In Pokémon GO there are plenty of Pokémon – of course, also from the 1st generation. Some have even had enough of them by now. We spoke to Pokémon GO Director Michael Steranka about it.
In 1996, the first Pokémon editions were released, bringing with them a generation of pocket monsters that is still popular today. From Pikachu to Charizard, Blastoise to Mewtwo, Gyarados to Snorlax: The first generation is still very popular among many players.
Pokémon GO also naturally started nearly 9 years ago with the Pokémon from the Kanto region. And even today, 9 years later, you still encounter them in the game. Sometimes in special events, sometimes just like that.
However, some players have reported that they have had enough of the 1st generation by now. How often do you really need to catch Mankey? Especially players who have been around for a long time likely have the Kanto Dex completely filled and probably also possess plenty of copies of the monsters.
We spoke to Pokémon GO Director Michael Steranka during the GO Fest in Paris about this.
What role does Kanto play in Pokémon GO?
What does the Pokémon GO Director say? When asked about the Pokémon from the Kanto region, Steranka clarifies: “I think Kanto is something very special because it’s the first row of Pokémon. It probably has the highest recognition among players,” says the Director.
And of course: Kanto Pokémon always play prominent roles in the main games and the series as well. It makes sense that trainers want to find them again in Pokémon GO. Especially if you’re just starting out. Because that, Steranka explains, is something to consider in Pokémon GO: Not all players have been with the game since its release in 2016.
“That’s something we think about repeatedly, namely the fact that at any given time there are many players who are at different stages of their journey in Pokémon GO,” says Steranka: “We want to ensure that people have the opportunity to get Pokémon from every generation.” This also includes recognizing that there are different progress levels within the community: “Whether you’re someone who just downloaded the game for the first time, or someone who played the game in 2016 but then stopped and just recently started again, or whether you take a three-month break and then come back. One of the biggest challenges in developing this game is, in my opinion, the question of how to create a player experience that is fulfilling for the entire range of players.”
Kanto also plays a role here. However, Steranka emphasizes: “We definitely don’t want to focus solely on Kanto in Pokémon GO. I think what’s great about Pokémon GO is that it’s one of the few ways to collect Pokémon from all generations in a single game. Ultimately, I want to give players more freedom in how they can progress, depending on what they’re interested in and where they are in their collection.”
Collecting should remain exciting – even after 9 years
Also, apart from the generations, Steranka finds it important to develop incentives for players to get excited about collecting. He admits that it is not always that easy, especially when you have been playing the game for almost nine years, like himself. Of course, there are shiny Pokémon to collect, XXS and XXL variants, costumes, special backgrounds, and other aspects. But even here, development does not seem to be finished.
“That’s also something that’s very high on our agenda. How can we further improve the experience? And give players the opportunity to progress in a way that interests them,” says Steranka: “That’s definitely an area we’ve thought about very intensely, how we can enhance this primary gameplay of Pokémon GO, the catching of Pokémon, with life. There is nothing concrete to announce here, but it is something we’ve thought about, worked on, and hopefully will be able to share with players in the not too distant future.”
We are definitely excited about what lies ahead in the future. In the very near future, though, it is relatively clear: The global GO Fest is coming up, and a few more dates are still on the calendar. Want the complete overview? Then check here: All events in June 2025 in Pokémon GO.
