Seriously, I have to wonder why nobody has taken the Pokemon concept, and actually made it into an MMO.

First, before anyone jumps into it, let me say that we do not need the same stylistic graphics approach that we see with the official Pokemon.  I'm talking about the CONCEPT of Pokemon.

So, lets get this concept out of your head:

And for the time being we can replace it with this:

If you like the Pokemon games as is, then ignore that last part.  Point is that the "pokemon" themselves are unimportant to the idea.

The core of the idea is as follows:

Capture monsters.

Train Monsters. (Level monsters)

Compete with Monsters. (Pve, PVP, etc.)

Design a world around this concept, and possibly use the monsters for more than simply fighting.  And you have an MMO ready to go.

It's got legs, for sure, just needs a good developer, if they made it as you say yourself but matured up the art and pokemon designs a bit to make them less of a cartoon then it would deff get people playing it.

I'm bearly 35 and I love pokemon kinda grew up watching it with the kids and playing it on my DS, its a good concept no its a brilliant concept and if people just got over their hangups on it they would realize its a stunning game.

Where it would really shine is the combat, there are a number of things they could do, like.....

1. super smash bro's style combat or street fighter style, throw out your pokeball and then you control you pokemon as you try and kick the other guys ass.

2. use the DS style of turn based combat

3. standard mmo style, when you throw the ball, you take control of the pokemon and fight the enemy pokemon like your mind controlling it so normal mmo combat.

To be honest any one of these combat options would be really cool, and the game would essentially be a full PVP game after all its all about getting those pokemon and collecting those badges so you can take on other players.

Originally posted by Dvalon

 

To be honest any one of these combat options would be really cool, and the game would essentially be a full PVP game after all its all about getting those pokemon and collecting those badges so you can take on other players.

Wouldn't be Full PVP.  There would still be a heavy element of quasi-solo PVE in the game as well.  You still have to capture your monsters, and training them won't necessarily happen on just other players.

I think MOST PVP in a game such as this would be via Duels, though tournaments and group battles would also play a part.  Exploration might also be a key in the game as well, since you would need to find the rare type of monsters.

Crafting and breeding could also be a big part of the game.

The one thing I don't see happening is the group dungeon or the Raid Dugneong/boss happening.

It is not hard to develop a MMO based on Pokemon. In fact at times and times game companies change the concepts and use the same characters and use the brand. Just look at Warcraft 2, Warcraft 3 and WoW. All of them benefit from brand of Warcraft but in-fact each game is a completely brand new concept, context and world. I don't think that's the reason behind not developing Pokemon MMO.

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Originally posted by Tahamtan
It is not hard to develop a MMO based on Pokemon. In fact at times and times game companies change the concepts and use the same characters and use the brand. Just look at Warcraft 2, Warcraft 3 and WoW. All of them benefit from brand of Warcraft but in-fact each game is a completely brand new concept, context and world. I don't think that's the reason behind not developing Pokemon MMO.

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Pokemon fans, the ones that have grown up, are around 21 years old.

The Pokemon series, IMO, isn't broad enough to become a MMO.

EXAMPLE:

Star Wars has been around for years. It has fans both young and old. Pokemon, however, doesn't really have that many "older fans. It's too kiddy.

What robert said.

Personally I'd rather have some kind of Jade Cocoon Online. If that does make sense.

Originally posted by precious328

Pokemon fans, the ones that have grown up, are around 21 years old.

 

The Pokemon series, IMO, isn't broad enough to become a MMO.

 

EXAMPLE:

Star Wars has been around for years. It has fans both young and old. Pokemon, however, doesn't really have that many "older fans. It's too kiddy.

Hence why I covered that portion in my opening post.   There's a reason I said Pokemon-esque.  It doesn't have to be Poke'mon's liscense.  

This is what I thought Poke'mon Stadium was going to be like "Back in the day"...The Gameboy/Nintendo 64 era. 

Originally posted by lizardbones

 

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Originally posted by Tahamtan
It is not hard to develop a MMO based on Pokemon. In fact at times and times game companies change the concepts and use the same characters and use the brand. Just look at Warcraft 2, Warcraft 3 and WoW. All of them benefit from brand of Warcraft but in-fact each game is a completely brand new concept, context and world. I don't think that's the reason behind not developing Pokemon MMO.

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I am amazed that nobody has mentioned the pet battle system in WoW.

 

Right?

Originally posted by wildtalent

Originally posted by lizardbones

 

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Originally posted by Tahamtan
It is not hard to develop a MMO based on Pokemon. In fact at times and times game companies change the concepts and use the same characters and use the brand. Just look at Warcraft 2, Warcraft 3 and WoW. All of them benefit from brand of Warcraft but in-fact each game is a completely brand new concept, context and world. I don't think that's the reason behind not developing Pokemon MMO.

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I am amazed that nobody has mentioned the pet battle system in WoW.

 

Right?

I'm trying hard not to. :P

Really though, thats like comparing the "platforming" in WOW to Marion 64 and saying that they are doing mario online.

I have been waiting for something like this to happen for so long. Like the TC said, it doesn't have to be pokemon but have a heavy tie in to the pet battles. Myth War online had a pretty decent pet combat system where you would find eggs, hatch them into powerful pets of a wide range and in fights they took front line while you and your party fired from range.

That can be enhanced 10-fold and made so that the pets of you and your friends are up against super powerful uncatchable creatures and it is your task to bring that big beast down using your pets and good ol pokemon like tactics.

I'd even be happy with an pure online version of all the Gameboy-DS pokemon games except instead of linking up to duel, trade and screw around you see these other players in the world and can watch them battle and battle them yourself. There could also be the Pokemon Contests like in the games and other mini games aswell as crafting.

recently released digimon online is something in this style, isn't it? i wish they eventually make pokemon mmo... crappy nintendo :(

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/368

Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE seems to be somewhat similar in concept to what the OP suggested, as in... convince demons to join you, train them, summon whichever one suits your present needs, do battle with them. 

Yeah, yeah, it's a Korean game based on a Japanese universe (Which is amazing, by the way. SMT has, along with Final Fantasy, historically helped define the way console RPGs work. If you've never heard of Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne and Digital Devil Saga, you should, as they're easily two of the best RPGs of the last decade), but still... 'capture' demons, train them, summon them, use them. Kinda like Pokémon in hell.

It´s somehow hilarious that people claim pokémon does not have enough community/playerbase to make a stand in the mmo market considering it´s the most sold videogame series ever to exist and makes multibilionary profits every year.

Not that i care but ... xD

I did nothing but Google the words 'Pokemon online' and got this:

http://www.pokemonworldonline.net/

I have no idea what that is. I have heard that there are Pokemon mmo-esque games, but none of them are licensed by whoever owns the license to Pokemon.

** edit **
I think it looks like this:

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Originally posted by lizardbones
I did nothing but Google the words 'Pokemon online' and got this:

http://www.pokemonworldonline.net/

I have no idea what that is. I have heard that there are Pokemon mmo-esque games, but none of them are licensed by whoever owns the license to Pokemon.

** edit **
I think it looks like this:

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I use to play that when it just went beta and it really wasnt bad at all. They had gym battles, duels, guild pvp areas, rare pokemon, pokesystem and all of that stuff it just had a lot of bugs at the time. Though, that was a year or so ago.

Yea i dont see how it world be hard to make a pokemon MMO.

you could parctically make an MMO identical to the single player games....simply add more players. i would like to see it 3D though.

battles would obviously have to be mainly duels and be turn based i guess...unless you take control of the pokemon in a duel?...hrm.

no reasponthere could not be instance battles or dungons, they could be like the...errr forgot the name of it now, but the fianl 4 or 5 or something...whatever...theres also the gym trainers and then the caves. i think it would be mainly alot of single player stuff..unless they make 5V5 duels and stuff....though balancing for +150 pokemon...maybe a problem.

The biggest complaint I hear of a Pokemon MMO, is the Kiddy-ness of the graphics.

This is why I tried hard in the OP to press that graphics don't have to be the graphics we are used to, they are just what they use.  If you focus too much on the graphics you lose the essence of the gameplay.

For more perspective about graphics, here's some Mario:

Go play mists of pandara. Sounds like blizzard is adding pokemon with that expansion.