Pokémon Veteran James Turner Rejoins Franchise Following Work on The Plucky Squire
Pokémon development veteran James Turner is returning to the world of pocket monsters, after previously leaving to make The Plucky Squire.
James Turner, a veteran in Pokémon development, is set to return to the franchise after leaving to work on The Plucky Squire. Turner, known for being the first Westerner to officially design Pokémon at Game Freak, departed the company four years ago to co-found All Possible Futures. This studio released The Plucky Squire, a platformer that featured 2D characters transitioning to 3D environments.
Unfortunately, it is uncertain what lies ahead for the studio following Turner's return. Turner recently announced on X/Twitter that he has accepted a new role as Creative Director of Pokémon Art and Design at The Pokémon Company International, though it is unclear if he will continue to design Pokémon species. The next installment in the franchise, Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves, is set to be released next year for Nintendo Switch 2, promising ambitious visuals powered by Nintendo's latest console.
Turner contributed to the design of unique Pokémon characters like Vanillite, Bruxish, Dondozo, Sinistea, and Tatsugiri, as well as Obstagoon, Phantump, Ultra Beasts Buzzwole and Guzzlord. IGN praised The Plucky Squire for its clever platform puzzling and storybook adventure, though they noted that it could have benefited from a shorter runtime.
Written by urgent.news from IGN's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
