In a recent interview with DIME, The Pokemon Company President Tsunekazu Ishihara discussed about the difficulty of developing for Nintendo Switch and the challenges he and his company faced in the early days of localizing Pokemon for the world.

Another question DIME asked the CEO was when he felt was the most difficult time for him and the company. Ishihara felt 1996 was the most difficult time, as The Pokemon Company was starting many different projects at the same time.

That year, Pokemon Red and Green became a huge hit in Japan, and it was three years before Pokemon Gold and Silver would release in Japan. It would also be the same year where the TV anime begun, the Pokemon TCG started, the Pokemon movies started, and all sorts of other projects launched.

Amid the launch of new projects, the development of Pokemon Gold and Silver was lagging behind. It was a time where the CEO was losing his patience. The three years to Pokemon Gold and Silver’s launch was a time where Ishihara’s stamina and mental wellness were stretched to the very limit.

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