10 Exact Moments That Killed Video Game Franchises

5. Not Being Able To "Catch 'Em All" - Pokémon Sword & Shield

It took Nintendo over twenty years to do it, but in one fell swoop, they singlehandedly destroyed any goodwill around Pokémon Sword & Shield, practically overnight.

Alongside things like the game looking and playing like another 3DS instalment, rather than something overhauled for home consoles, the biggest issue directly contradicted the series iconic tagline of "catching them all".

Because in Sword & Shield, you can't.

Yes, you can catch all of the new creatures and scores of others from past generations... but not the full set. And when it comes to the ones Nintendo chose to omit? They chose some of the most beloved in series' history.

Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Mewtwo, Clefairy - the list goes on.

Nintendo have made it very clear that the decision is to push for "new ideas" and progression for the brand overall. The mandate was to pick and choose which creatures were worth carrying forward... which only makes it more baffling as to why so many loveable, iconic designs were left behind.

Now, I will clarify that Sword & Shield is still a solid and enjoyable Pokémon game, but for many fans, the communication of these changes and who we won't be seeing for years to come, is just too much of a negative.