"Digimon and Pokemon are fundamentally different" according to Digimon Story: Time Stranger producer, who hopes the new RPG will "serve as an opportunity" for the franchise to distinguish itself

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"Digimon and Pokemon are fundamentally different" according to Digimon Story: Time Stranger producer, who hopes the new RPG will "serve as an opportunity" for the franchise to distinguish itself News By Scott McCrae published 26 November 2025

"Comparisons are understandable and even expected"

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(Image credit: Bandai Namco Entertainment)

Digimon Story: Time Stranger producer Ryosuke Hara says he hopes the new entry in the series shows players that it and Pokemon are very different beasts.

From perhaps the moment Digimon arrived on the scene, it was faced with comments about it trying to ride the coattails of Pokemon. Even though Digimon initially had more in common with its fellow Bandai toy line Tamagotchi, the brand debuted a year after Pokemon did, and the anime series debuted shortly after the Pokemon anime started airing – around a year later for the English release – so it's not a shocker that comparisons were made that still persist to this day.

Speaking with MCV/Develop magazine (and reported on by VGC), Hara is asked how he feels about the comparisons and if he wishes they would go away. The producer responds: "There are certainly similarities when it comes to the monster collection aspect, and it's true that many players enjoy both franchises. So in that sense, comparisons are understandable and even expected."

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However, despite being unphased by the comparison, Hara explains, "Digimon and Pokemon are fundamentally different in their core concepts and appeal. Each has its own unique strengths." With Digimon Story: Time Stranger, he adds, "we believe that these differences will naturally become apparent as players experience this title," and "our hope is that this game serves as an opportunity for more people to discover and appreciate what makes Digimon distinct."

If anything, modern Digimon games have more in common with the likes of Shin Megami Tensei than Pokemon, if you ask me. But it's good to know that after almost 30 years, the Digimon team isn't struggling with the Pokemon comparison.

Digimon Story Time Stranger launches to bigger player counts than any Persona or single-player Final Fantasy JRPG in Steam history

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Scott has been freelancing for over three years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.

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