Shigeru Ohmori
Ohmori in 2007
Born (1980-02-29) 29 February 1980
Matsudo, Chiba, Japan
Years active2001–present
EmployerGame Freak

Shigeru Ohmori (/ˈʃɪɡɛruː ˈoʊmoʊrɪ/ SHI-ger-roo OH-moh-ri; Japanese: 大森滋, Hepburn: Ōmori Shigeru, IPA: [oːmori ɕigeru]; born 29 February 1980) is a Japanese video game director, designer, and developer best known for his work in the Pokémon franchise. He has worked in Game Freak since 2001, and has been the primary director of Pokémon video game titles since Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire in 2014.

Career

Ohmori was born on 29 February[1] 1980 in Matsudo city, in Chiba Prefecture.[2] According to Ohmori, his parents died when he was young, which served as inspiration for the character Arven in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.[3] He went to a vocational school and studied programming, and before he had graduated he had worked on the commercial video game title Yakiniku Bugyou.[4] He applied to Game Freak initially as a programmer, but according to Ohmori he found out he preferred video game design to programming, and instead applied to be a designer.[4] The first title he worked on in Game Freak was Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, immediately upon joining, and in the succeeding titles Pokémon Diamond and Pearl he was a lead designer.[4]

According to Junichi Masuda, director of Pokémon titles before 2014, he appointed Ohmori to be his successor in directing future Pokémon games during the development for Pokémon X and Y.[5] At that time, Ohmori was the games' design director.[4] With fan requests for a remake of Ruby and Sapphire, Masuda opted for Ohmori due to Ohmori's strong connection with the old games, and Ohmori was informed of Masuda's decision on the games' tenth anniversary.[5] The remake Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire was released in 2014, and immediately after its development had concluded Ohmori reprised his directorial role for the 2016 titles Pokémon Sun and Moon.[6]

Sun and Moon was Ohmori's first new-generation title as director. The games were themed around nature, and in its design Ohmori increased the emphasis the games gave towards the Pokémon creatures themselves. In an interview with USGamer, Ohmori also remarked that he wanted to design the new games "from scratch", and hence new game mechanics were introduced.[7] In the following generation's titles, Pokémon Sword and Shield, Ohmori continued to become director. According to Ohmori, due to the Nintendo Switch's increased resolution, it became possible to include smaller visual items along with larger ones, enabling the addition of features such as multiplayer cooperative battles. One design item which took up Ohmori's attention was the grass in the games – as players perceived grass patches to be potential location for Pokémon, it was considered a core design element and Ohmori took half a year with his team to finalize it.[8]

Ohmori retained his directorial position in the 2022 titles Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. The game continued to exclude voice acting as with previous titles, with Ohmori noting that without character voices "players can kind of create their own image of who that character is as they’re playing".[9]

Works

Year Game title Role
2001 Yakiniku Bugyou Planner
2002 Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Game designer, map designer
2003 Pokémon Box: Ruby and Sapphire Planner
2004 Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Game designer, map designer
Pokémon Emerald
2005 Drill Dozer Game designer, additional tuning
2006 Pokémon Ranger Game design advisor
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Lead game designer, plot scenario, map designer
2008 Pokémon Platinum Game designer, plot scenario, map designer
2009 Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Game designer
2010 Pokémon Black and White Lead game designer of special elements, map designer
2012 HarmoKnight Game designer
2013 Pokémon X and Y Planning director, pokemon design coordination
2014 Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Director, concept, plot
2016 Pokémon Sun and Moon Director, planning director
2017 Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon Producer
2018 Pokémon Quest Supervisor
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! Producer
2019 Pokémon Sword and Shield Director, concept
2022 Pokémon Legends: Arceus Producer
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Director, concept

References

  1. ↑ @Shigeru_Ohmori (February 28, 2021). "本当は2月29日が誕生日ですが、今年はないので28日にケーキを食べます！" (Tweet). Retrieved February 24, 2023 – via Twitter.
  2. ↑ "Nintendo E3 2019 Press Kit: Shigeru Ohmori". Nintendo. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Reveals Inspiration for Arven's Story". comicbook.com. March 21, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "【新連載：新世代に訊く】 『ポケモン』新作は"攻略"を検索される前提？ ゲームフリークの伝説を受け継ぐ若きディレクター達 【大森 滋氏・尾上 将之氏インタビュー】". Denfaminicogamer (in Japanese). July 3, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  5. 1 2 "Pokemon's Junichi Masuda: 'We weren't explicitly targeting children'". Wired UK. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Why the New Pokémon Games Abandoned a Fan Favorite Feature". Time. October 19, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Interview: First-time Pokémon Director Shigeru Ohmori Opens Up About Sun and Moon". VG247. October 19, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  8. ↑ "『ポケモン ソード・シールド』ポケモン育成の進化やオートセーブの実装など気になる話題が続々！ ゲームフリーク増田順一氏＆大森滋氏インタビュー". Famitsu (in Japanese). October 25, 2019. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  9. ↑ Simelane, Smangaliso (November 19, 2022). "Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Prove the Series Doesn't Need Voice Acting Yet". Game Rant. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
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