James Turner announces departure from Game Freak
Best of luck, James!
James Turner was the first Western dev to join Game Freak, and now he has announced that he’s departing the company. Turner has decided to leave Game Freak in order to start his own studio.
James Turner designed Pokémon for Pokémon Black and White, Pokémon X and Y, Pokémon Sun and Moon, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and Pokémon Sword and Shield; he was also the Art Director for the latter. Additionally, he directed the 2012 Nintendo 3DS eShop title HarmoKnight.
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the_crimson_lure
2y agoNothing personal against James Turner, but I don't think he was a good fit for Pokemon.
All the pokemon he designed really stuck out and clashed with the overall pokemon style.
He's a great artist, but his cartoony aesthetic just did not translate well into the world of Pokemon.
I think his talent will be put to much better use when he has the freedom that comes with being an independent studio.
Hey Golett and Golurk were cool designs!
They're good designs but they just don't mesh well with the pokemon aesthetic.
I personally still find it a very strange decision to base a pokemon on the golem mythology and have its eyes be the letters "IL" (Israel).
I don't think any real-life countries should be used as the eyes of a pokemon.
Had Turner stayed on, we might have gotten a pokemon with the letters "USA", ES", "JP" or some other country's abbreviation for eyes next.
No thank you.
So glad Turner is off Pokemon.
Turner's art style really shines in the game his studio just announced, it's a perfect fit.
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