One of the most popular Pokemon rom hacks you can play right now combines the creature catcher with the roguelite genre. Although PokeRogue recently reached a major milestone with the release of the fan game’s ending sequence, the project’s creator is taking a step back to refocus on faith, family, and their work.
PokeRogue is Pokemon as you know it, but with procedurally generated worlds so the map and encounters change with each playthrough. You won’t find the kind of permadeath popular in roguelikes or Nuzlockes, but you will have to keep abreast of things like resource management because who knows how things will turn out. It has gained serious popularity, especially among the Pokemon streaming community, but that hasn’t stopped its creator from quitting the project.
“I understand that the growth of this project continues to accelerate and that there is still so much potential yet to be achieved,” PokeRogue creator Flashfyre explained on Twitter.
“For many, this seems like the worst possible time to leave. I had so many ideas that I know people would love and make the experience even better. But after much consideration and discussion with family and close friends, I believe this would be the case.” It would be better for myself and for the continued growth of the project, so that I can say goodbye with a good feeling.”
Flashfyre goes on to say that they’ve always wanted to work on a project like PokeRogue, although I imagine they never predicted how big it would become. They say the project started when they took a 10 year old project and combined it with roguelite influences until it started to resemble what you see today.
They worked on the game solo for nine months, but by the end PokeRogue had become a community project as its popularity had attracted many people who were just eager to contribute.
“It truly exceeded my wildest expectations, and I thank all of you for being a part of it,” they say.
Despite the good times, the Pokemon fan moves on “because a project like this is not compatible with my intended trajectory in life.” Flashfyre explains that they found it “impossible” to limit the time they spend on PokeRogue, and that other things in life take the hit.
“As a hobby, it has become too important and demanding for me and has interfered with the things I value most, including my faith, my family and my job,” they say. “I am first and foremost a man who wants to follow God’s path in life for me, and my short time in this world should be spent serving Jesus Christ rather than feeding my own ambitions.
“I suppose in this resignation I am giving back to the world what belonged to the world in the first place so that I am not responsible if it changes in a way that is not in line with my personal values, rather than choosing to to maintain what is now a community project by my own personal standards, in an effort to maintain a clear conscience for myself.”
Mind you, Flashfyre is keen to express its affection for the project, saying it “really hurts” to leave it behind given the amount of time they put into it. If you’re worried about the future of PokeRogue, don’t worry. Although it started as a solo developer’s passion project, it has grown into a community collaboration. Several other fans who put a lot of time into the project now run the Discord and make the big decisions. Although it is a future without Flashfyre, it is still a future and not an end.
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