collaborative model aligns with prevalent industry practices for large-scale game productions, as seen in previous Game Freak titles. This approach allows the studio to manage resources effectively while expanding into new creative territories beyond its established franchises.

Resources

• IGN: "Game Freak's Beast Of Reincarnation Team Is "Relatively Small" With Many External Developers" (Original Interview)
• GameSpot: Further reporting and context on Game Freak's development practices.
• Nintendo Life: Coverage of Game Freak's upcoming titles and development strategies.