According to some information first spotted by Japanese website
Pokémon Matome, Creatures Inc. is no longer on Game Freak's list of partners, which is something that no one saw coming but many probably, and unknowingly wanted.
As of the 18th of November, Creatures Inc. was still part of Game Freak's list of partners, and fan outrage over
Pokémon Sword and
Pokémon Shield may have been the straw that broke the camel's back; in this case, Game Freak's relationship with Creatures.
For those unaware, Creatures Inc. is the company that was in charge of making the 3D character models in
Pokémon games, and have been affiliated with Game Freak and The Pokémon Company since
Pokémon Stadium released for the Nintendo 64 all the way back in 1998.
Many Pokémon fans were disappointed by the lack of ambition in
Pokémon Sword and
Pokémon Shield, especially since they were told that the new games
would not feature the entire Pokédex like previous titles. The reason? it would've been too demanding considering the specs of the Switch.
The problem here is that some keen-eyed players realised that Game Freak — but more specifically Creatures Inc. — were
reusing 3D models in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield; meaning that the Pokédex could've easily featured every Pokémon in existence. Long story short, fans were lied to by the developers.
While this information is as official as it gets, since Creatures Inc. really has been removed from
Game Freak's list of partners, neither the developer nor The Pokémon Company have confirmed that both companies have parted ways, but chances are that the next entry in the Pokémon series will see another developer working on the character models.
Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield will be set in Galar, an expansive region with many environments—idyllic countryside, contemporary cities, thick forests, and craggy, snow-covered mountains. The people and Pokémon live together in this region, and they’ve worked together to develop the industries here.
Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are currently available exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.